Admittedly it happened in the German city of Dresden last weekend but you have to agree that the principle is sound. Thanks to Alf for drawing this short report on West Midlands Unity to my attention. The second video is the slicker of the two and while it has the slight drawback of being in…
Admittedly it happened in the German city of Dresden last weekend but you have to agree that the principle is sound.
Thanks to Alf for drawing this short report on West Midlands Unity to my attention. The second video is the slicker of the two and while it has the slight drawback of being in German you get a sense of what’s happening.
Liam thanks for putting it on. I hope comrades realise this is why many of us are pushing for an international anti-fascist conference to be set up, with the UAF and others, to widen out our experiences and strengthen the campaign.
If the UAF establishes an elected framework which incorporates all anti-fascist groups, by holding an AGM asap, as some agreed to in principle, we can also work towards this.
In the meantime we need to maximise efforts both in Dagenham against the BNP and in Bolton against the EDL.
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Hungarian groups protest rise of neo-Nazism
February 14, 2010
http://jta.org/news/article/2010/02/14/1010616/hungarian-groups-protest-rise-of-neo-nazism
BUDAPEST (JTA) — Pro-democracy and anti-fascist organizations in Hungary held a joint demonstration to protest the rise of neo-Nazi agitation in Eastern Europe.
The rally Saturday marking the anniversary of the liberation of Budapest from Nazi occupation 65 years ago was attended by several leaders of the ruling Socialist minority government as well as municipal and civic dignitaries. Absent, however, were representatives of Hungarian right-wing political parties that are expected to make huge gains in April’s parliamentary elections.
Another demonstration also had been organized for the same day by an international coalition of neo-Nazis, but it was banned by the police and provisionally postponed until March. Its organizers, including the Hungarian National Front, planned to honor the German and Hungarian defenders of the city who made their last stand against the victorious Soviet invaders at Buda Castle on Feb. 11, 1945.
The pro-democracy rally took place in an elegant Jewish district at the Pest side of the Danube River, the scene of nightly mass murders of Jews during the Holocaust. The organizers of the rally included the Civil Movement Against Fascism, the Anti-Fascist League, the New Socialist Movement and the Network of Feminist Left.
A significant police presence secured the event, which was attended by a few hundred supporters, most of them Jewish. Peter Nemeth, editor in chief of the daily Nepszava newspaper, blamed the low turnout on the growing fear by ordinary citizens of verbal or physical neo-Nazi abuse.
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It is curious how so many fascists and so-called ex fascists are rushing to support Israel. Perhaps it is to cover up racism and anti-Semitism, as well as joining in with ultra nationalists.
In an interview with the Israeli paper, Haaretz, Giannafranco Fini , once head of the fascist MSI and now President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, promised that if he were invited to Israel, he would apologize to the Jewish people and accept historical responsibility for the crimes of Fascism.
Seven years later,” Fini says in response, “I think no one can any longer cast doubt on my intentions and positions regarding the issue of the Holocaust and the Jewish people.”
In the meantime there are increasing reports of anti-Semitic attacks in Rome, which Fini denies any knowledge of. However, Fini says, “the phenomenon of anti-Semitism exists in Italy, but its dimensions are not worrisome.”
“Today anti-Semitism hides behind the anti-Zionist phenomenon. Behind the threats to attack Israel lies the desire to annihilate the Jews.”
However his supposed rejection of anti-semitism does not prevent Islamaphobic remarks being made. Fini says: “We must differentiate between the Arab countries and the Muslim countries. Egypt is an example of an Arab country that is making an important contribution to the peace process. Iran, on the other hand, is a Muslim country that openly declares its desire to annihilate Israel. There is no doubt that, in the face of such extremist positions, not only Italy but also the entire European Union has to take stringent steps.”
In the meantime, not to be outdone, Berlosconi on a visit this week to Israel stated that ”You , (Israel), represent ideals which are universal, you are the greatest example of democracy and freedom in the Middle East if not the only one”, whilst addressing the Israeli Parliament.
Not only did he then defend Israel in launching its three-week offensive in Gaza, he then pointed out that his ‘dream’ is of seeing Israel join the European Union.
Whilst meeting with the Palestinian leader, Abbas, Berlosconi states that, “ We mourn Gaza victims just as we cry over Holocaust victims”. He calls for supporting the Palestinian economy, “There will be no peace without prosperity,” but then objects to the Goldstone Report.
Nick Griffin, once an open denier of the Holocaust, published a pamphlet in 1997 called “Who Are The Mind Benders?” In it he claimed that Jews had conspired to brainwash the British people by dominating the media. He immediately received a two year suspended sentence for inciting racial hatred.
Ruth Smeed of the Board of Deputies of British Jews stated that , “The BNP website is now one of the most Zionist on the web — it goes further than any of the mainstream parties in its support of Israel and at the same time demonizes Islam and the Muslim world.” Today the BNP defend the State of Israel and supported the attacks on Gaza.
In the meantime, in the UK, the Community Security Trust (CST) reported that anti-semitic incidents in 2009 reached 924, the highest annual total since it began recording such incidents in 1984, and – after two years of falling numbers – an increase of 69 per cent from 2008.Add to this, the increase in recorded hate crimes, both homophobic and Islamaphobic this year and the situation reflects the rising tide of racism in this country.
The attempt by the BNP to deny their fascist tradition going back to Mosley , Chesterton, Jordan and Webster in appearing to be a legitimate non racist party , is a sick joke. Griffin also recently welcomed the move by the Australian anti-immigration campaigner, Pauline Hanson, to migrate to Britain and advised her to chose her home carefully, “any of the smaller towns or the country, places you know you are in Britain and are not the Third World yet”. He considers her to be the “ideal Party type member”, and would welcome her joining the BNP.
Hopefully the mass mobilisations planned against the EDL in Bolton and the BNP in Dagenham and elsewhere, will show that the united response by the labour movement can reverse this tide of hatred. The urgent need for an international response to the rise in fascism should see forces such as the UAF linking up with other anti-fascist bodies both here and abroad.
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FASCIST WATCH
The National Front plan to stand in Stoke and Staffordshire in the General Election against the BNP. They have just announced that they will be standing there for the first time since 1979. However, they have not announced his name!
Whether they can stand depends on whether the courts insist that they change their rule book, which they are unlikely to. They have made a big issue out of the fact that unlike the BNP, they remain a white only party.
The NF will be standing against the BNP deputy leader, Simon Darby, and claim that they are recruiting many disillusioned BNP members. To further confuse the far right vote, Former Stoke-on-Trent BNP leader Councillor Alby Walker also plans to stand in the constituency as an independent candidate.
NF executive member Steve Reynolds said that “Our main platform will be anti-Muslim and anti-immigration”. So there you have it. Openly racist and Islamaphobic.
If there is any further doubt about the violence of the NF then ask an Indian couple in Waterside, Derry, who had NF painted on their front door, black paint poured over their car and 3 tyres slashed. The police are treating it as a racially motivated crime.
With 2 fascist parties on the scene and the pogromist EDL on the march, things are expected to hot up even further. For this reason the anti-fascist movement needs to be even more alert and united, mobilising the labour movement to defeat this wave of hatred. Relying on the courts, the State and the police will not achieve this.
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I understand that the Scottish Defence League had to be bussed out of Edinburgh today after being confronted by anti fascists despite disruptive tactics from the SWP.
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The second video is great. Even if you don’t speak German, wait for ‘the science bit’ two minutes in 😉
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Liam redux 
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