Ep 3. Football, Fascists and The Frontline

In Hate Thy Neighbor season 1 episode 3, titled "Football, Fascists and The Frontline," comedian and host Jamali Maddix travels to Ukraine to explore the intersection of football fandom, politics, and extreme far-right ideologies.

The episode begins with Maddix attending a football match in Kiev, where he witnesses the passionate support of the Dynamo Kiev ultras, a notorious hooligan group with a history of violent clashes with rival fans and police. Maddix speaks with some of the ultras, who explain that their love for their team and their city is what drives them to engage in brawls with opposing fans.

However, Maddix soon learns that many of these same ultras are also members of far-right groups, such as the Azov Battalion, which has been accused of neo-Nazi sympathies and war crimes during the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Maddix meets with members of the Azov Battalion, who deny any fascist or neo-Nazi leanings and instead frame their ideology as a defense of Ukrainian nationalism and sovereignty.

As he delves further into the world of Ukrainian football hooliganism and far-right politics, Maddix interviews a variety of people, including a journalist who has received death threats for exposing the connections between the ultras and the far-right, as well as a member of a leftist paramilitary group that is fighting against the Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Through it all, Maddix maintains his trademark wit and humor, but he also asks tough questions and doesn't shy away from uncomfortable conversations. By the end of the episode, viewers are left with a complex portrait of Ukraine's political landscape, where issues of nationalism, football fandom, and far-right extremism are deeply intertwined.

Overall, "Football, Fascists and The Frontline" is a thought-provoking and enlightening episode of Hate Thy Neighbor that sheds light on a topic that many viewers may not be familiar with. Maddix's ability to engage with a diverse set of perspectives, from the ultra-nationalist ultras to the humanitarian paramilitaries, makes for compelling viewing and ensures that viewers come away with a deeper understanding of the complexities of the situation in Ukraine.