Carl "Sargon of Akkad" Benjamin, one of the original voices of GamerGate, is running for a seat in the European Parliament. He's not a fringe voice—he's becoming the mainstream.
Image via Carl Benjamin
Content Warning: This piece includes racist language and references to rape threats.
One of the most prominent anti-feminist voices during GamerGate has turned towards politics, having been named a candidate for the European Parliament representing UKIP, a political party with a bent towards xenophobia, racism, and anti-immigration. It helped push the UK towards its infamous Brexit vote in 2016, which the country continues to wrestle with, and has yet to find a real path forward on.
Anyone paying attention during GamerGate probably remembers Carl "Sargon of Akkad" Benjamin. He was one of many far right grifters who rose to prominence in that era, when the online hate group went around claiming it was for ethics in games journalism, but largely spent its time harassing women online. In the years since, Benjamin has turned his moment in the sun into a profitable endeavour, with nearly a million subscribers on YouTube, and more than 3,000 people sending him nearly $12,000 per month on Patreon before he was banned.
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