Tagged: anti-fascist
Pegida and Police fight in Calais!
Well, maybe fight is too strong a word, but for the first time today French patriots will be happy to know that valuable French policing resources, including CS gas, have not been all used up on migrants! It was also refreshing, although a little odd, to watch the French police throw to the ground and arrest someone in a black hoodie without any CMS folks feeling the need to panic.
At around 1pm yesterday about 150 Pegida gathered at Calais Ville train station to deliver their hatemongering message, and were disappointed to find that, (though the prefecture had already told them the demonstration would not go ahead) the demonstration was not going ahead! Before the demo Pegida claimed that they were expecting 800 to 1,000 numpties to make it to Calais, so with these low numbers and a lack of visible local support the day seems to have been a bit of a wash out.
As well as French flags there were masked men sporting the iron cross, showing that Pegida cannot deny their association with neo-nazis. Among the 20 reported arrests are Pegida leader Loïc Perdriel and figurehead General Piquemal – so Pegida will be unable to blame conflict with police on rogue members.
Despite the heavy policing of the Fascists, showing that the police are not their allies as they may have hoped, the ban on this demonstration seemed largely to focus on the percieved ‘threat to public order’ posed by a counter demo. Opposition to Pegida from locals, migrants, associations and humanitarian volunteers was intimidated both by the threat of attacks from fascists and the threat of heavy policing. Associations in the jungle warned volunteers to stay out of town ahead of the demo, hindering the possibility of a visible pro-migrant presence on the streets.
On this occasion police partially contained a dangerous fascist presence, and the rare sight of our enemies fighting each other warmed our hearts. However, this is limited cause for celebration when we know the new state of emergency ban on demonstrations will also be used against migrant and pro-migrant demonstrations, probably with more heavy handed tactics. Further, the police continue to do nothing about the continued attacks on migrants in Calais and there are concerning speculations that an attack by an ‘armed militia’ last Thursday may be associated with off-duty police.
Call out against fascist demo
On the 25th of January the fascist group Sauvons Calais are planning a march against migration at Place d’Armes at 2 am.
Now is the time for movement – we call for migration and any action attacking the fascism we see rise around us. In Calais we see more fascist gatherings, more threats, whilst the occupation of life by the state is ongoing. More and more the cops impose their control on the streets, jungles, houses, places were we live and sleep, our movements, the harbour and the highways, the parkings and the gas stations. Still the deaths caused by the border regime continue. The law of Europe. The fascist voices getting more seats in the shiny parliamentary rooms.
We call for anti-fascist mobilisation. The wind showed us the way in December, blowing down the new security fence at the port, installed by the UK government in a €15 million deal with the French authorities to seal the border. All things can be torn down. We dream of a time when not only so called organised fascists will not gather in the streets, but also cops and politicians responsible for the border regime don’t have the opportunity to rule over our lives and movements.
No nation, no state, no cops, no borders. No asylum system that can deny you a place to live. No Eurodac.
We call on you, to join us in anti-fascist reactions against the daily threat here in Calais as well as the specific threat from Sauvons Calais on the 25th and the days around. The threat of fascist violence is often bigger just before and after these gatherings rather than on the march itself. And at this moment in particular we have seen a surge in racist anti-Muslim attacks here in France.
A call out for the counter demo itself will be sent out separately.
We will be here. Bring your friends and tents and come. There are possibilities to stay in squats and jungles. It might be cold and rainy so good clothes and warm sleeping bag can make life a bit easier.
NO BORDER – Calais
http://www.calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com
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.
