Support needed for VA anarchist arrested after SC KKK rally counterdemo

Posted on 2015/09/10 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

On Monday, July 27th, our friend and comrade, Stephen Loughman, was arrested and charged with “breach of peace” for his support the week before at an anti-KKK rally in Columbia, SC on July 18th, 2015. Local activists had called on folks from across the southern region to help South Carolina’s communities stand against the Klan and other hate groups, who like many groups were trying to use the Confederate flag debate as a recruitment tool.
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We would like to bring attention to the many mistakes the media made while covering this story. Even though the chapters of the Ku Klux Klan and National Socialist Movement (a neo-Nazi group) were also from out of state, the media and the local sheriff’s office would have you believe that Stephen makes “a career” out of traveling around and causing trouble. This is blatantly untrue and is a tactic that has been historically used to undermine people’s movements struggling for liberation, particularly in the South. In addition, the skewed coverage by WISTV10 also fails to mention Stephen as an explicitly anti-racist protester, potentially putting his reputation and safety on the line. Stephen was also never contacted for his part of the story. While we understand that white power hate groups have a history of seeking retaliation against people who oppose them, including harassment, intimidation, and physical violence, we want to take this opportunity to clarify why Stephen was there because the media did not do so. This irresponsible coverage has the potential to put our friend in real danger in a multitude of ways.

The smear campaign that has begun against Stephen is an obvious attempt to distance South Carolina residents from any image of discontent and anger against both popular and institutional white supremacy. The KKK and the NSM are trying to defend and proliferate white supremacy at all costs. In the wake of righteous sadness and anger, fueled by Dylann Roof’s acts in Charleston, the state and the police still stand to protect these and other hate groups that inspired him. His political violence in the murder of 9 black people was a spark that lit the fire against institutions set up in South Carolina centuries ago. From the clandestine attacks on a dozen black churches, to the every day brutality of police departments and prisons across the country, we can be sure that white supremacy is alive and well in the U.S.

Although Stephen was in direct contact with the arresting officer the day of the protests, he was never arrested or told he had a warrant until he went back to South Carolina to retrieve his confiscated phone a week later. He was then taken to the deplorable Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where he was held in unclean facilities. Steve has since had to see a doctor for a Staph infection he received in custody.

Don’t let the authorities and the media paint the events of July 18th as the work of a lone white anarchist. The communities that stood against white supremacists, the true “outside agitators,” that day did so on their terms, to defend their city. If that means calling friends for help, so be it.

Towards a world without white supremacy,
The Defend Steve Support Committee

Plz circulate and donate to Steve’s support fund:

http://www.gofundme.com/e6b3tukuc

Keep Updated:

http://www.facebook.com/defendsteve

A Sample of the Smearing being done in the media:
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article29632162.html

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Berwyn, IL Neo Nazi Michael “Iron Balls” McArthur Doused in Urine

Posted on 2015/09/10 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

Shared from http://torchantifa.org/

Michael “Iron Balls” McArthur is a 59 year old Neo-Nazi living in Berwyn, IL. He is originally from Copalis Beach, WA. We know he is a Neo-Nazi because of his racist youtube rantswnU5Pt1. In one of them, he calls himself a National Socialist while standing in from a swastika flag, which we assume is located in his apartment. He calls himself “Iron Balls” because he lets girls kick him their hardest in his balls, and has been on the Steve Gadlin’s Star Makers “performing” this wonderful routine. He also does Tarot Card readings and was at one point doing them at Cigars and Stripes on Ogden Ave. in Berwyn. We are unsure as to why, but he is no longer able to do his Tarot card readings there. Because of this, we are also unsure of how Michael is making his money, although we do know that he is trying to start his own haunted cemetery tour. According to an article on the internet Michael McArthur once forced a 17 year old into some unwanted sexual situations (see here). According to her, he has continued to harass her via email.

For these reasons, we were happy to hear that he allegedly got his face soaked in piss by some antifascists.

From an email:

“On July 29th, 2015, Michael “Iron balls” McArthur, a self proclaimed National Socialist from Berwyn, IL was greeted with a face full of raunchy antifa piss in front of his apartment. (3137 Oak Park Ave apt# 107) He has been let go from his Tarot Card reading at Cigars and Stripes and spends his time at the YMCA off Oak Park or the Berwyn Public Library. Fuck nazis!”

Michael “Iron Balls” McArthur
Berwyn Hotel Apartments
3137 Oak Park ave
Apt. 107
Berwyn, IL
DOB: 10/14/1955

708-600-2347

churchofthevampyre@yahoo.com

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EXPOSED: links between “Cakes “N” Treats” Vegan Coffee Shop and Italian Neo-Nazis

Posted on 2015/08/15 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

Cakes-N-Treats
Cakes’N’Treats vegan cake shop in Camden, North London

UPDATE: We have received word that “Cakes “N” Treats” has officially been shut down.

Anti-fascists in London are calling for an active boycott of a vegan cake shop in Camden which they claim has links to a violent gang of Italian neo-Nazis.

There’s a vegan cupcake shop in Camden which opened in August last year called Cakes’N’Treats, which anti-fascists in London are calling to be boycotted for links with a gang of violent Italian neo-Nazis. They don’t want anybody (vegan or not) to spend money in there until their happy links with the gang are broken. The gang are responsible for violent attacks in Italy and now stalking the streets of North London, causing trouble. London Anti-Fascists told us they are calling for an “active boycott of Cakes’N’Treats, until we are assured that the links between [owner] Kim K and the neo-Nazis are broken.”

It may not feel like it but the capital has a booming economy compared to those of stagnating European countries. This has led to large-scale migration of Europeans to the city with hundreds of thousands arriving over the past five years. Among those moving to the UK have been far-right nationalists of various nationalities. For example, the influx of Eastern European migrants has included Polish fascists Zjednoczeni Emigranci and Hungarian Jobbik supporters. London has also been host to whole range of Italian fascists in the past, from your regular bonehead to investment bankers and state-backed terrorists. The latest Italian to turn up in London with nationalist tendencies is a guy called David. He works in the shop, serving customers vegan cupcakes.

An investigation by London Anti-Fascists claims David is a neo-Nazi sympathiser and reveals he is drinking buddies with a dangerous gang of violent Italian neo-Nazis. Back in their native Italy these neo-Nazis regularly attend concerts organised by the secretive neo-Nazi music network Blood & Honour and they have been responsible for a string of vicious attacks against left-wingers.

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Bonehead Elia Rizzo displays his skin-crawling tattoo.

A leading member of the group is Elia Rizzo (pictured above) who has a Nazi ‘SS’ drawn on his chest. Rizzo has visited London twice in the past two years and on both occasions David has gone out drinking with him. In one photograph posted on Facebook from November 2013 David can be seen posing with Rizzo with both of them wearing fascist t-shirts – in other pictures David can be seen posing happily with other known neo-Nazis.

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Rizzo and David out drinking in London, Rizzo is wearing a Blood & Honour t-shirt, David is wearing a t-shirt with a fascio rune made by a fascist label.

The group Rizzo and others are part of is called “Pavia Skins” after the posh little university town of Pavia in the Lombardy area of Italy. They hold Blood & Honour gigs where neo-Nazi bands from across Europe play to groups of boneheads who make Nazi salutes while throwing themselves around. Other activities have included visiting World War II cemeteries and memorials, such as the German one at Futa Pass, to pose with banners supposedly paying their respects to the soldiers who died defending Hitler’s Third Reich.

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Italian neo-Nazis, including the Pavia Skins, at Futa Pass.

Another bonehead who was part of the group and regularly goes drinking with David is fascist tattooist Luca Scuro. Like David, Scuro has migrated to the UK, working at Hellcats Tattoo Parlour in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Back in his native Italy, Scuro was fined for taking part in a violent assault on a group of young left-wingers, leaving one of them with a fractured septum.

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David and Luca Scuro on a night out in Camden.

Scuro’s brother, another of David’s occasional fascist drinking buddies, Luigi, has also come into contact with the Italian justice system. Getting into trouble after threatening a left-winger with a knife. If you’re wondering what motivates the Scuro brothers to engage in violent attacks on the left, Luigi has a tattoo of Mussolini on his back (see below).

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Luigi Scuro’s tattoos include a drawing of Italian fascist dictator Mussolini’s face.

Cakes’N’Treats is owned by 30-year-old Camden resident Kim K – who also happens to be David’s girlfriend. Originally from Germany, Kim migrated to London after being supposedly outed as having links to Italian neo-Nazis by German anti-fascists on activist website Indymedia. At the time the links looked like they could be a bit tenuous as all Kim had done was befriend a group of neo-Nazis on Facebook after attending an Oi! Gig in London.

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Kim and David sharing a moment.

The revelations caused what Kim described as a “shitstorm” of “massive proportions”. She released a statement explaining that she was an anti-fascist, had accepted the friend requests to her personal profile (she has a public profile with thousands of followers) without properly checking they weren’t neo-Nazis. One of them might have done her boyfriend’s tattoos but having a saying associated with the Italian far-right as a tattoo (Nessun Rimorso) as well as flags of various European countries doesn’t mean David was a nationalist, he was just a skinhead who likes Oi!, isn’t politically active and doesn’t really like the far-right.

In her statement Kim explained that when she’d met members of the gang at the gig in London they had been very interested in animal rights. This shouldn’t be too surprising, rumours claim Hitler was a vegetarian and neo-Nazis across Europe have been making efforts to infiltrate animal rights groups to gain legitimacy. In the UK the neo-Nazi kids from youth group National Action have recently been trying to get involved with the anti-badger cull campaign. While last year an international animal rights gathering in Belgium was disrupted after the presence of fascists was revealed by French anti-fascists.

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Italian neo-Nazis waiting for a London bus. From left to right: Elia Ciccio Cristiano, Elia Rizzo, David, Alessandro Graria, and Luca Scuro.

Now it looks like Kim’s broken all contact with the neo-Nazi gang she was connected to by anti-fascists back in 2012. She doesn’t appear in any of their recent Facebook photos and we’ve not seen any videos of her at gigs where Nazi salutes are being thrown since 2012. But we found this Nazi selfie on Rizzo’s facebook page from a trip to London in June this year. It’s him on the left and David’s at the back. Is this Kim on the right?

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Nazi selfie: David appears triumphant behind neo-Nazis Elia Rizzo and Elia Cicccio Cristiano. But is this Kim on the right?

London Anti-Fascists explained why they had been investigating the shop: “Camden is a mecca for all manner of sub-cultures which historically has included the neo-Nazi music scene. This still occurs, to a lesser extent, today and we were concerned that the place could again become a magnet again for their obviously neo-Nazi friends. We believe the presence of racists, organised or not, and those who associate with explicitly racist/white power music scenes, pose a direct threat to people of colour and those who take ideological opposition to racist and fascist ideas.

“Kim K has previously stated she is opposed to Nazi ideologies, but she still has no problem hanging out in Camden with known neo-Nazis,” they added. She might not be a neo-Nazi herself but her claims to be an anti-fascist are clearly bullshit.

This article was shared by us in hopes of bringing more light to this situation and the issues involved and was originally posted anonymously circulated around this time last year.

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Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) and Anti-fascist network (AFN) announced affiliation. Will other non-human animal activist groups do the same?

Posted on 2015/08/14 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

From April 28th 2014 Hunt Saboteurs Association press release:

“The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) is pleased to announce its affiliation to the Anti-fascist network (AFN).

The HSA has always had a policy of inclusion, welcoming anyone into our ranks regardless of race, creed, gender, religion or sexuality, and has been forced over the years to confront and exclude people who have been proved to be racist or fascist. Our active members have for years been the subject of racist (and sexist) abuse from the hunting community which only highlights that our struggle to end hunting also promotes a more ethical attitude to both humans and animals.

Both the HSA and AFN promote a policy of confronting those engaged in racism and hunting respectively, on the streets and in the countryside. To not only stop such activities continuing but also to highlight them to the wider public. While other organisations hide their heads in their hands, hoping that a few leaflets or email shots will make the problems go away, we are clear that the only way to end both hunting and racism is confront it head on, so those who partake of such actions and attitudes are clear that we will oppose them until they stop.”

This act of resistance to white supremacy and racism shook things up in the non-human animal rights and liberation movements. Many groups dismissed this act as too political and dividing while other groups discussed and embraced similar anti-racist/anti-fascist principles. We wanted to re-visit this act of solidarity and power by HSA and pose the question to all other groups involved with non-human animal freedom: will your chapter, movement, crew or organization adopt the same anti-racist policies? Will you too, create safe spaces of inclusion for people of all colors, sexes, abilities, genders and so on?…

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THEORY AND INTELLIGENCE AGAINST NATIONAL ANARCHISM

Posted on 2015/08/05 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

Shared from http://torchantifa.org/?p=398

con-boy

There has been a tendency within far-right, fascist movements over a number of years, starting largely in Europe, coming to the U.S. in recent years and unfortunately making more of an appearance here in Illinois in recent months.This tendency is “National Anarchism.”

The National Anarchist Movement has been largely influenced by Troy Southgate, who was formerly an active member in a number of far-right parties in Europe, including the British National Front, English Nationalist Movement, International Third Position and National Revolutionary Faction.

The ideology of National Anarchism includes elements of traditional anarchist theory and quotes from Bakunin, Proudhon, and even Hakim Bey appear in their writings. They promote small scale communities without a centralized State. However, they have combined anti-Statism with racial separatism where different cultures, “tribes,” or races are not to coexist.

National Anarchists go out of their way to talk about how they’re not fascist, yet have striking similarities to fascist, far right, white supremacist movements:

-Belief that multi-racial societies are “destroying Europe” (Southgate p.130)

-Utilization of anti-semitic narratives such as references to the “Zionist media” (Southgate “Tradition and revolution”p. 125), referring to Jews as “vampiric parasites intent on carving up the world’s resources in an attempt to create a single, global market” (NAM Manifesto)

-Opposing interracial relationships (what they call the “dominant ideology of inbreeding”)

-Organizing on White Power websites like Stormfront.org

Clearly, these positions are incompatible with a radical anarchist movement opposed to racism and white supremacy (regardless of whether they admit to their fascist leanings).

Some might ask why anti-racist anarchists should be concerned with this fringe movement. One answer is because they actively pursue a strategy of “entryism” where they enter existing movements and utilize them for their own ends.

In their own words, entryism is “the name given to the process of entering or infiltrating bona fide organizations, institutions and political parties with the intention of either gaining control of them for our own ends, misdirecting or disrupting them for our own purposes or converting sections of their memberships to our cause.” (Southgate “Tradition and revolution” p. 220)

Here in the U.S., National Anarchists have attended and participated in anarchist events, such as demonstrations and book fairs. With an anti-State position, critique of Capitalism and the fact that they embrace other causes anarchists are invested in (animal rights, environmentalism, opposition to Israeli militarism, etc.) it is likely that they would have an appeal to some anarchists, particularly those who are young or new to radical politics.

In a way, these attempts at engaging with Leftists, anti-authoritarians and anti-racist anarchist scenes make them even more of a threat than groups that make their racist, white supremacist position more apparent. Their attempts to recruit from existing anarchist communities makes it essential that they be confronted and exposed wherever they appear.

In the last several years here in the U.S., there have been attempts by national anarchists to organize in New York (National Anarchist Tribal Alliance-NY), San Francisco (Bay Area National Anarchists) and recently some National Anarchists have appeared here in Illinois.

For example, National Anarchist Brandon Lashbrook played a prominent role in the utterly failed Illinois “White Man March“.
Here are a two other National Anarchists from Illinois:

Jesse Abraham Deutsch
possible address: 2130 W 21st St
Chicago, IL 60608

Conor Wrigley (pictured at top)
2778 Deerpath Park Dr
Decatur, IL 62521-5607
Works at Menards Sales · Forsyth, Illinois
Born May 31, 1991
217-428-7922 (land line-parents house)
‪(217) 855-4750‬

https://www.facebook.com/conor.wrigley

Conorgt@yahoo.com
conorgt500@yahoo.com
cwrigley@millikin.edu
cwrigley1991@gmail.com

Crimethinc Podcast on anti-fascism, including analysis of National Anarchism: http://www.crimethinc.com/podcast/11/

Troy Southgate “Tradition and Revolution- Collected Writings of Troy Southgate”, “National Anarchism: Trojan Horse for White Nationalism”
http://radicalarchives.org/2010/11/15/griffin-na-as-wn-trojan-horse/

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Former ELF/Green Scare Prisoner “Exile” Now a Fascist (Article shared from Green Scare prisoner supporters and anti-fascists in Olympia, WA.)

Posted on 2015/08/05 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

It’s been an open secret for a while that Nathan Block (better known as “Exile”), a former Green Scare prisoner who served a number of years in prison for several Earth Liberation Front actions, has become a fascist. This has been known not just through numerous personal accounts from Olympia, but from copious postings on his tumblr blog Loyalty Is Mightier Than Fire (Exile has confirmed to local anti-fascists that the blog is his).

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(Do you believe Anarchism and Nazism are compatible? All the anarchists killed by fascists could not be reached for comment.)

If you are unfamiliar with the more obscure references to Nazism and the postwar fascist movement, except a few decorated swastikas, Exile’s blog might look like a creepy spiritual goth kid’s elaborate art project. However, if you understand the references, it is immediately obvious that Exile is going out of his way to promote a slew of fascist writers and imagery, especially those influenced by Esoteric Nazism and other forms of mystical fascism.

The most prominent is Julius Evola, an Italian Traditionalist philosopher who attacked the “modern world” as decadent and corrupt. (Evola is the go-to guy for fascists who want a Situationist, Frankfurt School, or anarchist-style critique of capitalism and the consumer society.) Evola worked for the Nazi SS and was the main intellectual figure in Italy’s vibrant postwar fascist milieu. Third Positionism – an anti-capitalist, racial separatist, and ecological version of fascism – has its origins partly in Evola. The very title of Exile’s blog comes from a quotation in one of Evola’s most famous political books, Men Among the Ruins, and Evola quotes are found throughout the blog. Exile has told people that “Evola will show us the way.”

Exile also likes to quote Miguel Serrano, a postwar esoteric Nazi from Chile. Serrano, along with the better-known Savitri Devi, promoted worshiping Hitler as a deity. Serrano wrote numerous books about Hitler. These ideas of Esoteric Nazism have influenced the spiritual parts of the neo-Nazi movement such as the Hitler-worshipping New Order organization (formerly the American Nazi Party).

In addition to these obscure Nazi references, Exile’s blog contains a slew of other Nazi images, including swastikas, as well as black suns and runes used by the Nazis. Some of these images are reproduced below; they are taken both from his tumblr, as well as from his “Likes” on other tumblrs.

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(This photo of a black sun comes from the floor of the General’s Hall at SS leader Himmler’s castle in Germany.)

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(The ‘wolfsangel’ rune, popular with German Nazis, the racist group, Aryan Nations, and present-day Ukrainian fascists.)

Although they live in Olympia, both Exile and his partner Joyanna Zacher (aka “Sadie,” another former ELF/Green Scare prisoner) were associated with the Eugene, Oregon Green Anarchist scene in the late ’90s and early ’00s. They also have a long history of sketchy racist politics, as did an early contributor to ‘Green Anarchy’. (It is also worth noting that another ELF activist, Chris McIntosh, turned to White Supremacy while in prison.) Exile and Sadie’s first post-sentencing statement ends with a reference to Charles Manson’s racist ecological philosophy ATWA (meaning either “Air Trees Water Animals” or “All The Way Alive”). Sadie repeated this formulation as late as 2012 in a letter from prison to the Earth First! Journal. Both in prison and out, Sadie and Exile have repeatedly made disparaging remarks about people of color, and Exile has made statements supporting white separatism, which Sadie defended when Exile was rightfully called-out for making them. Today, Exile and Sadie are part of the Black Metal scene in Olympia, where white separatist attitudes hold sway among at least some members of that scene.

The Pacific Northwest is an overwhelmingly white area because of the historical legacy of the extermination of Native Americans, the exclusion of African-Americans in Oregon, and the later regional popularity of the Ku Klux Klan. At the height of the neo-Nazi revival in the 1980s and 1990s, major Third Position racist organizers were based there. Along with other racists, they tried to turn the entire region into an all-white ethnostate. So it is no coincidence that Exile’s turn to white separatism occurred there.

It is also not a coincidence that Exile is embracing this trend today; crypto-, esoteric, and Third Position fascism is in vogue all over the United States and globally. This is part of a slew of active non-traditional fascist and white separatist organizing and cultural projects that promote obscure variations of fascism, white separatism, anti-jewish or anti-muslim conspiracy theories, as well as patriarchal and homophobic attitudes – all with vocal opposition to modernity and capitalism, and in support of environmentalism and animal rights.

It wasn’t that long ago that the now-liberal cities in the Pacific Northwest were home to a series of racially motivated murders committed by fascists. In 1988 in Portland, Oregon, Nazi skinheads associated with Tom Metzger’s Third Positionist WAR (White Aryan Resistance) murdered Mulugeta Seraw, an immigrant from Ethiopia. In Olympia in 1992, two WAR-associated Nazi skinheads murdered anti-fascist punk Bob Buchanan, Jr. in downtown Olympia.

While the skinheads’ politics encompassed a more familiar vulgar Nazism, they espoused the same ideas as the fascists of today – white separatism, criticism of global capitalism, environmentalism, and outreach to the radical left and counter-cultural scenes. Exile is part of this trend and this fascist history, and he should be excluded from all radical cultural and organizing spaces, and treated like the fascist he has become.

Here are some examples of things Exile posts:

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(The rune on the top is the “Algiz” or “life rune” which was used by the Nazis; the neo-Nazi National Alliance is also a fan. At bottom, is the Celtic cross, which is a well-known white-power symbol.)

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(Serrano was a Chilean fascist who promoted worshiping Hitler as a deity.)

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(Julius Evola is the go-to fascist for other fascists who want a serious intellectual reference.)

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Four good reasons not to allow fascists in the non-human animal liberation movement

Posted on 2015/08/03 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

The recent announcement by the Hunt Saboteurs Association that they are affiliating with the Anti-Fascist Network has created a stir in the non-human animal liberation movement. There are those who claim that non-human animal liberation is a “non-political” movement and that we should avoid aligning ourselves with “extreme left-wing ideologies” (yet make no mention of extreme right-wing ideologies). This all comes at a time of growing concern over attempts by the far-right to infiltrate the non-human animal liberation movement in the UK, as they have done in other countries.

The non- human animal liberation movement is a political movement, one that stands in firm opposition to oppression (not just the oppression of non-humans by humans). Because of this we believe that fascists and other people with extreme right-wing views should not be made welcome in this movement.

Not convinced? Here are 4 good reasons why we believe fascists should not be allowed in the animal liberation movement:

1. Fascism is an ideology built on oppression
Fascism is built on concept of one group of people ruling over another. Whether this be a particular race; nation; or class they believe that there are always superiors and inferiors. This runs in complete contradiction to non-human animal liberation that believes that all sentient beings, human or non-human, deserve the same fundamental rights. Animal liberation is built upon opposition to speciesism, the belief that one species is more deserving of rights than another. How can we claim that all animals are equal yet allow people who believe in the superiority of their race or nationality? How is that any different to a human believing they are better than another animal?

2. Fascists divide the movement
Probably the most common claim thrown at us by fascist-apologists is that we are attempting to split the movement. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. The reality is that fascists seek to divide the movement by discriminating against people of different ethnic, national, racial, gender or sexual backgrounds. We understand that to create a movement capable of ending animal exploitation we need to work with people from all backgrounds. How can we remain open and inclusive to all these different people when we allow fascists to walk amongst our ranks spouting divisiveness and hatred?

3. Fascism supports capitalism
Despite their claims otherwise, fascists support capitalism and the current economic system. They may claim to want to remove capitalism and replace it with something different but like the so-called communists it is simply a trap to lure you. Once they gain power fascists protect the interest of the bosses while the rest of us continue to live in poverty. Meanwhile capitalism continues to kill billions of non-human animals annually through factory farming, habitat destruction, global warming and other means. If we really want to create a world free-from animal exploitation then we need to do away with the system that perpetuates it: capitalism. Fascists are the foot soldiers of the bosses, brought out to defend their privileges in times of crisis. This can be seen by their constant attacks on left wing and anti-capitalist meetings and activists.

4. Fascists have killed other activists
Fascism is a violent ideology that seeks to use force to get its way. Anybody who stands in their way is considered a valid target. Just last June French anti-fascist and vegan, Clement Meric, was murdered by fascists in Paris. The anti-fascist rapper Killah P was stabbed to death in Athens by members of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn in September of last year and in Russia scores of left-wing activists have been beaten and killed by fascists.

Fascism is a dangerous movement that seeks to gain control and enforce their will on others. It is for this reason that we believe that the animal liberation movement must take a firm anti-fascist stance and not allow fascists to infiltrate our movement.

Midwest Straight Edge Antifa is not a safe space for those who discriminate against others. Against the settler-colonial civilization occupying these lands, against fascism, against capitalism, the state and the prison world they enforce. Total human/non-human animal and earth liberation!

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July 31st Greetings from Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

Posted on 2015/07/31 by Midwest Straight Edge Antifa

Midwest Straight Edge Antifa was born on July 31st 2015 in response to an increase of fascist and racist activity in the non-human animal liberation, environmental and straight edge movements. Since these movements have recently gained popularity, their volunerability to fascist and racist co-opting has increased with newer liberal Animal Rights and environmental groups welcoming and/or associating with fascists and racists. This turns the eco-defense and straight edge movements into spaces that are hostile towards people of color, women, queer and trans folk, the disabled, and others. “Compassion” and vegan ethics do not obsolve fascists and racists of their violent ideologies but rather obscures them, allowing them a platform and subsequently de-legitmizing the struggles of others who are oppressed.

Straight edge is a movement open to all. This means that while not everyone embraces straight edge ideology, when fascists and racists turn straight edge into a movement hostile towards people of color, women, queer and trans people, the disabled, and others, support and solidarity with those struggling against addiction and intoxication culture is severed. Midwest Straight Edge Antifa seeks to expose and confront fascists and racists in these movements as well as those who support and associate with them.

Midwest Straight Edge Antifa is a decentralized movement of vegan, straight edge anti-racists and anti-fascists who are dedicated to exposing and eliminating fascism, racism, sexism, speciesism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, disablism and other forms of oppression in general, and within the vegan, environmental and straight edge communities in particular. Towards the destruction of settler-colonialism; we want total liberation.

What we do.

1. We Educate:

by doing serious and credible research on racists and fascists in general, and also on those attempting to infiltrate and participate in the environmental, non-human animal liberation and straight edge movements.

by sharing information with allies in dozens of collectives, affinity groups and crews worldwide.

by distributing thousands of copies of all kinds of literature about racism, fascism and oppression for free at shows, schools, conferences, protests, parties and in prisons.

2. We Organize:

by initiating, participating in and/or supporting anti-racist/anti-fascist demonstrations and actions.

by hosting diverse, constructive and practical anti-racist/anti-fascist trainings and gatherings.

by recognizing that racism is a multi-faceted issue entwined with a number of other problems.

by strengthening our understanding and resolve and working within our communities.

by defending other anti-racists and anti-fascists across the globe.

3. We Confront:

by refusing to ignore the violent bigots that
comprise racist and fascist groups.

by directly challenging racists and fascists when they attempt to recruit, organize, mobilize, propagandize, and cause harm to people.

by using innovative, creative, and highly-effective tactics

by denying racist and fascist groups the opportunity to monopolize public spaces and by denying racists and fascists the chance to turn the environmental, non-human animal liberation and straight edge movements into spaces that are hostile towards people of color, women, immigrants, queer and trans folk, the disabled, and others.

Why doesn’t Midwest Straight Edge Antifa rely on the cops or the courts?

Most anti-racist groups focus all their efforts on creating new laws or getting the police to respond to racism. But the cops uphold white supremacy and the status quo; they attack us and everyone that resists oppression. We stand against the colonial courts, the cops and the prison-industrial complex.

What is fascism?

Midwest Straight Edge Antifa recognizes a number of characteristics of fascist movements. Fascism is an ultra-nationalist ideology that mobilizes around and glorifies a national or perceived racial identity, valuing this identity above all other interests (for example gender or class). Fascism is marked by its hostility towards reason and human solidarity, by its dehumanization and scapegoating of marginalized or oppressed groups, by its use of violence or threats of violence to impose its views on others, and by its rejection of supposedly “effeminate” or “soft” values in favor of “manliness.” Anti-Semitism and racism are primary facets of National Socialism and most other varieties of fascism. Fascism aims at a militarized society, and organizes along military or quasi-military lines, usually with an authoritarian structure revolving around a single, charismatic leader. Fascist groups may have the facade of an efficient and dynamic organization, but in reality, power structures are arbitrary and ruthless. Fascists use anti-elitist rhetoric to appeal to the “common man,” coupled with internal elitism and willingness to accept support from existing elites. Fascism glorifies a mythologized past as justification for its present ideological stances, and as a basis for future organization of society.

What about free speech for fascists?

Midwest Straight Edge Antifa does not use the state to prevent anyone’s free speech. The right to free speech restricts the state from censoring ideas, it does not stop the public from opposing hateful ideas.

The fact that people dislike what bigots have to say and want to make that known is not prohibited by the concept of free speech. If bigots actively go out of their way to tell people that 90% of the world’s population should be enslaved or that the best thing they can do is kill someone because of their skin color, religion, ethnic background, immigration status, sexual orientation, disability, etc., they can’t use “free speech” to silence opposition.

Anti-racists and antifascists have an obligation to deny a platform to bigots so that they can’t spread their message and recruit. Concert venues, meeting halls, radio programs, and the like make choices about who to host on a regular basis. These choices have a very real impact on bigoted ideas taking root in one’s community.

Responding to bigoted speech is important. We believe in being proactive when it comes to fascist violence, which means confronting fascist organizing before they have a chance to put their ideas into action, and taking fascist threats seriously.

Torch Points Of Unity

1. We disrupt fascist and far right organizing and activity.
2. We don’t rely on the cops or courts to do our work for us. This doesn’t mean we never go to court, but the cops uphold white supremacy and the status quo. They attack us and everyone who resists oppression. We must rely on ourselves to protect ourselves and stop the fascists.
3. We oppose all forms of oppression and exploitation. We intend to do the hard work necessary to build a broad, strong movement of oppressed people against racism, sexism, nativism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest, and the most oppressed people. We support abortion rights and reproductive freedom. We want a classless, free society. We intend to win!
4. We hold ourselves accountable personally and collectively to live up to our ideals and values.
5. We not only support each other within the network, but we also support people outside the network who we believe have similar aims or principles. An attack on one is an attack on all.


torchantifa.org

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