Physical resistance, rocks and how to build a mass movement

Antifascist struggle training is about feeling safe, not harsh, he writes Tom Tanuki.

WRITTEN Red Flag Socialist Alternative ( ) on why we need to carefully consider what tactics we use when taking action against white supremacists.Salt) Omer Hasan writes:

‘Tactics should aim to make action meaningful to those involved, encourage passive sympathizers to become more involved, and be defensible to those not yet invested in the issue. […] ‘This does not necessarily prevent repression, but it makes the political cost to the authorities much higher.’

I agree with the idea that the ‘cost to the authorities’ of state repression was slightly lower following the second March opposition rally in Australia. (If only the cost of repression could be a little lower in this environment, as each rally seemingly leads to more anti-democratic legislation.)

Following the anti-fascist counter-rally on October 19, there was great scrutiny of the left-wing activist by the mainstream media, politicians, and the justice system. Some protesters were observed throwing large rocks at VicPol, who responded by randomly incapacitating them with lethal, military-grade ammunition.

Amidst the outcry provoked by the emerging media, messenger of the sun shared The Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) presentation slide before the rally featured a meme image revealing that CARF, the largest group supporting and populating the counter-protests in Melbourne, planned to bring large rocks. VicPol continued to declare the CBD a “designated area” for six months; This means they can inspect people’s bodies and personal belongings and remove their masks without a warrant for six months. (I remember the days when one-day “designated areas” were considered anti-democratic!)

The result suggests that the acceptable response is to freak out about rocks, blithely accepting that firing weapons like lethal injection grenades at random citizens is a reasonable public safety measure.

I don’t like it when groups like CARF (often seen by local activists as reluctant to run afoul of the law) are left holding the bag in the absence of those who unilaterally choose to throw these stones. But Omar has taken her response much further, rejecting various anti-fascist tactics she describes as “black bloc”.

The black bloc is known for participating in demonstrations as a separate unit that aims to carry out anonymous acts of violence, wearing uniforms (black clothing, black hoods/helmets, etc.) designed to hide their identities and protect them from police attack.

These activities are justified by black bloc supporters as attacks on authority, fascism, capitalism, or whatever the topic of the day may be. And unlike ordinary “sheep” participating in traditional shows, “ordinary glasses“Within the rules, the black bloc sees itself as someone who deals more serious blows against the system. But the truth is that they do nothing to challenge the order and often help strengthen it.

“Sheeple” is an odd word to deploy sarcastically. This is a (dated) word that is more the domain of conspiracists than typical black bloc advocates. This reaffirms my opinion that SAlt people, bless their hearts, don’t go out much (to anything that doesn’t happen). Salt activity).

Similarly, Omar neglected to weigh up plausible reasons for wearing black block, or even precautions such as “grey block” (anonymous clothing that does not necessarily stand out in a uniform style like black block). For example, protecting one’s privacy against a state that constantly suppresses protests. Or we don’t want to be slandered by fascists.

But this is a particular set of tactics that Omar is primarily interested in, and which is why she continues to equate fighting fascists with throwing rocks as an act of “feeling tough.”

“Beating a few fascists or throwing rocks at the police is the very definition of Performative. It’s pure street theater, a chance for small groups to feel tough and radical by acting out their fake revolutionary fantasies.”

There has been some intra-left fallout over these rocks and their consequences. Those who took them out did so unilaterally and, I was told, without the permission of the coalition leading the rallies.

The organizers of the Australian march and the bandits suffered a great loss of numbers that day (I calculated 85 percent reduction). But absolutely none of us could talk about the nadir of the nascent nationalist movement in March because we were all too busy lecturing about ‘our’ rocks.

Although I disliked them and their oppressive presence, in my view the cops were not strategic or relevant opponents to target that day. The target was a white supremacist rally. And actually, given the staggering loss of numbers in the second March, October 19th would have been an easy win… if some people Brown CardiganMuch Less Over.

But Omar is deliberately throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And I get this “feeling tough” thing in relation to physical resistance.

When you dismiss ‘We are beating up a few fascists’I think he is referring to the first March attempt by other activists against Australia on 31 August. physically avoid The National Socialist Network (NSN) was prevented from entering the area.

They fought. NSN was not stopped.

Omar clearly can’t see the point of such things. So let me “feel tough” for a moment.

If these activists had managed to stop NSN that day with their own hands, and had they come closer to doing so than anyone else, NSN would not have been able to do what they did on August 31. They couldn’t collect all the media propaganda they did, and they couldn’t use that propaganda to collect all the new blood they did.

One real reason for trying to shut down NSN’s activists and propaganda activities, including physical barriers and defence, is that the more people they recruit now, the larger the disillusioned members will be when NSN mobilizes after its (eventually and in my view inevitably) disbandment.

Brenton Tarrant It was one of the fringes of the patriot movement in the late 2010s. In 2017, he argued that the United Patriots Front (UPF) was an organization. ‘Political peace movement’ That year when I found evidence that he told someone on Facebook:

By the time the movement collapsed two years later, Tarrant was committing the largest mass murder ever committed by an Australian citizen.

So we fear that this will be at the edge of NSN.

This is one reason why a auxiliary movement of permanent anti-fascist activists exists, no matter how small and private. Yes, we align with or support a broader mass movement. And yes, sometimes we use physical resistance.

Omar wants a mass movement of passive sympathizers to join the fight. Me too.

But I note that he actually said this:

“Only a mass movement of the working class can seriously challenge capitalism.”

No organizer wants to lose new blood after one or two acts. But this line touches on leftists’ regular criticism of SAlt; this is the feeling that people mostly participated in the struggles against the Nazis to lead people to the next Marxism Conference.

Is this a reduction or oversimplification of SAlt’s intent? That’s probably what they would say. So is putting aside all anti-fascist physical resistance. “purely performance based”and “feeling tough.”

Of course, there are people posing around. There are also people seriously trying to implement methods that work to stop more Christchurch massacres.

one of this herd charged in Canberra following detailed attack plans. ‘committee meeting or march’ It was discovered in Canberra along with bomb materials and chlorine gas. He might be thinking of a SAlt reunion. NSN’s professional propaganda materials openly encourage such violence.

If anti-fascists are currently undergoing combat training, and they are, then Omar needs to think about the benefits of doing the same to protect mass movements. I want our new blood to feel safe, not “tough.”

Tom Tanuki is an IA columnist, author, satirist and anti-fascist activist whose weekly videos commenting on Australia’s political wing are published on: YouTube. You can follow him on Twitter/X @tom_tanuki.

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