Someone Explain Antifa to Me

[¿Que?]

Are they mostly Anarchists? Do they exists in the US? What is their philosophy?

Any info would be great.

[WeAreReborn]

Are they mostly Anarchists? Do they exists in the US? What is their philosophy?

Any info would be great.
Well Anarchists are know for kicking some Fascist ass but hey everyone hates a fascist! Yeah they definitely do, it is mainly just punks kids beating up Fascist kids though. Their philosophy is just anti-Fascist. It is not dogmatic they just join in to beat up some fascists. :thumbup1:

[Amphictyonis]

Fash bashing is an equal opportunity endeavor :)

[¿Que?]

So they basically have no philosophy. They just beat up fash. But why? What's their rationale? If they're just violent thrill seekers, are they not maybe easier to manipulate? I think Antifa are generally smarter than that...

[freepalestine]

So they basically have no philosophy. They just beat up fash. But why? What's their rationale? If they're just violent thrill seekers, are they not maybe easier to manipulate? I think Antifa are generally smarter than that...they are possibly also members of other political groups.
see antifa websites...

[Magón]

They're just an assortment of people, usually the Anarchists are picked out from the group as being the "Ring Leaders", but they're not necessarily Anarchists. Some are simple Communists, all of whom have come together to obviously beat the fuck out of Fascists; hence Antifa.

And I wouldn't expect them to be easily manipulated, they're pretty keen on their Radical Left mentality and thought. You'd have to probably meet/talk with one of them to get a better understanding since they're all different in their own way and reasoning for beating up Fascists.

[¿Que?]

Ah, I get it I think. Antifa are like a group of people who decide to do something, in spite of what people's individual reasons for doing such things would be. The point is that such a thing is getting done. Correct?

[Magón]

Ah, I get it I think. Antifa are like a group of people who decide to do something, in spite of what people's individual reasons for doing such things would be. The point is that such a thing is getting done. Correct?

Yeah, they all join together to fight Fascism in a militant way of force. Hence why you always hear about them in violent ways, and not really just walking around protesting like Black Bloc, and then fucking shit up.

Antifa is pretty popular in places like Greece, Germany, and other European nations. I don't think there's any in South America, and definitely not in the US that I'm aware of. But the German and Greek Antifa groups are pretty well known. I think the Germany Antifa even has a homepage?

[Weezer]

and definitely not in the US that I'm aware of.

http://antiracistaction.org/

[Magón]

http://antiracistaction.org/

Learn something every day.

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

All leftists are anti-fascists. Being against fascism is basically a mainstream opinion. Linking fascism with capitalism is what is not so popular though; many classify fascism as a unique phenomenon, but the capitalist class will rely on fascism in times of increased instability within the capitalist system (using the state to safeguard the structure of private property through open dictatorship).

[Sasha]

Okay, one step back. While having no formal membership all antifa groups are indeed groups. Here in the Netherlands the national federation even has an constitution, an magazine and regular meetings. Most antifa groups I know spent way more time doing fash research, giving education, run campaigns, organise demo's etc etc then "beating up Nazi's", in fact, a smart antifascist does that under an impro name.
All afa/antifa groups I'm aware off are radical autonomists left. Exactly what kind differs from group to group, dutch are mostly anarchist, Germans often Marxist.
The name AFA is derived from the 1930s kpd organization who fought the nazis.
All afa/antifa groups are of the opinion that fascism has the be fought as much in the streets as in politics and the minds. They adhere to an no-platform principle.

[Sasha]

To specify; antifa are of the opinion that fascism has not only an political agenda but an explicit physical one (to conquer the streets) as well. We think therefore that its essential to counter this agenda as well. Not only because "racism is bad m'kay" but because even if fascists are no direct threat on a political level they are on street level. Where ever fash demonstrate or organise radical leftists come under attack because the fash know we are their opposition and competition in the struggle for working-class support.
So antifa is also in an big part self defence.

[Stand Your Ground]

http://antiracistaction.org/
The ARA isn't really 'Antifa' to be exact, they are active and do get some things done but they seem to try to stay in the laws while doing it, they don't jump Nazis with baseball bats (as far as I know). So they're not really militant but they do oppose fash groups when they try to poke their heads up in public.

[Sasha]

Neither does AFA, like said that kind of action are done by autonomous individuals. Fact is that both Nazi and antifa groups in the US are quite small and there isn't an culture of street confrontations on either side. No point going against a 100 coppers with 30 activists, on an wide American street without cover, facing serious charges. 2000 activists in an small streetted European town on the other hand.

[Ravachol]

'Antifa' cannot be understood as some kind of homogenous movement or organisation. The particular history and implementation varies from country to country but in Western Europe, the Antifa movement generally has it's roots in the Autonomist movement of the '70s/'80s. The diffuse nature of Autonomism and it's focus on a politics of association on the basis of converging struggles rather than a homogenous politics covering all struggles is at the basis of most of these 'sub-struggles'. Thus, 'Antifa' has only a shared agenda but no shared character. As a rule, 'Antifa' usually has a radical/revolutionary leftist character and organises differently from the liberal antifascism of the reformist left but this need not be the case everywhere.

There exist many different 'antifa' groups, some with a more explicit character than others. For example, in the UK you used to have 'Red Action (http://www.redaction.org/)', A revolutionary Marxist group operating within the AFA and in Sweden you have RevFront (revfront.org) (a revolutionary marxist group very much like RA) existing alongside AFA. In Germany there are plenty of 'Antifascistische Linke', 'Revolutionare Antifascistische Aktion',etc groups with an explicit political orientation (be it Marxist or Anarchist) and the same goes for Italy (with groups like Militant (militant-blog.org), for example).
The nature of antifa groups and individuals associated with them are as diffuse as it gets and as such the resulting analysis and practice is very diffuse as well.

As with all antifascism, there is always the danger of 'broad front'-ism, co-optation or liberal nonsense but this goes for any struggle aiming for anything short of the full liquidation of class society. The trick is to integrate this revolutionary perspective into the plethora of 'sub-struggles'.

[BeerShaman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU07m_Cr-jg
THat'll surely help you understand. You'll also learn some interesting parts of the movements' history.

[Tablo]

The ARA isn't really 'Antifa' to be exact, they are active and do get some things done but they seem to try to stay in the laws while doing it, they don't jump Nazis with baseball bats (as far as I know). So they're not really militant but they do oppose fash groups when they try to poke their heads up in public.
ARA is Antifa. They do openly attack fascist, but not on the same scale as in Europe. Also, you can be anti-fascist without beating the shit out of fascists with baseball bats. ARA really are the American equivalent of AFA.

[freepalestine]

'Antifa' cannot be understood as some kind of homogenous movement or organisation. The particular history and implementation varies from country to country but in Western Europe, the Antifa movement generally has it's roots in the Autonomist movement of the '70s/'80s. The diffuse nature of Autonomism and it's focus on a politics of association on the basis of converging struggles rather than a homogenous politics covering all struggles is at the basis of most of these 'sub-struggles'. Thus, 'Antifa' has only a shared agenda but no shared character. As a rule, 'Antifa' usually has a radical/revolutionary leftist character and organises differently from the liberal antifascism of the reformist left but this need not be the case everywhere.

There exist many different 'antifa' groups, some with a more explicit character than others. For example, in the UK you used to have 'Red Action (http://www.redaction.org/)', A revolutionary Marxist group operating within the AFA and in Sweden you have RevFront (http://revfront.org) (a revolutionary marxist group very much like RA) existing alongside AFA. In Germany there are plenty of 'Antifascistische Linke', 'Revolutionare Antifascistische Aktion',etc groups with an explicit political orientation (be it Marxist or Anarchist) and the same goes for Italy (with groups like Militant (http://militant-blog.org), for example).
The nature of antifa groups and individuals associated with them are as diffuse as it gets and as such the resulting analysis and practice is very diffuse as well.

As with all antifascism, there is always the danger of 'broad front'-ism, co-optation or liberal nonsense but this goes for any struggle aiming for anything short of the full liquidation of class society. The trick is to integrate this revolutionary perspective into the plethora of 'sub-struggles'.
great post.when i was in britain in 90s afa seemed relatively active than the antifascists in uk of today,although redaction were a major part of it, other groups ,anarchists etc were too.and that was a time when groups such as the bnp (and now defunct c18) were not as strong as they are over these past few years.
with antifa in u.k. they seem to be a shadow of the old afa,yet there is more need for a radical antifascist response over there,now more than in the 90s.

[NGNM85]

When one encounters an individual who identifies themselves as "ANTIFA", it's pretty safe to assume they're a nimrod.

[Bubbafloridaantifa]

All leftists are anti-fascists. Being against fascism is basically a mainstream opinion. Linking fascism with capitalism is what is not so popular though; many classify fascism as a unique phenomenon, but the capitalist class will rely on fascism in times of increased instability within the capitalist system (using the state to safeguard the structure of private property through open dictatorship).
I will agree with this statment about capitalism. I know in america our anti fascism is very intied to capitalism and politics in general considering our country is a melting pot and we are one of the few countries that have this to an extreme and have an entire political party (one of the only two that is nationally supported ie. republicans and democrats) republicans who the majority are crazy right wing glenn beck followers who thing christianity and the white way is right. In my opinion most countries fascism are based against there own people not just everyone elses people like ours. So we are not just fighting fascism we are fighting the majority that is why there are not alot of groups here because people here for some reason are scared where we need action NOW.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

I think it should also be said that Antifa anti-fascism is the idea of working class anti-fascism rather than forming class collaborationist united fronts which don't actually analyse fascism from a communist perspective.

[Cane Nero]

Antifa is pretty popular in places like Greece, Germany, and other European nations. I don't think there's any in South America, and definitely not in the US that I'm aware of. But the German and Greek Antifa groups are pretty well known. I think the Germany Antifa even has a homepage?

http://juventudeantifascista.blogspot.com/

http://sharpbrasil.blogspot.com/

http://rash-sp.blogspot.com/

http://www.rashcaracas.blogspot.com/

http://rashecuador.blogspot.com/

http://skinheadsceara.blogspot.com/

And, unfortunately, there are also groups of skinheads nationalist and conservatives (their slogan is "movement for a few, but a great movement"):
http://www.carecasdobrasil-al.com.br/paginas/ideologia.php

ANTI ANTIFA:blink::
http://brasilantiantifa.blogspot.com/