Yet more Fascist problems in Russia

[Holden Caulfield]

16th of July 22 year old anti-fascist Aleksei Bychin was arrested in St. Petersburg. He is facing charges according to statute 111, part 1 of Russian criminal codex (consciously causing grievous bodily harm). 18th of July he was put to remand prison.

In night between 12th and 13th of June a group of around 20 anti-fascist punks was hanging around in the city. Aleksei and his friend were behind the main group. A group of two Nazi skinheads passed by them, they throwing "sieg hail"-greetings. Aleksei understood, that Nazis were about to attack him, as one of them was carrying a broken bottle. A fight started, and Aleksei was forced to use knife against one of the attackers. He wounded one of the Nazis with a knife, and fascists escaped. Eventually it become known that one of the Nazis was a police officer.

In June and July St. Petersburg police was investing the case, using a wide variety of illegal means. A number of punks from St. Petersburg and surrounding areas were taken to "discussions" which lasted hours, no protocols were made during these "discussions".

People were threatened, illegally detained after concerts, contents of mobile phones were confiscated, police even set up false accounts in popular Russian social networking site vkontakte. ru (a facebook copycat) in order to gather information.

16th of July in St. Petersburg one anti-fascist punk was arrested while leaving from home. He was taken to 76th police station in Mytinskaya street 3, and chained to a battery for several hours. After this, he was forced to call Aleksei Bichin and to propose him a meeting in the center of the city. In this meeting, Aleksei was arrested and taken to 76th police station. Police refused food and water, which friends of Aleksei carried to police station. It is also worth of noticing that during interrogation of one of the witnesses of the events in 76th police station in 17th of July, police were drunken, announced that they are supporting National-Socialism and were throwing sieg heil-greetings. Home of Aleksei and his friend were searched as well.

We, friends and comrades of Aleksei are certain, that in fight during night between 12th and 13th of July he was acting out of selfdefence. We are supporting any means of resistance against Neonazism, direct and physical action included. For us it is obvious, that government organs are fed with nationalist mood, and while these tendencies are not outrooted, we may not trust a single word from speeches of government officials for tolerancy and against xenophobia.

Original text in Russian.

[mykittyhasaboner]

shit, its not a month that goes by, that i dont hear about some nazis are starting shit with punks on the streets in russia.

about the police, i dont even know what to say. setting up fake accounts on the internet? drunken nationalist police interrogators? this is getting way out of line, something has to be done. i just dont know what. :(

[Holden Caulfield]

it's truth and neutral approach cannot be confirmed in any way, it is after all only taken from Indymedia, so the journalism is a tad partisan.

but i know Russia seems to be going further and further down the shitter, in regards to fascists and most other things as well, (except football of course)

[Comrade Rage]

about the police, i dont even know what to say. setting up fake accounts on the internet? drunken nationalist police interrogators? this is getting way out of line, something has to be done. i just dont know what. :(Leftist groups need to arm themselves and set up shop in remote-but-accessible areas in Russia. The country is going fascist and there is no denying that. I think it's safe to say that what Russian politics is undergoing is similar to what German politics were undergoing in the mid-1920's.

It's time for our comrades over there to prepare for the worst, and to fight it.


but i know Russia seems to be going further and further down the shitter, in regards to fascists and most other things as well, (except football of course)Russia is going down, in terms of politics at least. I didn't know that they had football over there though, I do know that they have soccer though.

[The Author]

Leftist groups need to arm themselves and set up shop in remote-but-accessible areas in Russia. The country is going fascist and there is no denying that. I think it's safe to say that what Russian politics is undergoing is similar to what German politics were undergoing in the mid-1920's.

It's time for our comrades over there to prepare for the worst, and to fight it.


This. The Leftists and the Anti-Fascists need to arm themselves for self-defense against these horrible attacks, and put those black-shirts in their place the next time they try to assault a comrade.


Russia is going down, in terms of politics at least. I didn't know that they had football over there though, I do know that they have soccer though."Football" is the word used for soccer worldwide, only we Americans use the term "soccer." Our football is called "American football" by foreigners. :)

[Chapter 24]

There's an excellent documentary - I think by Channel 4, but I don't live in Britain so I wouldn't know - called "Death of a Nation" that documents modern day Russia as a subject. One of the problems included - besides a high poverty rate, increasing AIDS cases, and many others - is the corrupt police force. I think in the 3rd or 4th part (it's in 6 parts) it shows a Nazi Cossack policeman that rounds up ethnic minorities when arresting them. I can't remember exactly, but it's a real thought-provoking documentary.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jeK6spOIVro

[jaffe]

This. The Leftists and the Anti-Fascists need to arm themselves for self-defense against these horrible attacks, and put those black-shirts in their place the next time they try to assault a comrade.
You don't seem to get it. They have the neonazis and the police against them. If you're in possesion of weapons you might get higher punishments if you get arrested. And there are active anti-fascists in the big cities.



"Football" is the word used for soccer worldwide, only we Americans use the term "soccer." Our football is called "American football" by foreigners. :)
haha this made me laugh

[communard resolution]

Leftist groups need to arm themselves and set up shop in remote-but-accessible areas in Russia. The country is going fascist and there is no denying that. I think it's safe to say that what Russian politics is undergoing is similar to what German politics were undergoing in the mid-1920'sAny ideas what we can do to help from abroad?

I posted a thread about Russan neo-nazi violence a few months ago, and the predictable response I got was "wait until after the revolution, that's when the scum will be dealt with appropriately". I don't think the people in Russia can wait that long. Antifa and other such groups in Russia are marginal and cannot cope with the massiveness of street fascism. Cops side with the Nazis. The situation is intolerable.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

[communard resolution]

I find it improbable that all of the Russian police are right-wing and nationalist.

Aren't there any cops left over from Soviet days who haven't turned to the far right yet?

Maybe they're isolated, and maybe leftist groups in Russia should try and appeal to them to stand up and do something about the neo-Nazis?

[jaffe]

I don't think the police is going to help them. In fact they are more against the antifascists as against the nazis. So it's up to them alone :crying:.

[communard resolution]

I don't think the police is going to help them. In fact they are more against the antifascists as against the nazis. So it's up to them alone :crying:.

Maybe the majority of them, or just the younger ones. But surely there are still cops who grew up with communist values and could be mobilized against the fascists?

[Holden Caulfield]

Thread Split, i have opened a new thread on how we can support our comrades

[jaffe]

Maybe the majority of them, or just the younger ones. But surely there are still cops who grew up with communist values and could be mobilized against the fascists?
communist values?
Even the communist party protested against the gay pride parade in Moscow.

[communard resolution]

communist values?
Even the communist party protested against the gay pride parade in Moscow.

Members of them, yes, not the party as such. However, the present-day CPFR is a sad joke, but that doesn't mean that those Russians who grew up in the Soviet Union weren't brought up to oppose fascism and racism.

Even the Western media will admit that while young Russians tend to be nationalist and xenophobic, the older generation largely reject such ideas because they have been "indoctrinated" (as the Western media puts it) with egalitarian ideas.

Apparently, there's still widespread support for communism in the Russian army, so here's hoping the same goes for the police. Maybe something can be done to mobilize these elements in the police against the neo-nazi plague?

[jaffe]

Apparently, there's still widespread support for communism in the Russian army

source?

for anti-fascism I wouldn't rely on help from the state.

[MAVA]

Damn it

[communard resolution]

source?Hearsay.



for anti-fascism I wouldn't rely on help from the state.In a situation as desperate as that in Russia, it's more a matter of using any ammo you may find rather than 'relying on help from the state'. As much as I support the efforts of the Antifa, right now they're so ridiculously outnumbered in Russia that I doubt a handful of 'Antifa hooligans' will be able to cope with the tens of thousands of militant neo-fascists roaming the streets.

I don't expect Putin and his clique to do anything about it, but I'm hoping there are anti-fascist elements in Russia's police force that can potentially be mobilized. I don't agree with most anarchists' point of view that every cop is a pig and can never be won over (even in revolutionary situations).

[The Author]

You don't seem to get it. They have the neonazis and the police against them. If you're in possesion of weapons you might get higher punishments if you get arrested. And there are active anti-fascists in the big cities.

So the Antifas should just sit around, helpless and unarmed, risking their lives only because they'll be subject to harder punishment from the authorities if they actually try to defend themselves from Nazi attacks (and this is only if they are caught by the police)? Which is worse, running the risk of prison, or running the risk of being butchered to death? And since what they are doing is counter to the interests of the state, they risk prison anyway. So why be helplessly murdered in the process...

[jaffe]

I think it's very easy to say such things behind a desktop. And they are defending themselves against neonazis. Just write antifa russia in youtube and you will find a lot of videos of the russian antifa in action.

[Holden Caulfield]

@ CEA

i would say it is nothing to do with the weakness of Antifa in Russia rather the strength and the informal co-operation of the state and the growing extreme right there that is causing all the problems,

[Sasha]

Which is worse, running the risk of prison, or running the risk of being butchered to death? And since what they are doing is counter to the interests of the state, they risk prison anyway. So why be helplessly murdered in the process...

i cant imagine beíng in the situation of the russian antifa, so if got easy talking, but, and i know its lame to quote band in discussions but the clash said it so much better than i can:

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to

so yeah, sommetimes, espaciely when the the situation seems hopeless it is better to break than to bow.

i'm from a jewish/resitance background and maybe death came sooner for those that fought back but i'll take excution in the dunes any day over the horrors of auswitch like that part of the family that decided to keep their head down had to endure.

[nuisance]

It's annoying when people on the internet go on about the leftists in Russia needing to protect themselves like the idea is something that actually contributes anything to the discussion on the issues in Russia. What do you think the groups are trying to do? Sit down and bake cookies?

[Holden Caulfield]

It's annoying when people on the internet go on about the leftists in Russia needing to protect themselves like the idea is something that actually contributes anything to the discussion on the issues in Russia. What do you think the groups are trying to do? Sit down and bake cookies?

actually we were talking of how we can aid them financially and otherwise through support funds and black cross orgs in Russia and I split the threads as it was off subject,

please try to be more constructive, if you have that attitude why discuss any action?

[nuisance]

actually we were talking of how we can aid them financially and otherwise through support funds and black cross orgs in Russia and I split the threads as it was off subject,

please try to be more constructive, if you have that attitude why discuss any action?
CEA- "The Leftists and the Anti-Fascists need to arm themselves for self-defense against these horrible attacks, and put those black-shirts in their place the next time they try to assault a comrade."

Don't know about you but posts like this don't see to hinting at funds, just pointing out common sense.
Who said I oppose action?

[trivas7]

However, the present-day CPFR is a sad joke, but that doesn't mean that those Russians who grew up in the Soviet Union weren't brought up to oppose fascism and racism.

Even the Western media will admit that while young Russians tend to be nationalist and xenophobic, the older generation largely reject such ideas because they have been "indoctrinated" (as the Western media puts it) with egalitarian ideas.

How many of these old-timers are still around, do you know? I suspect not many are left (I'm one myself).

[communard resolution]

How many of these old-timers are still around, do you know? I suspect not many are left (I'm one myself).

No idea. I guess it would be everybody older than, say 40?

[communard resolution]

It's annoying when people on the internet go on about the leftists in Russia needing to protect themselves like the idea is something that actually contributes anything to the discussion on the issues in Russia. What do you think the groups are trying to do? Sit down and bake cookies?

What are your suggestions? They might not be baking cookies, but as somebody else put it half-jokingly, they are "planning their funerals". It's obvious that the Antifa in Russia cannot cope on their own.