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100 years since the birth of fascism

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In a passionate letter, Alfio Bernabei argues that Italy’s president should mark the anniversary of Mussolini’s rise with an apology – and stand against the fascist resurgence   Dear President Sergio Mattarella, Heads of state are often expected to respond to important anniversaries marking crucial episodes in the history of the countries they represent. They […]

Matteo Salvini and the dirt of Italy

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This article has been contributed by Searchlight’s Italian correspondence Alfio Bernabei In this 2009 video, Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Home Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, sings about the dirty smell (puzza) produced by people so disgusting that even animals run away from them. Surrounded by his enthusiastic fans, who hail him: ‘Matteo is the group leader, […]

Thessaloniki mayor Yiannis Boutaris beaten up

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The following report was published on the BBC website on 20 May. The mayor of Greece’s second-largest city Thessaloniki has been treated in hospital after being beaten up by about a dozen people, officials say. Yiannis Boutaris, 75, was kicked in the head and legs and beaten with bottles by a group of nationalists angry over […]

The Scandinavian fascists fighting for the Syrian regime

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This article first appeared on Kyle W Orton’s Syrian Intifada blog. The Norwegian news portal AldriMer reported on 11 May about a group of far-Right Scandinavians who fought under Russian command for the pro-regime coalition in Syria. AldriMer was relaying an interview published last month by Skandinavisk Frihet(Scandinavian Freedom), a website that describes itself as attached […]

EDL founder pulls out of Iceland lecture

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The English Defence League’s co-founder Tommy Robinson, who was scheduled to give a lecture today in Iceland, will not be coming after all, Reykjavic Grapevine reports. The organisers have therefore cancelled the event. Vakur, a self-described “organisation of European culture”, had invited British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, to Iceland to […]

Hungarian Nazi leader to be opposed in London

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Unite Against Fascism (UAF) will oppose the leader of Hungary’s fascist Jobbik party at Gloucester Road tube station in west London tonight. Gabor Vona had been due to speak at Kings College London, but due to anti-fascist pressure his meeting was “postponed’’. We sincerely hope the meeting is cancelled permanently. Jobbik supporters in London are […]

‘Freital Group’ members found guilty of terror-related crimes

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Eight people have been found guilty of numerous crimes including deliberate attacks on refugee shelters in Germany, DW reports. After a yearlong trial, the legal points hinged on the very nature of the group’s structure and intent. The Dresden Higher Regional Court on Wednesday found seven men and one woman who formed the “Freital Group” […]

Civil society under attack in Hungary

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This article has been contributed by Amnesty International. The Hungarian government has proposed a set of laws that if adopted will have a devastating and chilling effect on civil society. The legislative package is part of a wider crackdown on human rights and civil society organisations in Hungary, which have been under attack for several […]

Italian community rally against racism and fascism

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The London branch of the National Association of Italian Partisans (ANPI) has called a rally against racism and fascism on Saturday 24 February together with a coalitions of charities and parties from the Italian community in the UK. On Saturday 3 February a man known Luca Traini as went on a shooting rampage in the […]

Historical revisionist honoured by Polish Ministry of Education

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This article is contributed by Jacob Fleming, Searchlight’s Polish correspondence At the end of September, Tomasz Panfil, who is employed by the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), wrote an article for Gazeta Polska, a newspaper owned by Law And Justice societies. He claimed that after the German aggression against Poland in 1939, the situation of […]

Swedish anti-fascists report massive ant-fascist protest defeats the Nazis

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The report below first appeared on the Unite Against Fascism website on 2 October. Big thanks to Asa and David for their contributions, below; hats off to Swedish anti fascists! Asa – Last Saturday was a brilliant victory for anti-fascists in Gothenburg, where over 10 000 people gathered and successfully stopped the Nazis from marching through […]

Controversy over Forza Nuova’s “March on Rome”

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Alfio Bernabei writes: In an unprecedented move Italy’s Forza Nuova has announced plans to march on Rome on 28 October, the same date as Mussolini’s march on Rome in 1922. Enthusiastic members of the organisation, described as Nazi-fascist by Italy’s Supreme Court, have flooded its Facebook page with fascist slogans and offers of support in […]