Former vigilante group member criticizes radicalism in Sofia hunter initiative

Alexander Alexandrov, a history teacher and former member of a self-proclaimed "pedophile hunter" group in Sofia, has spoken out about his decision to leave the initiative due to the radical attitudes of its members.

Alexandrov stated that while the group's initial goal was to gather evidence and hand it over to the police, he observed a shift in the group's culture. He described some participants as acting like "skinheads, Nazis, or football hooligans." He expressed concern that the movement risks turning into a form of entertainment for youths, who may view these activities as a "hunt" where a predator is the prey rather than a serious effort to assist law enforcement.

The discussion follows a violent murder at Mladezhki Hill in Plovdiv, where the accused minors reportedly claimed they had been taking inspiration from such "pedophile hunter" initiatives, even if they were not formal members.