1968
12th October 2009, 11:02
3rd Annual "Leif Erickson Day Celeberation" put on by Keystone State "Skinheads" saw opposition this time around.
PHILADELPHIA - For the third year in a row, Keystone State "Skinheads" (KSS) held their Leif Erickson Day Celebration on Boathouse Row at the statue of a Viking explorer, but this time there were some uninvited guests - a small group of antifa that got there first.
Nine anti-racist activists representing various groups in Philadelphia stood at the statue as the approximately fifty neo-Nazis held their event, which once again almost threatened the annual Navy Day Regatta boat race held every Columbus Day Weekend. Unlike last year's outing, which took place right at the statue, this year, the Regatta was held just a little bit further up the river, thereby avoiding any possible conflicts.
In year's past, this event has gone unopposed, but this year some local antifa thought it important to make their presence known. Keith Carney, who organized the event was not pleased with that antifa presence or the fact that police made no moves to disperse either group. "The police don't seem to care or want to do anything about this, so we're just going to go on with it anyway," he lamented through his megaphone. The ceremony was brief, with antifa taking pictures and mocking the Nazis with references to the movie Inglourious Basterds and while noting how Thorfinn Karlsefeni, who was depicted in the statue, was chased out of Newfoundland by the indigenous people there. After only a few minutes the Nazis retreated back into nearby Fairmount Park without laying a ceremonial wreath as planned, while antifa remained at the statue talking with passers-by about what just took place.
continue reading - http://libcom.org/news/antifa-confront-neo-nazi-celebration-philadelphia-11102009
PHILADELPHIA - For the third year in a row, Keystone State "Skinheads" (KSS) held their Leif Erickson Day Celebration on Boathouse Row at the statue of a Viking explorer, but this time there were some uninvited guests - a small group of antifa that got there first.
Nine anti-racist activists representing various groups in Philadelphia stood at the statue as the approximately fifty neo-Nazis held their event, which once again almost threatened the annual Navy Day Regatta boat race held every Columbus Day Weekend. Unlike last year's outing, which took place right at the statue, this year, the Regatta was held just a little bit further up the river, thereby avoiding any possible conflicts.
In year's past, this event has gone unopposed, but this year some local antifa thought it important to make their presence known. Keith Carney, who organized the event was not pleased with that antifa presence or the fact that police made no moves to disperse either group. "The police don't seem to care or want to do anything about this, so we're just going to go on with it anyway," he lamented through his megaphone. The ceremony was brief, with antifa taking pictures and mocking the Nazis with references to the movie Inglourious Basterds and while noting how Thorfinn Karlsefeni, who was depicted in the statue, was chased out of Newfoundland by the indigenous people there. After only a few minutes the Nazis retreated back into nearby Fairmount Park without laying a ceremonial wreath as planned, while antifa remained at the statue talking with passers-by about what just took place.
continue reading - http://libcom.org/news/antifa-confront-neo-nazi-celebration-philadelphia-11102009