Chauny: Anti-fascists mobilize and organize

france / belgium / luxemburg | anti-fascism | news report

Monday March 29, 2010 18:03

by Alternative Libertaire - AL

No more impunity for fascists!

More than 500 people marched on Saturday, 27 March in the streets of Chauny (in the northern French region of Picardy) to say clearly that they have had their fill of the arrogance of a small group of young Nazis who, every weekend, have been provoking and using violence against any young people in the town who do not share their ideas or who have different skin colour. The demonstration also sought to denounce the fact that the authorities have been turning a blind eye to this fascist, racist violence.

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Chauny: Anti-fascists mobilize and organize

More than 500 people marched on Saturday, 27 March in the streets of Chauny (in the northern French region of Picardy) to say clearly that they have had their fill of the arrogance of a small group of young Nazis who, every weekend, have been provoking and using violence against any young people in the town who do not share their ideas or who have different skin colour. The demonstration also sought to denounce the fact that the authorities have been turning a blind eye to this fascist, racist violence.

Anger and unease among the young in Chauny has been rising at the impunity enjoyed by the fascists, who have even managed to "take over" the central square Chauny to listen to racist music.

In addition, young people in Chauny have to undergo numerous identity checks. And when fights break out between the nazis and other young people, it is the latter who are always arrested and placed in custody.

More than half of the demonstrators came from Chauny and the surrounding area, with others from the Oise department, Douai, Rheims, or the Parisian region. There were large numbers of high school and university students from Chauny and nearby towns, as well as militants from dozens of anti-fascist organizations and collectives (including Alternative Libertaire, the CNT, the CGT, Solidaires, the League of Human Rights, the Fédération Anarchiste, the NPA, the Vivre Libre ou Mourir collective from Douai, No Pasaran, Ras l'front from Marne la Vallée, and others).

The atmosphere of this event was particularly combative. You could hear slogans such as "Against the FN, solidarity", "No fascists in Chauny or elsewhere" and "First, second, third generation - we are all children of immigrants".

Two fascists spotted at the beginning of the demonstration were confronted and promptly ran away.

Finally, we can say that the objective of this demonstration was fully reached, and even surpassed, with over 500 participants, when the organizers were expecting only 200.

But most importantly, this initiative has helped strengthen ties between anti-fascist activists within the local population. It also contributed to boosting relations between organizations and especially between anti-fascist collectives not only from Picardy but also from surrounding areas. It also served as an opportunity to make contacts between different towns in Picardy with a view to creating new anti-fascist groups.

Anti-fascists have shown that they are able to mobilize and are ready to organize themselves to put a stop to fascist hatred and develop solidarity as the key to future struggles.