WATCH: Neo Nazi Erik Ahrens tries to scare Haredim. They find it hilarious.

Erik Ahrens, the Budapest-based, self-proclaimed neo-Nazi and former AfD social media strategist, took his extremist antics to a new level in a video posted today - only to find himself the punchline. The 31-year-old, known for peddling antisemitic rhetoric under slogans like “Make Budapest Safe,” attempted to intimidate a group of Haredi Jewish men in Hungary. Instead of cowering, the ultra-Orthodox men laughed in his face, turning his latest provocation into an online embarrassment.

Ahrens’ Background: From AfD to Fringe Extremism

Ahrens, born in 1994 and of Greek descent, rose to prominence as a far-right influencer who shaped the Alternative für Deutschland’s (AfD) social media success, driving millions of TikTok views with provocative content. Once a skinhead and briefly left-leaning, he pivoted to right-wing activism, founding the “GegenUni”, branded a “far-right propaganda institute” by AfD figurehead Maximilian Krah. His strategies boosted the party’s youth appeal, earning him guru status in outlets like The Irish Times.

But 2024 marked a turning point. After the AfD cut ties amid his radical race-theory rants and repurposing of apolitical dance videos for propaganda, Ahrens went rogue. An October exposé by Hope Not Hate and Der Spiegel caught him in Athens plotting a Trump-style populist movement, backed by a U.S. multimillionaire, with fascist leanings and eugenics ties. Shunned by New Right allies like Martin Sellner and Götz Kubitschek (whose Antaios publishing house banned him) Ahrens has since vowed to lead an international “racist network.” His latest video suggests he’s testing that ambition on new targets.

Haredi Resilience Steals the Show

The Haredi men’s reaction underscores a stark contrast: where Ahrens seeks fear, they deliver defiance through humor. Known for their insular communities and resistance to outside pressure, the group turned his intimidation into a farce, echoing a resilience honed by centuries of facing bigger threats. Online, the clip’s gone viral, with X users dubbing it “Erik’s Epic Fail” and sharing memes of Ahrens captioned, “When your SS dreams meet Yiddish sass.”

Ahrens hasn’t commented on the flop, but his February 2025 YouTube tirade, claiming Kubitschek and an orthodox abbot tried to control him, hints at a pattern of lashing out when challenged. That rant, partly validated by a later Spiegel report, shows his knack for burning bridges. This Haredi encounter might be his latest misstep in a spiraling quest for relevance.

Europe’s Extremism Wave: A Broader Context

Ahrens’ stunt lands as Europe grapples with rising extremism, from AfD gains in German elections to far-right gatherings like the 2023 Potsdam meeting he attended. His shift from party strategist to lone agitator mirrors a fracturing within the New Right, with figures like him pushing boundaries even allies won’t cross. Targeting Haredi Jews fits his pattern of provocation, though this time, it’s backfired spectacularly.