OTTAWA — Crown prosecutors are seeking a 14-year prison sentence for Patrick Gordon Macdonald, known online as “Dark Foreigner,” following a two-day sentencing hearing on charges related to neo‑Nazi terrorism, court records show.
Macdonald, 27, was convicted in April of three charges: participating in the activities of a terrorist group, facilitating terrorist activity, and wilful promotion of hatred for producing propaganda videos for the Atomwaffen Division.
During the June hearing, expert witnesses stressed the powerful influence of Macdonald’s work. One testified that his stylized imagery and social media distribution were intended to recruit and radicalize new members for Atomwaffen’s extremist agenda. Another specialist noted the reach of “Dark Foreigner’s” visual themes, warning they “bolster the accelerationist ideology that underpins violent white supremacist movements.”
Superior Court Justice Robert Smith, who oversaw the trial, accepted that the metadata linked Macdonald’s camera equipment to three propaganda films. Crown prosecutor Catherine Legault argued the content was explicitly antisemitic and promoted violence against Jewish people.
Defence counsel challenged the evidence, labeling it “circulatory” and disputing Macdonald’s direct involvement in video production.
The Crown has recommended a 14-year term, citing the severity of Macdonald’s role in producing propaganda, the hate-based nature of his content, and the need for deterrence.
Macdonald remains free on bail pending sentencing, which is expected later this summer after Justice Smith reviews arguments over mitigating factors such as his age and lack of prior criminal convictions.
This article is based on verified information from the Canadian Anti‑Hate Network, The Canadian Press, CTV News, the Counter Extremism Project, and Ontario court documents.
Let’s see if the Judge lets him off easy or does the right thing. Judges need to be held accountable for letting criminals get away with crime.