eyfa.org/eyfa_newsletter/antifascism

. on Antifascism

October 2008

With queer festivals in Belgrade and Sarajevo getting attacked by fascist hooligans, nazi scum murdering people in the streets of Russia, and the Italian government forcing Roma kids to give their fingerprints while the new mayor of Rome gets a Sieg Heil salute from a full square of people... it is time for a newsletter on antifascism!!

**Contents

1. Fascist murders in Russia

2. Queer festivals under attack (but fight back)

3. Antifa conference Berlin

4. Persecution Roma and Sinti in cryptofascist Italy

5. International day against Fascism and Antisemitism

6. more links

--- -- -- - - - - -- - --- - - - -- --- - --- -- --- -- - - --- -- - --

1. Fascist murders in Russia

October 8th, 2008, 16 year-old Olga Rukosyla was kicked to death by three well-known nazi skin-heads in Irkutsk. Olga was not a member of any political movement but she dressed like a punk. The red laces in her boots, a symbol of the antifa subculture, might have provoked the aggression on the part of the nazis.

http://ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/21056/index.php

October 10th, 2008, 27 year-old Filatov «Fedjay» Feodor Vasilevich died in a Moscow hospital from plural knife wounds. Fedjay was one of the people that stood at the foundation of the Moscow Trojan Skinheads, a community of anti-racist skinheads. He was attacked by four unknown people on his doorstep. There is no doubt that he was murdered for his conviction. www.indymedia.nl/nl/2008/10/55068.shtml

Over the last two years the antifascist movement in Russia has been growing. A response was needed to the daily violence by neo-nazis in the streets against migrants, foreign students, gays & lesbians, and 'alternative' looking youth. Antifascists are taking the streets back but in this struggle many get injured, imprisoned or even killed. Groups like Anarchist Black Cross Moscow provide legal and material support such as medical aid and food parcels for prisoners. ABC Moscow is always in need of money and could use the international support.

http://avtonom.org/index.php?nid=1912 & www.myspace.com/abcmsc

--- -- -- - - - - -- - --- - - - -- --- - --- -- --- -- - - --- -- - --

2. Queer festivals under attack (but fight back)

Two queer festivals in Serbia and Bosnia got attacked last month by fascists. The theme of the 5th Queerbeograd-festival in Belgrade was “Direct-action & Antifascism”. The topic antifascism lies at the roots of the festival, as it came into being as a response to the attack by homophobic hooligans on the Belgrade Pride parade in 2001. The importance of explicitly focusing on this issue became clear again when on the 2nd day of the festival a small group leaving the venue got attacked by fascists. Several people were seriously injured before the police arrived. One member of clerical fascist organization 'Obraz' (responsible also for the Pride attack in 2001) was arrested.

Five days later the Queer Sarajevo festival had its opening with 300 people attending. Outside the venue gathered a group of 150 religious extremists holding stones, carrying knives, and even some guns. In the attack that followed seven activists and participants of the festival were injured. The police had failed to see this festival as a high risk and were not prepared for the attack.

During the Queerbeograd-festival people expressed their need to take action themselves. More than just a response in the media they also wanted to take the streets. On October the 11th they did. Together with fellow anarchists and antiauthoritarians they marched through Belgrade holding a banner “Antifascism – A fight for freedom. Against racism, sexism, capitalism and power.”

A second banner was taken on the march. The year before in an antifa demo in Novi Sad, two female participants were asked by antifa football supporters to take down their rainbow flag. This second banner therefore stated: “You don't talk about homophobia? Then shut up about antifascism!”

For reports on both attacks and the October 11th march see: http://www.eng.queerbeograd.org

Belgrade Pride attack 2001:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=h8OKLHFlh2w&feature=channel

--- -- -- - - - - -- - --- - - - -- --- - --- -- --- -- - - --- -- - --

3. Antifa conference Berlin, November 11-15

Counterstrategies will be discussed by antifascists from Germany, Russia, Spain, Tsjech, Italy and Poland at the international Antifa- Konferenz on November 14. In the days before and after the conference there will be a festival with bands, a demonstration, plus a day of action in commemoration of those who have died due to fascist violence.

http://siempre.red-skins.de

--- -- -- - - - - -- - --- - - - -- --- - --- -- --- -- - - --- -- - --

4. Persecution Roma and Sinti in cryptofascist Italy

Activists in need of a break are leaving the country to settle elsewhere. A coaltion of nationalist and neo-fascist parties are ruling the country and the army is patrolling the streets of Rome. After his election Rome's new mayor Alemanno, former youth leader of the Italian fascist social movement, was saluted by a square of supporters raising their right arm while shouting “Duce! Duce!” (after Mussolini). This was followed by prime minister Berlusconi declaring “We are the new falange!,” in reference to the original Falange, being the Spanish fascist party. Founded in the 1930s, the Falange's doctrine was adopted by General Franco.

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/30/italy

This is Italy 2008 but the same old scapegoats are still subject to persecution. Alemanno promised his followers to raze (destroy or wipe out) Rome's gypsy camps. Since the end of 2006 the Roma and Sinti communities in Italy have been under severe pressure. Under the eye of local authorities their settlements have been attacked by local citizens and in a couple of cases burned down. Just recently the European Commission gave the green light to fingerprint Roma and Sinti of all ages in Italy – a procedure to be applied exclusively to this group.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7476413.stm

More background articles on the current situation of Roma in Italy at www.everyonegroup.com

Report Roma solidarity demo Manchester, September 19:

www.ainfos.ca/en/ainfos21424.html

--- -- -- - - - - -- - --- - - - -- --- - --- -- --- -- - - --- -- - --

5. International day against Fascism and Antisemitism

On 9 November each year the UNITED for Intercultural Action network organises a European-wide campaign to commemorate the past and to protest against contemporary forms of fascism and antisemitism.  They call upon all organisations to take part in the campaign. Your group can organise concerts or conferences, send protest letters to policy-makers or find other ways of voicing your opinion.

If you want to start up something in your locality and you need materials go to www.unitedagainstracism.org/pages/campnov.htm

--- -- -- - - - - -- - --- - - - -- --- - --- -- --- -- - - --- -- - --

6. More links

Not always accurate but still a good source to a whole lot of information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifascism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militant_anti-fascism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifascistisk_Aktion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinheads_Against_Racial_Prejudice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_and_Anarchist_Skinheads

Antifa-Net - International Antifascist network for research and action:

Searchlight magazine (UK): www.searchlightmagazine.com

Nigdy Wiecej (Poland): www.nigdywiecej.org