Refuse to let history repeat itself
Fredag 5 December, 2008 kl. 1:47 emThe situation today is starting to resemble the situation during the 90’s with financial crisis, a growing sense of insecurity among people and accelarated nazi violence.
We are now experiencing what seems to be the high point of a neo-nazi campaign of violence. Last saturday neo-nazis burned down the autonomous cultural center the Cyclops in Högdalen in the outskirts of Stockholm. The building was completely demolished. Earlier the same day, passing out leaflets, anti-racists were brutally attacked. The day after, november 30th, the neo-nazis of Folkfronten rallied through down town Stockholm. On monday december 1st gasoline was poured into the apartment of a family with a small child and set on fire. That too, a nazi action. The family escaped the flames by climping down the balcony to the floor underneath.
- We had to lower our daughter to our neighbours on the balcony under us, says one of the victims. We live on the top floor, the third. If we had dropped her, she would have died.
In the light of the attacks last week it is no understatement to say that fascism is on the rise again. The situation is increasingly starting to resemble that of the 1990’s. We recall the murder of Björn Söderberg and the fire-bombing of refugee camps. But the resemblance doesn’t end with the militance of the nazis, but also includes the racism on an institutional level. Then, the Ny Demokrati-party ravaged Riksdagen, the swedish parliament, and now demands are raised for “swede-contracts” (contracts migrants have to sign in order to live in Sweden), home language education is being questioned and asylum policies are getting even more restrictive along with increased demands on refugees. The more racist the “respectable” debate gets, the more elbow room for neo-nazis.
Even the economic situation is similar to that of the 90’s, what with financial crisis, increased marginalization and bigger divides between classes. In the aftermath of the home loan crisis the industry exercises massive lay offs. Peoples’ discontent and insecurity grow. A perfect climate for racist parties and neo-nazi groups to gain supporters. The Salem march gathers nazis from all across the nordic countries and serves, just as the so called Peoples March on the Swedish national day, as a recruitment opportunity for the neo-nazi movement.
Just as during the 90’s we have to raise a wide resistance against racism and neo-nazism. It is not enough to have the extra-parliamentary left fighting on the streets alone. Even if we get every “patriot” off the streets, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. Smashing racism also means that we must destroy the institutional racism exercised by elected politicians and clerks within the government, parliament and authorities. Left parties, workers unions and youth organizations need to start acting in a serious manner. Anti-racism needs to be seen and heard everywhere, it needs to regain its natural place in everyones mind. It should not be possible for racist organizations to rent meeting places, busses or to spread their propaganda in schools and workplaces. During the 90’s, LO, TCO and SACO (the three large unions) ran anti-racist campaigns, local clubs of Ungdom mot Rasism (Youth Against Racism) were represented in half of all municipalities, but today the extra-parliamentary left stands more or less alone in Salem. Where is everybody else that day?
The same-same-but-different-card is habitually played every time anti-racists protest against marching nazis and should, once and for all, be unveiled as the false play it certainly is. If one claims that the twenty or so murders committed by nazis since the 80’s in Sweden alone, as well as the severe hate crimes, arsons, bombings and assaults they have carried out, is equal to the rock-throwing and street fighting of anti-racists, one lacks a sense of proportions. That should be obvious for everybody, at least since Nazis a couple of days ago in cold blood tried to torch a child because her parents are syndicalists and anti-racists.
She made it and so did her parents, too. What will be the outcome next time? Who will be struck then?
The neo-nazi wave during the 90’s was brought to a halt thanks to a broad anti-fascist organization. Their marches were stopped, their shops hade to shut down, they were outed and confronted on the streets and in their neighbourhoods. It became difficult to be a nazi and eventually the nazi movement was pressed back.
The conditions have not yet reached the same levels as during the 90’s and if we want to stop it from repeating itself, we need to act now. And not only the extra-parliamentary left, but all anti-racists. For we are so many more, actually, so many more that reacted with disgust and horror at the neo-nazis’ arsons. And it is precisely us, the majority, that have to take a stand. The neo-nazis must never stand unchallenged.
There can not be a next time, not one more struck by neo-nazi violence. It is united that we stop history from repeating itself.
Saturday december 6th, Salem Center at 12:00.
/The Embryo collective & editorial staff of Yelah