Tagged: sauvons calais
Another fascist attack in Calais
People without papers in Calais are regularly subject to violent assault by police and border guards, leading to many injuries and sometimes to deaths. One other bunch of violent thugs we could all do without are the local neonazi morons, who make a small but still very nasty contribution to the pain of the border.
At the weekend, an Eritrean man walking through town was set upon by a small group of fascists driving a black car. They beat him with an iron bar and left him for dead. He regained consciousness and managed to walk back to the jungle, from where an ambulance was called to take him to hospital. He sustained injuries to the head and legs.
This same little group of fascists has been active before. In June, two Sudanese men were beaten also with an iron bar, and a few days later another Sudanese man was run over. The attackers are described as a group of two men and one woman driving a black or grey car. They drive around at night looking for migrants walking alone or in pairs.
Fascism has been on the rise in Calais since late 2013 when Kevin Reche (photo above) and others formed the anti-migrant group called “Sauvons Calais”, responding to town mayor Natacha Bouchart’s call for citizens to inform on migrants squatting in the town. The group has become less active recently, with its recent demos attracting falling numbers of racists. It seems that local neonazis are now turning to less visible and more directly violent ways of venting their hatred.
Hundreds join Neo-Nazis in Fascist Demo
Outside the Town Hall on Sunday 7th September over three hundred fascists made a demonstration against the presence of ‘migrants’ in the city. The demo was organised by the racist neo-Nazis group, ‘Sauvons Calais’, and attended by local fascists and other ultra-right groups and individuals from other parts of France, Belgium and UK.
There can be no doubt about the violently racist and xenophobic ideology of this rally, from Nazis salutes, to swastika tattoos, SS division t-shirts and signs that say ‘Lets Get Them Out’ : the message was clear from just looking at the crowd.
‘High-profile’ neo-Nazis speakers (pictured above and below) were invited to incite hatred, racial violence and the values of white supremacy also, for example, praising the actions of Golden Dawn in Greece who are well known for organising openly as neo-Nazis and attacking and murdering ‘migrants’ and anti-fascists under the banner of a ‘pure nationalism’.
Here is a closer look at what some of these ‘high-profile’ speakers look and sound like – the quotes below are taken from their speeches to the crowds or interviews with journalists during the demo:
Thomas Joly (secrétaire général du Parti de la France, formerly from the Front National) :
“Yes we want a camp, a camp for imprisonment and expulsion of aliens to their country of origin”, [1]
“The black-blanc-beur [a phrase relating to the coming together of black, whites and arabs] caused the destruction of this country”, “[we need] to conduct a war for the survival of our country and our people, to make France for the French”, [2]
“The future of the white world is challenged”. [3]
Yvan Benedetti, (conseiller municipal de Venissieux and former-member of the now banned organization L’Œuvre française) :
“We must finish with the migrants”, “We are against extreme left and foreign scum”. [2]
Richard Roudier (of Réseau dentités), a network which wants to create a “strong France”, “protect our civilisation”, and “stop the human and cultural immigration that tends to transform Europe into a multi-ethnic society” :
“It’s good that my anger has been made happy today, it is from Brest to Vladisvostok and from Calais to Lampedusa, that the people are rising up and saying no to the invasion of our continent. [3]
And of course, lest not forget, the self-appointed spokesperson of Sauvons Calais, Kevin Riche, the one with the swastika tattoo on his chest who invited all these fascists to Calais to fight the “invasion of migrants”, yet stills tries to convince journalists at the demo “we are neither racist nor Nazi”, whilst people at the demo hail-Hitler salute behind him.
“For me, the event went well overall, the Calais is mobilizing people. I did not see racism. I have not seen anything shocking”. [3]
…Kevin, who is also chummy with Marine Le Pen…
Also, in the crowd are ‘Blood and Honour’ supporters, symbolised by the code 28, referring to the second and eighth letters of the alphabet,”B” and “H”. Jackets worn at the demo have “Support 28 Hexagon” symbol (see below), which is the French branch of the organization…
Blood and Honour’ is an organisation openly calling for Nazism and was a motto of the Hitler Youth.
There was also plenty SS t-shits, including “Charlemagne 1944″ in reference to a French SS division…
The micro-totalitarian state that is Calais has not only given neo-Nazis a platform, but has laid the foundations. The fascists are an extension of what the state has created, and a continuation of what the state can not so easily, or publicly, get away with.
The government are the puppeteers behind over a decade of harassment and attacks aimed at physically removing a certain section of society, ‘migrants’, from Calais; beating and tiring people down whilst destroying their means of living – with local, border and riot cops all employed, day in and day out, in order to try to disappear ‘migrants’ from the city, as well as using ‘extra-ordinary’ measures to crack down on its supporters – from general harassment to futile arrests or banning ‘supportive’ events or festivals and closing down and fencing off public spaces..
And so it is no co-incidence that meanwhile, on the same day as the fascist demo is permitted to rally in the centre of town, the Mayor decides to close the citadelle (and sports area in Calais) by way of a “Municipal Decree” to prevent an event “Football of the World Against Racism” organised the same day involving eight teams, hundreds of refugees and some locals and associations.
SEP 5-7 Weekend of Antifascist resistance/Weekend de résistance anti-fasciste à Calais
(photo of Antifascists in Calais from La Horde)
On Sunday 7 September, local fascist group ‘Sauvons Calais’ will once
again try to hold a demonstration ‘against immigration’ in Calais,
bringing in hardcore neo-nazis from across France. A number of
high-profile fascists have already confirmed their presence including
Thomas Joly (secrétaire général du Parti de la France), Yvan Benedetti
(conseiller municipal de Venissieux and former-member of the now banned
organization L’Œuvre française), and Richard Roudier (of Réseau
Identités). No doubt there will also be neonazi gangs that will arrive
before and stay for more time after the demo to attack vulnerable people
in the streets.
We have recently seen a huge spate of these attacks against activists, and
charity volunteers, as well as their usual migrant targets. Comrades have
been attacked in the night by gangs with knives, telescopic truncheons,
and pepperspray. One well known volunteer narrowly escaped a kidnap
attempt where a group of fascists tried to drag her into a car. Especially
in Calais we cannot look to the police for protection. Last winter they
stood by while Sauvon Calais and other fascists sustained an attack on a
squat for a week, using missiles, molotov cocktails, and axes to try to
break in.
There is no place for fascists in Calais. We will resist this neo-nazi
rally. We will resist the recent wave of fascist street attacks. But with
hundreds of neonazis arriving, we cannot do this alone. We call on
antifascists from across France, and across Europe, to join us for a
gathering of solidarity through the weekend of 5-7 September.
We need your support to shut down Sauvons Calais’ demo. We need your
support to help defend homes and meeting places under attack. We also want to invite musicians, film-makers, and others to come and join us to make an international festival of resistance! From 1940 to 2014, French people and immigrants from all over the world have repeatedly united to smash nazi scum. We want to celebrate this tradition with action, and also with events such as concerts, film-showings, discussions and more. We welcome all proposals and expressions of solidarity in the coming days.
Le dimanche 7 septembre, le groupe local de fascistes “Sauvons Calais” fera à nouveau une manifestation “contre l’immigration” à Calais. La manifestation va attirer des néo-nazis de toute la France. Certains fascistes notoires ont déjà confirmé leur présence: Thomas Joly (general secretary of the Parti de la France), Yvan Benedetti (conseiller municipal de Venissieux et ancien membre de l’organisation interdite L’Œuvre française) et Richard Roudier (du Réseau Identités). Il est probable que des bandes néo-nazis arriveront avant la manifestation et resteront après pour attaquer des personnes vulnérables dans les rues.
Ces derniers temps nous avons connu une montée importante d’attaques contre activistes, bénévoles des associations et migrant.e.s. Des camarades ont été attaqué.e.s durant la nuit par des bandes armées de couteaux, de matraques téléscopiques et de gaz lacrimogène. Une bénévole connue par tou.te.s a échappé de justesse à une tentative d’enlèvement; un groupe de fascistes ont essayé de la traîner dans une voiture. Surtout à Calais nous ne pouvons pas faire confiance à la police pour une protection. Durant l’hiver passé la police est restée passive quand Sauvons Calais et d’autres fascistes ont attaqué un squat pendant une semaine, avec des projectiles, des cocktails molotov et des hâches pour essayer de rentrer dand la maison.
Il n’y a pas de place pour des fascistes à Calais. Nous allons resister contre ce rassemblement néo-nazi. Nous allons résister contre la vague actuelle d’attaques fascistes dans les rues. Mais vu le nombre inconnu de néo-nazis (des centaines?) qui vont arriver, nous ne pourrons pas le faire tout seul.e.s. Nous appelons les anti-fascistes de toute la France, de toute l’Europe, de nous rejoindre pour un rassemblement de solidarité pendant le weekend du 5-7 septembre.
Nous avons besoin de votre soutien pour arrêter la manifestation de Sauvons Calais. Nous avons besoin de votre soutien pour défendre les maisons et les lieux de rencontre sous attaque. Nous invitons aussi des musiciens, réalisateurs de films et autres pour se joindre à nous et pour créer un festival international de résistance! De 1940 à 2014 des français et des immigrant.e.s de toute la planète se sont réuni.e.s à plusieures reprises pour vaincre le nazisme. Nous voulons célébrer cette tradition avec des actions, mais aussi avec des évenements comme des concerts, des projections de films, des discussions et plus. Toutes les propositions et expressions de solidarité dans les jours à venir sont bienvenues.
Demonstration in the City
Since the destruction of the two camps on May 28th, ordered by the city, between 200 and 300 refugees have gathered together at the food distribution center, SALAM.
They are refusing to disperse and demand that the authorities tell them where they can go to live in peace.
For the first time in Calais, the Sudanese, Eritrean, Afghan and Syrian communities are all united, and for the first time the prefecture has sent a mediator to ‘negotiate’ with the migrants.
But since the May 31st, the negotiator has not returned. The migrants are left in uncertainty. Can they remain at SALAM in peace or do they have to fear eviction in the coming days?
The testimonies of police brutality against isolated people in other parts of the port don’t inspire anyone to leave the group. The list of demands drafted by representatives of each community were taken to the sub-prefecture on May 30th.
Faced with the silence of the authorities, the refugees living at SALAM decided to hold a demonstration in the streets of Calais last Saturday, June 7th, to call attention to their demands and call for the resumption of negotiations.
A few stayed in the camp to keep watch, while more than 200 others, refugees of all nationalities and their supporters, marched toward the town center with drums, banners, signs and fliers to inform the populace.
A communique with their demands.
And another (in French) denouncing the town hall for evicting the camps just so the tourists who come for the maritime festival “Escale à Calais” [Port of Call Calais] don’t have to see the miserable living conditions of the refugees in Calais.
The little fascists of ‘Sauvons Calais’ followed the demonstration from afar, but did not manage to disturb it. One of them stuck his arm out in a Nazi salute, only to take to his heels and run. Another drove by in a car, shouting “they all belong in the oven!”, right beneath the eyes of the police, who did nothing in response to his inflammatory, hateful comments.
In general, passers-by reacted to the demonstration with goodwill and accepted the fliers. New supporters followed the group, which stopped for a moment in front of the town hall before continuing toward the theater and returning to the camp, two hours after they had left.
If the authorities continue to ignore the united communities of the camp at SALAM, more demonstrations will certainly follow.
