Anti-Fascist Action

Anti-Fascist Action is a radical movement against fascism. It acts against fascism and racism both physically and ideologically. They are working on the assumption that the organizing, the propaganda and the violence of fascists must be stopped by any means necessary.

They think that the preventive work done by non-violent organizations for tolerance is worthy and important, but it just is not enough. They argue that uncompromising grass-root direct civil action against the fascists. They emphasize:
"It is not right give the fascists the oppoturnity to spread their ideology. Fascist demonstrations must be answered with counter demonstrations, their events must be sabotaged or prevented. One must also be ready to react towards violence by the means that are needed."

Anti-Fascist Action is not an official organization which one could join as a member, but rather a movement that anybody can take part in by acting against fascism.

A cynical or conservative interpretation is that AFA is nothing but a mob of young hooligans who are looking for fight (Fight Club -style) and try to silence their conscience with 'progressive' rheotiric.

A liberal counterargument to AFA says that their action is against the freedom of speech. All that AFA can say is that in this case the freedom of speech is masturbation with theory because it can be shown that after every fascist speech there will be attacks against minority groups.

A UK based group that fights against fascist or Neo-Nazi organisations using direct action. To quote from their website

With the ANL dead in the water and Searchlight putting their faith in the police to deal with the fascists, the same police who enthusiastically attack anti-fascists at every opportunity, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need an anti-fascist organisation with a strategy to deal with the fascists' move away from street confrontation and into community politics. Not only is AFA unique in having that strategy, but also the ambition and commitment to implement it.
End Quote

Originally setup to face the likes of the British National Party on the streets where they were actively attacking black and asian people they have now decided to concentrate more on the political side. As you can see from the quote this is a direct response to the Neo-Nazi electoral tactic.

The change to politics must be difficult for this particular group, being based mainly on street fighting originally it attracted many who were not entirely interested in the philosophy behind the actions they were taking.

Whilst I could never agree with the people I knew in the group politically some of their antics did bring a smile. They featured on television in the UK at one point. One scene showed a group of BNP supporters standing in a doorway beneath a Union Jack, giving out leaflets and shouting at passing mintorities of any sort. A group of AFA supporters walk over. They surround the BNP supporters until all you can see of them is the flag. From the front it now just looks like some guys standing looking out onto the street. Then the flag disappears down the way. The AFA split up and move away to reveal some unconscious fascists on the ground beside a crumpled flag.

I'll never be able to agree with their name either, to me an anti-racist fight is the stance to take for the long term, but at least some people are hitting back at the fascists.

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The AFA website is at

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/5602/index2.html