Tagged with FIVE FLAG GENERAL

antifa notes (may 23, 2017) : The Three Stooges (United Patriots Front) Go To Court +++

The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges — Blair Cottrell, Neil Erikson and Chris Shortis — made a brief appearance in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today for a contest mention. The three have been charged with four offences — serious religious vilification, defacing property, willful damage and behaving in an offensive manner in public — following a UPF publicity stunt outside Bendigo council offices in October 2015. The circus returns to court on September 4.

According to Ben Hillier, more than 50 people attended court in order to support the trio, while another few dozen protested in opposition outside the court. The Five Flag General dominated proceedings outside, while inside Neil Erikson demanded Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Police Commissioner Graham Ashton be subpoenaed to appear. Last week, his co-accused, Blair Cottrell, called upon his followers to be prepared to stage an occupation of the court room in the event that they were found guilty. A very odd proposal, given that it was a contest mention, and one which begs the question: stupid, or just plain liar? In any case, beheading a dummy is a big step up from attempting to decapitate his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend, so fair play.

See : Comedy Company at the Magistrates’ Court as fascists wait for hearing, Ben Hillier, Red Flag, May 23, 207 | Punches thrown as supporters of far-right group clash with protesters outside Melbourne court, 9news/AAP. May 23, 2017.

Snakes On A Plane? Boneheads On A Train!

In a rare sighting, two boneheads were spotted on a train on the Ballarat line yesterday. (It’s unknown if the bones have any relation to the bones spotted in Ballarat back in March.)

Fakes and AltReich Creeps

As mentioned previously, there’s been a few fake antifa soc.media accounts created recently. Recent entrants include Brisbane Antifa (Twitter), Hobart Antifa (Facebook), Melbourne Antifa (Facebook), Sydney Antifa (Facebook/Twitter).

Fair dinkum accounts are : Antifascist Action Brisbane /// Antifascism Tasmania /// Anti Fascist Action Sydney /// Melbourne Antifascist Info.

STRAYA follows Yanqui fashions, and the AltReich trend is no exception, from Breitbart to Proud Boys to various patriotik deformations. One bizarr0 publication, called xyz.net.au, features the musings of former hemp crusader Ryan Fletcher. For reasons best known to himself (possibly because of one too many knocks to the head?), of late Ryan has dropped HEMP for Hitler.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

See also : Hiding in plain sight: how the ‘alt-right’ is weaponizing irony to spread fascism, Jason Wilson, The Guardian, May 23, 2017 (Experts say the ‘alt-right’ have stormed mainstream consciousness by using ‘humor’ and ambiguity as tactics to wrong-foot their opponents).

Melbourne 1 /// Trump 0

trumprally

Briefly:

Upon the announcement of Donald Trump’s successful bid to become Presidente of the US of A, a local fanboy in Melbourne decided to dub himself ‘Supreme Leader President Donald Trump’ and to organise a public celebration. First aiming to have a victory party at Federation Square on Saturday, November 19, after discovering the fact that a rally to #BlockTheBill was also scheduled for the Square on that date, the time and place was changed to Parliament House and Sunday, November 20. The Facebook event page attracted a large number of interested parties which, as well as all The Usual Suspects of the far right, included a much larger number (hundreds!) of racist teenyboppers. Naturally, shortly after fanboy made his bold declaration, the methgoblins of the True Blue Crew jumped on the Trump bandwagon, as did the neo-Nazis in the United Patriots Front. And so, naturally, anti-fascists organised a counter-protest …

trumprallycarey

Despite a good deal of hype — bizarrely, The Age decided to explicitly link the Trump rally to the Springvale fire (Far-right group to rally in Melbourne as Springvale fire tragedy fuels racism on social media, Neelima Choahan, November 19, 2016) — barely a handful of people elected to rally for Trump: just 20 according to Adam Carey (later amended to 30), with most reports suggesting perhaps twice that number (40-50). On the other hand, something in the order of 300 or so people attended the anti-Trump rally, including the FIVE FLAG GENERAL — who proved once again to be unbashable.

SALUTe!

fivejolly

So … all in all, the Trump train appears to be stranded somewhere between Frankston and Melton stations, the altright in Melbourne remains a fringe enthusiasm for keyboard warriors, and the TBC and UPF failed to paint the town orange. They did, however, once again retreat to The Pumphouse Hotel, confirming the pub’s status as a fascist-friendly venue: boo! mAd props to all the good folk who rocked up to tell Trump and his handful of supporters to bugger off — you rock! See youse next time … and remember that your pressure really does place real limits on the ability of the far right to mobilise and to build.

See also : Anti-immigration, anti-racism forces protest in Melbourne, heavy police presence, ABC, November 20, 2016 | Melb CBD closed off for Trump rallies, SBS (AAP), November 20, 2016 | Melbourne pro-Trump rally outnumbered by police and counter-protesters, Calla Wahlquist, The Guardian, November 20, 2016.