German Anti-Fascists See off Nazis in Dresden
Last Updated on Thursday, 18 February 2010 04:53 Thursday, 18 February 2010 04:19
For a couple years now, every year on the anniversary of the allied bombing of Dresden in 1945 Nazis (old and new) from all over Germany and Europe have a "remembrance march" through Dresden, attempting to paint Germany as the real victim of WW2. Dresden city officials and residents mark the anniversary of the bombing every year.
This year, thousands of Dresden residents marked the anniversary in a candle-light ceremony on Saturday night. In 2005, a large contingent of approximately 5,000 neo-Nazis managed to disrupt commemorative ceremonies in Dresden, marking the anniversary.
Previously the trade unions, SPD, Greens and Die Linke (the Left party) have participated in counter-rallies far away from their march. This year, they together with Antifa formed a coalition to peacefully block the march. Despite police repression, they mobilised about 12000 people to participate (against 5000-7000 Nazis) and managed to keep the Nazis from marching and forced them to just rally at the starting point of their march and leave.
It's a huge success that shows what can be achieved with "strength in numbers" when workers, social democratic as well as revolutionary socialist ones, and the broader anti-fascist movement stand together.
See reports in the Digital Journal and Der Spiegel.
See photos here
Let us hope that the mobilisation against the EDL in Bolton on March 20th is equally successful.
Videos
The first video shows German's neo-Nazis gathered at the Neustadt Railway station in Dresden. The second shows the anti-fascist protesters.
Neo-Nazi Protests: World War II Anniversary
Dresden 13.02.2010 - No Pasaran