How an English extremist with a Hitler tattoo hid in plain sight – and plotted to kill

When Callum Parslow, a known neo-Nazi, entered a hotel in the British countryside on April 2 and stabbed an Eritrean asylum seeker, it was not the first instance of his troubling behavior coming to the attention of law enforcement. The 31-year-old computer programmer was already on bail after being arrested four months prior for sending racist and sexual messages to a Black female journalist, clearly indicating the mindset that led to his assault.

A search of Parslow’s home in Worcester on December 13 revealed a trove of Nazi memorabilia, including rings and medallions from the Third Reich, copies of Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf,” and various far-right literature. The contents of his bedroom painted a vivid picture of his extremist beliefs, with a huge St George’s flag hung on the wall and a mess of empty food containers lying around.

His electronic devices further confirmed his ideology, containing numerous texts, images, and videos tied to neo-Nazi sentiments and conspiracy theories, particularly around topics such as “white genocide” and “exaggerated pandemics.” Despite this, Parslow remained at liberty, claiming during his trial that the arrest in December prompted him to consider launching a violent attack.

Recently found guilty of attempted murder, Parslow recounted how an eviction notice he received in February intensified his plans for violence. “I was on bail and I thought I was going to prison, and I knew I was going to get evicted, so I decided to attack someone,” he admitted in court. “After I got that eviction notice, I thought, ‘I’m going to do something.’ I knew it would be to a migrant at a hotel.”

Following his December arrest, Parslow began drafting a manifesto on his phone, revealing his intentions to act in what he considered a patriotic duty. “My name is Callum Parslow and I just did my duty to England,” he wrote, rationalizing his actions by blaming various groups for societal issues, including migration and declining living standards.

The lengthy manifesto expressed hopes that his attack would inspire further violence, calling on “fellow Englishmen” to take action. Despite this, he made little effort to disguise his extremist ideology, even going so far as to tattoo Hitler’s signature on his forearm. His online activity was no secret either, as he openly shared his beliefs on social media platforms and paid for an account verification to amplify his posts.

Two days before his attack, a user reported his inciting posts on X, only to receive a response stating that his account had not broken safety policies. As the date approached, Parslow made meticulous preparations, purchasing a handmade knife and researching lethal attack methods, as well as studying previous far-right terror incidents in the UK.

In mid-February, he resigned from his job, took out a loan, and embarked on a six-week journey across the UK, visiting sites he felt were integral to white British culture. By the time he returned home just days before his planned assault, he had settled on a target: the Pear Tree Inn, a hotel housing asylum seekers. His choice was influenced by information circulating within far-right communities on social media.

On April 2, the hotel was no longer housing asylum seekers, a fact Parslow was unaware of when he approached the hotel with a concealed knife. There, he encountered Nahom Hagos, a former guest who was simply having lunch alone. After a brief exchange, Parslow attacked him without warning.

“I don’t know why he punished me like this,” Hagos recalled, reflecting on the ordeal. “I was just eating.”

As Hagos fled for his life, screaming for help, Parslow casually exited the hotel and attempted to post his manifesto online, tagging numerous political figures alongside his call for violence. Throughout his trial, Parslow maintained his innocence regarding the attempted murder charge, claiming his intent was only to wound Hagos as part of a broader strategy to be imprisoned. He also acknowledged unrelated charges of sending offensive messages to the same journalist.

As the case unfolded, Parslow’s defense rested on a troubling admission: he had spent considerable time immersed in extremist content online, leading to his radicalization. “I would get angry seeing a lot of the articles that were online,” he said, revealing the depth of his online engagement and its subsequent impact on his worldview. The police have stated that bail conditions were appropriate given the context of his previous offenses.