Núcleo Nacional defies the court order to cease all activity on social networks and close its headquarters by asking for money on Instagram from its headquarters: "We are not going to back down"

Núcleo Nacional has taken advantage of the arrest of members of its leadership to ask for money on social networks and try to channel its militancy towards the political party Noviembre Nacional. Although the judge of Instruction Square No. 1 of Gijón (Asturias) has ordered the cessation of all its activities, the closure of its headquarters and the blocking of its profiles on social networks, the neo-Nazi organization keeps its accounts open, from which it requests donations, promotes membership in the political group founded by one of the detainees and continues to use its headquarters in Madrid to record propaganda videos.

The call was made by Iván Rico, spokesperson and main agitator of Núcleo Nacional, also detained and investigated by Justice, in a video broadcast through the organization's propaganda channels. After learning of the judicial measures, Rico reappeared in the recording studio that the far-right association has in Las Tablas to ask his supporters for funds and denounce alleged "political persecution and repression" by "the elites."

"The Government's intention is our disappearance," says the ultra leader, who denounces the seizure of computers, mobile phones and documents during police searches. He also maintains that the blocking of Núcleo Nacional's bank accounts has left the organization "without funds and zero euros to continue our work." He then issued a challenge: "We are not going to back down from this."

Far from announcing the end of his activities, Rico takes advantage of the statement to ask his followers for money transfers and explain how they can continue financing the movement. "Here on the screen you can see the account number to which you can make donations to continue supporting us," he says while showing the IBAN of a bank account whose owner is unknown. As he explains, it would be a provisional solution "until we manage to open the party's bank account."

The organization also intends to take advantage of the precautionary measures to transfer its members from the National Nucleus association to the National November party. The formation, registered in the Registry of Political Parties by Enrique Lemus, was created by the leaders of the neo-Nazi group with the declared objective of achieving the "conquest of the State."

"Since membership in the association is no longer valid from now on, all those who want us to continue being on the front line defending the interests of our people must formalize their membership through the party," announced Iván Rico. The spokesperson maintains that this change will allow them to continue with the project through "an own and stable structure."

The founder of Noviembre Nacional, Enrique Lemus, comes from Democracia Nacional and is one of the main links between Núcleo Nacional and the old Spanish far-right. He has participated in different elections without being elected and has participated in events in support of the Nazi bookseller Pedro Varela. He also participated in the presentation of the National Nucleus in April 2024.

The group's propaganda activity has not been interrupted either after the judicial measures became known. During Thursday night, David Rico, Iván's brother and person in charge of the organization's audiovisual campaigns, boycotted a live connection of La Diana, the program presented by Javier Ruiz on La Séptima. Meanwhile, several neo-Nazis placed a poster at the Las Tablas headquarters with the message "For reform we are closing, the PSOE does not like us." During his speech, interrupted by the presenter, who cut the connection, the youngest Rico assured that they would comply with the court order.

David Rico, also detained in the operation, is one of those responsible for the propaganda and business of Núcleo Nacional. In addition to editing his videos and campaigns on social networks, he is listed as the owner of Ultra Invicta, the clothing store that has a monopoly on the online sale of t-shirts and other uniform clothing of the organization. The establishment sells balaclavas, sweatshirts and clothing with SS symbols, as well as items that joke about the Holocaust.

The continuity of these activities occurs after the Gijón magistrate agreed to the total cessation of Núcleo Nacional, the closure of its headquarters in Madrid, Burgos and Valladolid and the blocking of the digital content of its profiles. The precautionary measures, communicated this Thursday by the General Directorate of the Police, also include the withdrawal of the passports of the 14 detainees, the prohibition of leaving Spain and the obligation to appear weekly in court.

The organization, for its part, questioned whether the measures were made public before receiving the judicial resolution. "The media giving the news without us having been notified of any judicial order," he published on his X account.

The 14 members of Núcleo Nacional were arrested last Friday in Madrid, Valladolid, Asturias, Guadalajara, Pontevedra, Burgos and Alicante during an operation in which the National Police carried out 12 searches. Among those detained are the neo-Nazi singer Alberto Gonzalo de Juan, known as Alberto Pugilato, and Isabel Peralta, one of the best-known faces of Spanish neo-Nazism.

Those arrested are charged with crimes of illicit association, hatred and illegal possession of weapons. During the searches, investigators seized more than twenty firearms, as well as tasers, extendable batons and boxing keys.

In another of the videos recorded at the headquarters and broadcast this Friday morning, David Rico defended, in line with what his lawyers stated days before, that the shotguns, pistols and rifles had a "private license" and were regulated by the Civil Guard's Weapons Intervention, while the other weapons were "rubber toys."

According to the police summary included in the investigation, several National Nucleus militants traveled to Ukraine last August to receive paramilitary training, learn how to use weapons of war and establish contacts with other organizations with the aim of preparing an "armed uprising" in Spain. During their stay they maintained contacts with the 12th Azov Brigade and conducted shooting practice with AK-47 assault rifles.

Among the headquarters whose closure the judge has ordered is El Nido, the headquarters of Núcleo Nacional located at number five María Tubau Street, in Las Tablas. The premises, installed in an office building in a business area of ​​Madrid, have a gym, assembly room and portraits of Adolf Hitler. There, the organization recruited new members through a monthly fee of 10 euros that included access to sports facilities.

The movement was born in the heat of the protests in front of the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz at the end of 2023 and later adopted the legal form of an association. According to police sources consulted by GRAN MADRID, Núcleo Nacional is a reformulation of more veteran ultra organizations, such as Democracia Nacional, España 2000 and Bastión Frontal.