The analysis explores how far-right Telegram channels instrumentalise opposition to the Rio Tinto project and lithium mining in Serbia to amplify their pre-existing nationalist and anti-Western narratives.

Anti-system extremism in Serbia represents one of the most serious threats to the democratic order, social stability, and security. Unlike the broader European context, this phenomenon in Serbia operates simultaneously “from below” – through far-right and anti-system actors on the social margins – and “from above”, through narratives, practices, and informal structures connected to the ruling political elite.

The contemporary information environment has redefined the ecosystem of extremist groups, shifting them significantly towards online engagement.

This case study analyses the role of the Telegram channel “BUNT je stanje duha” (“REBELLION is a State of Mind”) in the discursive reshaping of student protests in Serbia.