WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE CZECH RUSSIA - news journal UPDATE - (en) Russia, AIT: Czech Anarchists Against Ukrainian Far-Right Tour (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 The Czechoslovak Anarchist Association (CAS) has issued a strong protest

against the event organized by the Ukrainian far-right Azov unit in
Prague on July 31, 2024. ---- The statement issued by the
internationalist anarchists said: ---- "The Czechoslovak Anarchist
Association protests against the possibility of allowing the propaganda
tour of the neo-Nazi Azov Regiment on July 31, 2024 in Prague. As social
anarchists, we are consistent revolutionary anti-fascists and we are
aware that neo-Nazis and fascists must not be given any space. Fascism,
patriotism and nationalism are directed against the oppressed, it is a
way to divide the working people, setting them against each other.
Fascism and Nazism have always served the interests of the rich against
the poor by establishing a dictatorship and persecution. We clearly
state: "We do not want Azov in Prague (or anywhere)." We hope that there
will be people in the Czech Republic who will try to boycott the
neo-Nazi meeting!"

The anarchists recalled that in July 2024, Azov announced a tour of
European cities, including Wroclaw, In July 2024, members of the
neo-Nazi Azov Regiment announced a tour of European cities, including
Wroclaw, Berlin, Rotterdam, Brussels, Cologne, Prague and Vilnius. The
tour was planned to include former and current servicemen of the 3rd
Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was previously
part of the Azov Regiment. The purpose of the event was to meet with
Ukrainians abroad, receive financial assistance and recruit into the
ranks of Azov.

However, on July 27, the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung published an
article that the tour of neo-Nazis from Azov to Berlin was cancelled.
The reason was the fear of the nationalists themselves of Europeans who
do not support their extremist views, as well as public resistance
caused by the extremely negative behavior of one of the Azov members.
The incident is related to the publication of a photograph from the
Auschwitz museum, which depicts a Ukrainian neo-Nazi in a T-shirt with a
quote from Adolf Hitler: "Where we are, there is no place for anyone
else." Such behavior, the anarchists emphasize, insults the memory of
the victims of Nazism and demonstrates the true views of Ukrainian
nationalists, which caused indignation in many European countries.

Initially, the Azov fighters planned an "informal meeting with soldiers"
in the Continental Hotel on Elsenstrasse in the Berlin district of
Treptow. They hoped that by reaching out to Ukrainian refugees, they
could recruit them into the Ukrainian army. The meeting was supposed to
be attended by "reputable" Azov fighters who had survived the battles
for Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Kharkiv. However, the event sparked a massive
protest among left-wing groups and organizations. Activists said that
"the Ukrainian unit cultivates right-wing extremist and fascist
traditions, and their leader is a neo-Nazi." They expressed outrage that
"such an event glorifying war could take place even in Berlin,
especially from an openly right-wing extremist organization that
historically refers to the Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera." It later
emerged that Azov had also cancelled events in Rotterdam, Brussels and
Cologne. However, members of the neo-nationalist regiment still planned
to visit the Czech Republic - Prague on July 31 at 19:00, where a
meeting was to take place in the Endorphin establishment
(https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Q52ai88wmpwLUMpy/?mibextid=oFDknk)

On August 1, the Czechoslovak Anarchist Association distributed the
following message:

"Yesterday, July 31, 2024, in front of the X10 theater, an urgently
organized protest took place against the recruitment tour of Ukrainian
neo-Nazis and nationalists from the Azov regiment, who came to Prague to
recruit new fighters for their ranks and also to beg for financial
support. Their European tour did not go as they expected, so under
pressure from the anti-fascist community, they were forced to cancel
their events in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Azov event in Prague was originally supposed to take place at the
Endorphin venue, but it was cancelled due to public pressure. The
Ukrainian neo-Nazis were replaced by the X10 Theatre, which decided to
ignore the public who had inundated it with disapproving phone calls and
emails. In the end, at the last minute, a protest action of the
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia was organized that day, where
more than 100 participants gathered. In front of the said theatre, they
demonstrated their anti-fascist beliefs, and visitors had to listen to
various anti-fascist slogans.

We hope that there will be more and more people in the Czech Republic
who will try to boycott and actively block such meetings not only of
domestic, but also of Ukrainian and Russian neo-Nazis. Above all,
anarchists and revolutionary anti-fascists must stand at the forefront
and not remain silent"
(https://www.facebook.com/share/p/bij8iJTG4jBz9pUg/?mibextid=oFDknk)

https://aitrus.info/node/6237
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