Defend Europe and transnational activism

Uniting for a call to ‘Defend Europe’, the Generation Identity (GI) network co-organises transnational protest actions at various internal and external European Union borders to dissuade refugees and migrants from entering Europe and to criticise European governments’ inadequate policies. Their first mission in July 2017 was a profoundly advertised and mediatised ‘boat mission’ in the Mediterranean. In April 2018, this was followed by another action at the French-Italian Alps. Most recently, in January 2021, GI activists targeted the French-Spanish border in the Pyrenees. This chapter investigates the rationale behind these transnational actions of GI by exploring their frames, organisation, and execution. Since the actions complete GI’s claim to be a ‘European movement’, the chapter further examines the dimensions of their transnationality. Finally, the chapter briefly assesses the outcome of the actions, both in terms of media attention received and judicial repercussions for the participating activists, while discussing the potential for future transnational GI-actions.