Dubliners Make Anti-Fascist Message Stick around City

Recently anti-fascists mobilised in Dublin to cover far-right propaganda in the city centre and send a clear pro-freedom and humanist message. 500 stickers welcoming refugees, denouncing Nazism & fascism, sexism, and homophobia, supporting a pregnant person's right to choose, and so forth, were emblazoned on the social canvas.

This was partially in response to a fascist group attempting to launch in Dublin a couple weeks ago, in an esteemed lineage of micro-sects which the same begrudgers have failed to get off the ground in this country, forgetting to turn up to their own meeting while 50 anti-fascists turned out. However, they were very proud to attach 4-5 fascist stickers to Dublin lampposts (which were all scratched off promptly).

In a highly original and thoughtful move, this handful of spiteful people want to scapegoat Muslims, non-Europeans, and people of colour, for society's problems while proposing to 'unite' Europeans by their white race to 'defend Europe' and keep the immigrants out. The same stuff the BNP (British National Party) or our own indigenous Blueshirts were fond of repeating.

Despite their tactical reference to violence towards women and LGBT+ people in order to demonise Muslims, they harbour a deeply reactionary worldview which has nothing to offer women or LGBT people, or in fact almost anybody in the long run as the German masses discovered.

Many of us believe that these far right fanatics are just simpletons and buffoons and we don't need to pay them any heed. And while they are fools, we would be very foolish to assume that fascism can never rise again. If you are one of these people, look around and ask yourself, considering the relative resurgence of far right & fascist ideas and activity, why it is automatically banished to the 20th century.

Only on Sunday passed Britain First – a fascist splinter group from the BNP, known for its ‘mosque invasions’ – spoke at a (small) loyalist rally in Belfast, and after announced their intention to run in northern elections. A counter demonstration opposed it, however this was also small. The question is do we want to end up in a situation where Britain First, or any other fascist group, can call large rallies to perform the 2 Minutes Hate while proponents of freedom are too few in number to counter them?

Fascism must be given no quarter. It stands for the worst in humanity and its foot soldiers will be closed down at every turn. Ireland has a strong history of anti-fascist resistance, rooted in our battle against British imperialism and hence an internationalist outlook which seeks unity among all the world's oppressed. Whether stomping out the Blueshirts at home, fighting Franco in the International Brigades in Spain, or successfully playing fascist whack-a-mole in recent decades, let's keep that proud anti-fascist history alive.

What will you do to stop fascism?

Below is a sample of the stickers distributed.

Fascists strive to create an atmosphere of suspicion and fear in order to intimidate already marginalised groups, such as migrants, and their political opponents on the left.

Anti-fascists will control the streets and maintain solidarity among all people.

'Anti-Fascist Area. Racists Not Welcome'

Fascists are well known for their intense queerphobia. After all, fascism is a movement overwhelmingly aimed at channeling the frustrations of straight white cis males into a plot to take over the state and force all to submit to their nation.

Instead of turning to reactionary politics, these pissed off men should take aim at the rich politicians, bankers, and bosses, laughing as they screw us all into the ground.

The 20th Century taught us 'The Only Good Fascist is a Dead One' - do we have to re-learn it?

Here's a sample of the stickers distributed.

Fascists have a long anti-choice history, and several Irish fascists can be found working within the anti-choice movement in order to take women's and all pregnant people's liberty away.

'A woman's body is hers to do with as she please. Easy access to abortion is her right'

Refugees are people fleeing danger and death who deserve a warm welcome, a céad míle fáilte, for managing to make it this far. That is what civilisation should mean. Anyone who bases their political agenda on spitting at refugees and other migrants is the lowliest coward.

'Refugees Welcome'

Fascist groups are fond of trying to re-create the swastika symbol without using the actual swastika (although many still do), in order to hoodwink people into not realising they are the wannabe inheritors of Hitler and Mussolini.