A bunch of little Hitlers at the "local" level were given the power they have always dreamed of, with zero accountability, so they are throwing their weight around trying to show everyone how big their dicks are to impress their new god-king.
Weirdly enough they moved past racism to be equal opportunity evil. Part of the reason people are finally paying attention is that they started disappearing blue eyed blonde Brits and Germans.
Cult-like nationalism encouraged by a lifetime of propaganda over multiple generations and general isolationism (people who have never left their home town)