Archive for category Stockholm
AFA (antifa) Stockholm: Nordic Youth – yet another fascist organization gives up
“Do you have the courage?” → “Decision of disbanding”
In the year 2017 a text was published by Nordisk Ungdom [Nordic Youth] where the members were urged to prepare for becoming “political soldiers” which “will have to sacrifice significantly more than blood sweat and tears”. Today, two years later, the organization is being shut down because it has been too hard for these soldiers to keep the operation alive. AFA [antifa] Stockholm explains here how this development looked and the reasons behind Nordisk Ungdom giving up.
Nordisk Ungdom (NU) was formed in the year 2010 with the ambition of becoming a countrywide organization which would modernize the Swedish fascism through new methods and new political alliances. During the first years one amongst others cooperated with radical Islamists on a foundation of antisemitism and conservatism meanwhile a hand was being stretched out to the radical leftist movement in hopes of cooperation against globalization and “society’s elite”. NU profiled itself initially as a fascist group with socialist traits, which except for immigration and multi-culture also went after neo-liberalism’s assault on the labor-rights, economic injustice and imperialism. In this way the founders, which previously belonged to Nationaldemokraterna [the National Democrats], hoped that the organization would be able to unite youth with socialist and racist values and thus lay the foundation for a new kind of fascist movement. The inspiration for this movement came largely from fascist projects abroad like Casa Pound in Italy or Junge Nationaldemokraten in Germany.
This political strategy became short-lived, partially because the socialist movement with organized anti-fascists at the front treated NU by the exact same terms as any other fascist street-group. It sometimes happens that fascists try to use socialist rhetoric, but this will never change the fact that they fundamentally want to divide the working class and get us to hate our colleagues and neighbors instead of our real enemies. The AFA-network [antifa-network in Sweden] and other anti-fascists therefore at an early stage ensured confronting NU repeatedly which contributed to all local groups except the one in Stockholm quickly being disbanded and also the remaining Stockholm group became quickly strongly weakened, they only succeeded in hanging on because the leadership and the core activists lived in Stockholm.
After the experiment of uniting fascist and leftist-minded youth failed Patrik Forsén (19840325-0155) and a few activists continued running the organization. For several years the group was searching for a way to grow and become relevant, but time after time they were hit by setbacks in the form of at three occasions having their premises exposed and their events attacked. Among the few activists that had stayed in the organization are apart from Patrik Forsén also Fredrik Haugen (earlier Hagberg) (19860924-0638) and Christian Mattsson (19900604-4433). Through the years the group experimented with various ideological alignments, from the initial will to approach the left to adopting the so-called “alt right”-movement’s rhetoric and thereafter an attempt with a radical-conservative variant of Catholicism.
During the years 2015-2017 NU achieved some media success and in number of active members by producing video clips of provocative actions, e.g. was organized attacks against the Pride-parade and the sit-in strike for unaccompanied refugee minors’ rights. At one of these occasions one person was injured when pyrotechnics was thrown straight into the group of youths that were performing a peaceful manifestation at Mynttorget [town square between Parliament and Stockholm Palace], which we previously reported about here. Meanwhile, NU’s members worked frantically with a new social center which they rented in false name in the municipality of Danderyd’s premises. Furthermore Patrik Forsén launched a number of side projects, foremost Skandinaviska Förbundet [The Scandinavian Association], which was to work as the (officially) youth-based group NU’s adult equivalent. These side projects however never lead to any larger success but remained air castles on the Internet.
On March 8, 2018 NU once again performed an action whose only purpose was to become a good video clip by trying to provoke the feminist demonstration which is being held on that date every year. This time however they were confronted by a number of anti-fascists which lead to the action failing and those that had participated got to leave the place with their tails between their legs. In May same year we published a compilation of the people which participated in Nordisk Ungdom’s activities and a month later the paper Arbetaren [“The Worker“, the anarcho-syndicalist labor union SAC‘s paper] published where the new premises were, which got them evicted and all energy invested in the project was for nothing. In November 2018 NU’s last demo resulted in open conflict between their own group and Nordiska motståndsrörelsen (NMR) [Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM), Nazis], because the latter during the march had become violent when anti-fascists on location protested against their demo. NMR’s behavior resulted in the whole spectacle ending in a fight between fascists, police and anti-fascists. This was something which NU did not appreciate at all which drove the until then relatively good relations between NU and NMR into the ground. Furthermore NU left walkover to NMR in the few contexts they participated in and were engaged in, e.g. the demo at Mynttorget. During 2018 and 2019 the level of activism in the group has been steadily decreasing and the number of members drastically declining until it was decided to officially disband the group.
– We have decided to dissolve the organization as we don’t deem the conditions for continued activity to be fruitful.
This Friday came the statement from Nordisk Ungdom and Skandinaviska Förbundet which declares that the organization ceases to exist. After a 2018 filled with setbacks the group’s spokespersons explain that they no longer can carry on with their activities because “activists are fired from their jobs, the union refuses to represent them, they are persecuted by authorities while left-extremists are allowed to harass and batter. The established media houses cheer the witch-hunt and gladly destroy the lives of young and old. Electoral rigging occurs widely. We are convicted in political courts, we are not allowed to rent premises, banks have shut down our accounts.”
[“One of us was beaten down yesterday.”]
We in AFA Stockholm can not but congratulate ourselves and other anti-fascists around in Sweden which since NU was founded the year 2010 with joy and pride have been a driving force in making these fascists’ lives difficult. The anti-fascist movement has through all these years worked hard at identifying and confronting these fascists. It is we in the anti-fascist movement that see to it that these individuals’ employers, colleagues and neighbors get to know what they are up to in their spare time. It is also the anti-fascist movement which by “harassing and battering” the fascists which themselves attack peaceful manifestations, burst the illusion they are trying to create of themselves as strong, brave and angry white men. Nordisk Ungdom has been unable to retain the activists which in various batches have joined the group because they were constantly countered, something which becomes extra clear when one reviews the past year when the air went out of the organization once and for all.
AFA Stockholm has through the years seen many fascist organizations come and go. Svenskarnas Parti [Party of the Swedes], Fria Nationalister [Free Nationalists], Nationaldemokraterna [the National Democrats] and Förbundet Nationell Ungdom [the National Youth Association] are some exaples of the groups within the white supremacist-environment which during the 2000s have imploded. That Nordisk Ungdom now join the same destiny is not only important in the meaning that we have a fascist organization less to oppose but also means that the entire white supremacist-environment is weakened overall. NU has as the previously mentioned organizations been acting as a fixed point in the fascist movement and has had collaborations and alliances with groups and initiatives which now stand without protection and extra activists to use. We expect more castles in the air to fall and look forward to the domino effect it results in dissatisfaction, personal conflicts and further division.
Nordisk Ungdom is no longer organizationally a problem. But in spite of the organization’s weakness and the members’ incompetence a few of the former members can on an individual level still represent a threat. Some of the members will leave the political involvement behind and some will look for new contexts in other fascist groups, it has always been thus. We have previously published a compilation of NU’s members and sympathizers which can be read here. The article is relevant until we see that those mentioned are no longer active and urge those which feel affected to contact us to avoid our future attention.
E-mail: afa-sthlm@riseup.net
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/ AFA Stockholm
Translated by b9AcE to the best of my ability, from the original text in Swedish. Any errors are to be presumed mine, not antifa’s.
AFA (antifa) Stockholm: Nazis assault peaceful manifestation
Posted by b9AcE in antifa, Stockholm, Sweden, Translations on 2017-05-08
Around 4 p.m. yesterday there was an assault on a manifestation that was held on Mynttorget [translator’s note: a square between the Swedish Parliament and the Royal Palace] in Stockholm in support of unaccompanied youth’s right to asylum. It was about twenty Nazis organized in Nordic Youth [Nordisk Ungdom] (NU) that went to joint attack with smoke bomb, banner and slogans. The Nazis tried to abort an ongoing speech by shouting among other things “Incarcerate – Deport!”, “Out with the rabble” and “Muhammed, Abdullah – Go away!”. The police that arrived to the location made the decision to not turn away the Nazis, but referred them to a place a little bit away at Mynttorget where they could continue to disturb the manifestation.
Yesterday’s attack has certain similarities to the attack that Nazis from the Nordic Resistance Movement [Nordiska Motståndsrörelsen] (NMR) performed on an anti-racist demo in Kärrtorp 2013. Then as now it was organized Nazis that chose to go to physical attack against an anti-racist manifestation and then as now the police chose to use the soft gloves instead of the rough gloves against the organized Nazis. The anti-racists present chose to stick together and keep the initiative, which lead to the Nazis not being able to do anything but shove and shout. That nobody was injured during yesterday’s attack is largely due to the group NU consisting of a bunch of thrill-seeking Internet-warriors that mostly perform actions to be able to snap spectacular pictures for their homepage.
This occurred on the same day as it in media emerged information that Falun municipality had chosen to evacuate 50 people from a refugee housing for two days due to the threat model against the housing in connection to NMR marching through the city on May 1. Time after time society’s respresentatives choose to take a clear stance for the Nazis’ right to take room on our streets, even when that means that other people are threatened. In the name of free speech one defends the Nazis’ interests and thereby infringe on large groups of society’s right to move safely within their own city, or as in Falun to remain residing in one’s residence.
Nazi organizations constantly try to get their adherents to take the step away from the keyboard and onto the street. We that for decades have fought the Nazi movement know from experience that it is a fatal mistake to give these groups free access to our cities. The only principle that in practice prevents Nazi groups from recruiting and growing is to never leave them in peace. It must be difficult, scary and associated with great discomfort to claim the street for spreading of Nazi hate and directly or indirectly threatening the life of individuals from large groups of society.
That is why we always hit back, that is why we will never let the Nazis gain ground, that is why we claim that anti-fascism is self-defense.
/AFA Stockholm [antifa Stockholm]
Translated by b9AcE (https://soc.ialis.me/@b9AcE and https://twitter.com/b9AcE) to the best of my ability, from the original text in Swedish. Any errors are to be presumed mine, not antifa’s.
Turkish fascism in Sweden – Grey Wolves
The Grey Wolves is the youth wing to the nationalist party MHP in Turkey that in the election 2015 passed the 10% electoral threshold with 11.90%. The Grey Wolves employ violent methods and aim especially at Kurds, Armenians and various leftist activists.
According to the Turkish State Security the Grey Wolves have murdered 694 people between 1974 and 1980.
In connection with the Turkish State terminating peace negotiations with PKK’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, MHP made a statement that – if the State and Security Service didn’t solve the “situation” with PKK they would take things into their own hands. This has pushed into existence the siege campaign against the Kurdish cities in Bakur (Northern Kurdistan and South-east Turkey) that is taking place right now.
During the 2015 election 120 HDP-offices were attacked (Kurdish parliamentary party) by Grey Wolves.
Exist also in Europe
This fascist organization is not only organized in Turkey but also in large parts of Europe. In Germany they have up to 10,000 members and also in Sweden they have shown up several times, including 1999 when they attacked the Communist Party of Sweden during a leafleting where they called for boycott of Turkey.
Kurdish activists were threatened several times during the election campaign when they were campaigning for HDP and in September 2015 one of their association’s premises were subject to a bombing attack and yesterday (February 13 2016) a Kurdish activist was seriously wounded during a shooting in Fittja.
This is a translation by @b9AcE of the text originally published by the Swedish Rojava Committees in Swedish here.
As always, the main aim was to remain as close as possible to the original text.
Schedule for Stockholm Anarchist Bookfair
Posted by b9AcE in Anarchism, Anarchist Bookfair, General, Stockholm, Sweden, Translations on 2015-08-13
This is the schedule for Stockholm Anarchist Bookfair 2015, held 22 August at Solidaritetshuset.
Translated to English by b9AcE
THE LIBRARY
10:30 – 11:30: Data-protection and the right to self-determination
Tracking and gathering of information about you happens all the time – often without you being aware, and often by companies that you don’t even know about. Learn about how you are tracked, how your life is mapped and what you can do to avoid it – or why it can be impossible to avoid without political change. We talk about data-protection and why it can be both a common responsibility and for the public good.
SPEAKER: Amelia Andersdotter (Dataskydd.net) and Anders Jensen-Urstad (Dataskydd.net, The World Library)
13:00 – 14:00: Commons from a feminist perspective
Within Allt åt Alla (All for All) Stockholm’s feminist struggle group we have started working with commons as a feminist strategy. In our work we have started largely from the autonomous feminist Silvia Federici’s thoughts and it is also on these our talk will be based. A commons is a resource, any, that is managed by a collective based on rules made together. How commons and feminism belongs together you will hear in the seminar.
14:40 – 15:30: How can the women that are exposed to religious oppression be supported – at the same time as racism is fought?
A fundamentalist religious oppression of women is growing in some suburbs. At the same time SD (the “Sweden Democrat” party” is baiting against Muslims as a part of their racist agenda. How can we fight the religious fundamentalism, at the same time as we are implacable against the racists?
Participants: Leila Qaraee, Kvinnors nätverk (Women’s network) and Helin Gül, Varken hora eller kuvad (Neither whore nor subdued). Discussion leader Jens-Hugo Nyberg, Arbetarmakt (Workers Power)
16:00 – 17:30: Realm of Freedom – wikipedians about their practice, their production methods and Capitalism
Is “peer production” a complement or an alternative to Capitalism? Arwid Lund will try to answer the question ny studying swedish wikipedians’ view on it.
SPEAKER: Arwid Lund postgraduate at the ABM institution, University of Uppsala)
18:00 – 19:00: The Swedish State’s violence against women, LGBTQ-persons and the working class
The Swedish State performed forcible sterilizations, lobotomies, castrations and institutionalizations against women, LGBTQ-persons and the lower stratas of the working class during the years 1934-1974. A seminar about the mentality and the broad political support that these laws had and how the Swedish State and our politicians try to silence and sweep all this under the rug.
OUTDOORS SEMINARS IN THE PAVILION
10:00 – 11:00: About anti-fascist strategies to a broader public with foundation in how anti-fascism was seen and handled by the nationalist right-wing of the 2000s.
Kim Fredriksson will speak about his own time in the radical right movement and give examples on how the radical right has developed through the years. He will also give his view on how future activism can be carried out while the right wing swing of society becomes more and more substantial.
Lecturer: Kim Fredriksson, former organizer and strategist within the radical right movement. Today he is an outspoken anti-fascist and sees himself as a democratic socialist
13:30 – 14:30: Presentation of Firefund
Firefund is a newly established crowdfunding site that targets protests and social movements around the world. The site has recently launched with the Kobane reconstruction board’s project for rebuilding Kobane. Through a presentation of Firefund, the ideas behind and thoughts on the Kobane campaign, the presentation will include a debate of international solidarity anno 2015 and a discussion on the tools and methods we, as activists, use to support each others protests around the world.
15:00 – 16:30: Antifenix – ‘Operation Fénix’ Police Repressions in Czech Republic
A presentation about the police repressions against Czech anarchists that broke out on 28th April this year and continues since then. The police used infiltrators to provoke consent to a fabricated plan and they forged evidence that lead to the arrest of several people. The police raided flats and a social center and confiscated personal material as well as a server that hosted several important Czech anarchist websites, among them ABC and Green Action.
Four anarchists are now imprisoned and awaiting their trials for crimes that actually never even happened. They are accused of “terrorist activity”. The surveillance and targeting of anti-authoritarians is not unique in Czech Republic, we have seen it recently in Spain, US and through history. It is important that we realize this so that the police can’t frighten us with these tactics!
From the presentation you will learn some about the anarchist movement and situation in Czech Republic, information about the police operation ‘Fénix’ and what is going on currently. We would also like to open for a discussion and questions about security culture, surveillance and how to react on such events described, for example building stronger and safer networks. Solidarity is our weapon so if people are interested we would also like to talk about some ideas on how to help the victims of the state.
17:00 – 18:00: To be announced.
18:30 – 19:30: To be announced.
THE SMALL COURTYARD
10:45 – 11:45: Arbetarmakt: Anarchism during the Spanish Civil War – a critical review
The stalinists and and reformists intentionally stabbed the Spanish Revolution in the back and thereby contributed to fascism’s victory. How could this have been prevented? Did the anarchists show a path that could have led to victory, and in that case: which anarchists? The difference between CNT’s ministers and Durutti’s friends was big. What can we learn from the experience?
14:45 – 13:45: Activist law with focus on evidence
How do you that is prosecuted for crimes in connection with political actions to get the prosecutor’s evidence to be considered of low value as well as bring your own counter-evidence? Workshop-like seminar based in practical experiences from both the lecturer and the participants.
Organizer: A member of Vänsterjuristerna (Leftist Lawyers) Stockholm
14:15 – 15:15: International Solidarity Movement Sweden – Palestine
Have you ever thought about going to Palestine? International Solidarity Movement Sweden will have review of history and tell about the situation on the West Bank and in Gaza. How do they work on location with non-violence and direct action? What is their goal? How will they ensure that Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian areas ceases? Welcome to the seminar!
WORKSHOPS IN THE OTHER INNER COURTYARD
11:30: RASA: Anti-sexist internal work and consent (3 hours. Limited participants: 15)
We live in a society that says it is up to us to not get subjected to abuse, forces us to fight for out corporal integrity and puts no responsibility with the assailant. The workshop wants to change this. We want the rape culture to get changed into a consent culture, where all except a continuing yes means no. During the workshop we will discuss and write about consent, what it means for us as participants and how we can practice it in our every day lives. We want to have a safer room for everyone. After the workshop the room will be open for continued talk or discussion. We also want to be clear with that we lack knowledge in how to handle traumas. The workshop has its focus on how we together can build a consent culture.
Note! If the workshop feels troublesome, or a part of it, there is the a possibility to abstain from some exercises or leave the workshop. We also ask you to respect if someone is uncomfortable with your presence, which means that you must find other places to work with consent.
17:00 – 18:00: Sober Coven: Temperance
The alcohol norm is constant present in our lives and is something often overlooked, even though it can not be avoided. Meanwhile the many negative sides are affecting “Our Movement” and exposed people to a very large degree. We want to highlight yhis, we want to go other directions, see other possibilities to find each other in the every day instead of drowning our sorrows. We want to give us tools and weapons to create something else, without fuzzy edges. Come to our workshop to participate in a discussion about how we can struggle and find alternative paths.
ANARCHIST MOVIE SCREENING IN THE PROJECTOR ROOM
11:00 – 12:00: Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years 1954 – 1965 (60 min)
A documentary about the American Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The first season, Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years 1954–1964, chronicles the time period between the United States Supreme Court ruling on Brown v. Board of Education (1954) to the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965.
14:00 – 16:00: Joe Hill (114 min)
Joe Hill is a 1971 biopic about Swedish-American labor activist Joe Hill, born Joel Emanuel Hägglund in Gävle, Sweden. The film depicts Hill’s involvement with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union, and his trial for murder during which he defends himself. It won the Jury Prize at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival.
18:00 – 20:30: Reds (195 min)
A radical American journalist becomes involved with the Communist revolution in Russia and hopes to bring its spirit and idealism to the United States. The film covers the life of John Reed and Louise Bryant from their first meeting to Reed’s final days in 1920 Russia. Interspersed throughout the narrative, several surviving witnesses from the time period give their recollections of Reed, Bryant, their colleagues and friends, and the era itself.