Solidarity with Antifascists in Russia and the Ukraine – Demonstration, 3.7., Berlin

From Russia…

In the last years, there are more an more news about right-wing street terror in Russia. In 2008, right-wing extremists have killed more than 100 people, according to NGO „Sova“.
And these are only the cases that have become known. Police and security forces show no interest to really investigate these crimes. In the state apparatus as well, a rise in extremely right-wing, nationalist and racist ideologies is to be noted. But in many cities and regions, there are active antifascist groups and initiatives in disagreement with this development. Their activists often risk their lives when they resist against neonazis or even only actively show a different opinion. Increasingly, however, antifascists are not only threatened by neofascist hoodlums, but also by state repression. This reaches from mass arrests during concerts and film screenings, bans of demonstrations and rallies, to threats and beatings of police against antifascists. Especially antifascists acting in self-defense against fascist attacks get criminalized.
The list of such cases, in which antifascists have been sentenced to sometimes lengthy jail terms, is long. Alexej „Shkobar“ Olesnikov was on trial in Moscow on fabricated charges and was convicted to a year in jail. Alexej Bytschin, who wounded a fascist acting in self-defense, was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment in St. Petersburg – the judgment was delivered May 8, the day of victory over fascism. Yury M from Vladivostok, who had lost a viscus two years ago after a neonazi attack, wounded a fascist in self-defense, w$ho died because of failing medical emergency care – his trial is still pending. In the city of Izhevsk in 2008 alone, 80 antifascists were arrested under different fabricated charges. The list can be continued. The right of self-defense against fascist bruisers is de facto abolished.
The authorities seem to see their main task in suppressing and obstructing progressive social movements and let the right-wing terror proceed.
The Russian State must stop its policy of belittlement, instrumentalization, and active support of neonazis, racists, and nationalists, and stop any cooperation with them!

…to the Ukraine

The Ukraine likes to present itself as a pro-European and progressive country. However there as well, partly the worst European traditions are being continued: On April 17, 2009, 15 neonazis attacked five antifascists in the city of Odessa with stones and bottles. Fearing for his life, one of the antifascists defended himself with a knife. One of the neonazis was severely wounded. Again, emergency medical care was late, and he died later in hospital. If the antifascists had not actively resisted against this attack of a superior number of fascists, they probably had not been able to protect their lives.
The reaction of Ukrainian Politicians and mass media is scandalous. April 22, President Yushenko prejudged the self-defense of antifascists in Odessa as deliberate murder, even though the police investigation was only at ist very beginning. He ordered police and security services to take harder measures against the „anti-Ukrainian extremists of the „Antifa“ organisation“ and look for political motives of the „murder“. In the same speech, he trivialized neonazis as „patriots“ and thus expressed his open sympathy with them. Meanwhile, Ukrainian nationalists and neonazis openly pledge to prepare a vendetta.
Police and the secret service SBU use violence, torture and other means to blackmail witnesses and receive evidence favorable to the neonazis. Activists from other regions all over the Ukraine, who by definition cannot have any links to the incident in Odessa, also become victims of police violence and illegal arrests. Media, Politicians and extreme right agitate jointly against the „anti-Ukrainian“ antifascists, who allegedly were financed and directed from Russia. The incident is obviously being used to legitimize a broad wave of repression against a movement which is out of government control.
Against the background of the state actively looking away, the frightening growth of right-wing and racist violence with a rising body count isn’t new.

Neonazi-organizations in both countries, such as „Blood&Honour“ cooperate pragmatically in the „fight for the survival of the white race“. In addition, these well organized, sometimes paramilitary beat-and-murder-squads get ideological and financial support from parties and organizations of the extreme right in the west. Especially in times of crisis, an intensification of repression against progressive social movement is evident. This not only concerns antifascists, but as well trade unionists, ecologists, community activists, gay and lesbian activists… These movements are fighting for a different, a better society. They need our support!
Only together can we resist fascist tendencies and the state apparatus that gives them their head!

Dieser Text auf deutsch

Antifascism is no crime!

No space for fascism neither in the street, nor heads, nor state apparatus!

This call for action is being supported by:
Solianka – http://solianka.org/ RASH – http://www.red-skins.de/wrash/ North-East Antifascists – http://nea.antifa.de/ Youth Human Rights Movement Berlin – http://www.yhrm-berlin.org/ Fanladen St. Pauli – http://www.stpauli-fanladen.de/ Blunties-Antifa Ultra‘ Berlin http://www.blunties-berlin.de/start.html Alerta! Network http://alerta.bplaced.net/wordpress/ Cable Street Beat Düsseldorf – http://www.csb-duesseldorf.de/ Cable Street Beat Gütersloh http://csb-gt.de/ Cable Street Beat Berlin http://www.csb-berlin.com/ Rote Hilfe Düsseldorf-Neuss-Mönchengladbach, Antirassistische Initiative http://www.ari-berlin.org Anarchistische Föderation Berlin