Krystsina “Kita” Charankova | Kristina Cherenkova was probably one of the best-known anti-fascist prisoners in the world. In 2022, she was convicted in Belarus for the heinous “crimes” of advocating against the Ukraine invasion, being against the Belrussian police, sharing links and videos from anarchist groups, and (of course) criticizing Lukashenko’s brutal regime. Back then, the Defence Fund provided support for her and her comrades as they faced their trials. Unfortunately, there was no amount of support we could provide to prevent the inevitable outcome of a political trial in a country described as “Europe’s last dictatorship.” At the end of her trial, Kita was imprisoned.
Until now! We were ecstatic to find out that she was released earlier this month and sent her a bit of additional support to help her get back on her feet and become adjusted to being back in the world. Glad to see she’s wasting no time getting back into the swing of things, as evidenced by her backup vocals for oi! legends Los Fastidos.
Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club ensuring that the armed transphobes threatening to murder attendees at a drag event keep their distance.
You might recall a certain degree of hysteria and pearl-clutching among right-wing media pundits when they found out that their cherished 2nd Amendment rights also applied to anti-fascists. This became abundantly clear to them when pistol-packing transphobes intent on disrupting a drag show in Texas and possibly making good on their threats to murder the attendees were stopped in their tracks by the presence of the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club.
Of course, transphobes & their police pals couldn’t allow for such a thing. Attack #1 against the EFJBGC came in the form of bullshit arrests by the cops of three EFJBGC members (of course, the Defence Fund helped pay for their legal defense costs). Now, attack #2 has come in the form of a lawsuit filed by the “New Columbia Movement” (a self-described “Christian fascist fraternity” that seeks to forcibly convert everyone to Christianity, among other things), against two of the arrestees on the basis that their rights were violated when they were unable to physically attack attendees at the drag show! So now our friends have to deal with the costs and hassle of unjustified criminal charges and a vexatious lawsuit.
Our friends have set up crowdfunders to help them with this expenses here and also here. They also reached out to us directly for support, which we were more than happy to provide, because we believe that drag shows are a form of free expression that shouldn’t be shut down by death threats from bigots, just as we believe that the believe we need to have the backs of those who put themselves on the line to prevent those threats from being carried out. If you believe the same, hit those crowdfunding links! If you believe there’s a need for a standing fund to provide emergency support to anti-fascists in situations like what’s been described here, make a contribution to the Defence Fund today!
As we’ve mentioned previously, openly holding “leftist” views (like racism = an evil that must be eradicated) in a country as tulmultous as Colombia can put a target on your back. Such was the case for six members of SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) Bogotá, who found themselves outnumbered by knife-wielding neo-nazis at a concert earlier this year. And not just any neo-nazis – these particular boneheads were from the CRN Radical Nationalist Commando (formerly Tercera Fuerza) – a far-right extremist terror outfit with connections in police, military, and political circles.
Despite the odds being against them and facing well-armed opponents, our SHARP friends managed to effectively defend themselves, sustaining no serious injuries while at least one of the fascist boneheads went home in an ambulance.
What happened next is the same tired script we’ve seen over and over again, around the world – when the fascists fail to live up to their fearsome reputation as violent thugs and lose fights as badly as the case at-hand, they run crying to their friends in the police. Now our six friends find themselves fighting an opponent just as vicious as the nazis – the Colombian police and so-called criminal justic system!
That kind of battle takes resources beyond the means of your average anti-racist skinhead in Bogotá, so a call went out internationally to back them up. The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund responded, as did dozens of others from around the world (according to their crowdfunder). Shortly after, the Bogotá crew reached out to us, saying “We thank those that helped and were concerned with the situation. Long live Antifascist skinheads! Long live SHARP!” We hope our friends come out of their fight in the courts as decisively as they did their fight in the concert hall!
A migrant-owned café in Cyprus, destroying in a xenophobic attack by ELAM supporters.
Cyprus, an island divided by history and marred by militarization, stands as a testament to the enduring legacies of colonialism and nationalism. It’s a land where Greek and Turkish Cypriots coexist amidst a tapestry of migrant communities, all under the shadow of a past heavy with the echoes of an anti-colonial guerrilla war against England. Yet, this complex heritage has become fodder for modern-day neo-fascists, who exploit the island’s storied history of resistance for their own hateful ends.
As Europe grapples with consequences of inhumane “Fortress Europe” immigration policies, Cyprus’s fascists have seized the moment, attacking migrant workers with impunity. Just two days after a boat carrying migrants capsized in a fatal accident, the official fascist party of Cyprus, ELAM, shamelessly marched against migrants, practically over the corpses from the recent disaster.
Anti-fascist Cypriots responded in kind with a courtesy call to ELAM offices. The police, of course, decided this was the crime that needed response to, arresting some local anti-fascists on flimsy evidence and rumours. Not content with mere arrests, the authorities are now spinning tales of a “terrorist organization,” aiming to label “Antifa” as terrorists, thus granting themselves carte blanche to repress and silence dissent. This video provides an excellent overview of the case.
But let’s be clear: the real face of terror isn’t those who resist fascism; it’s the fascists themselves and the border police who enact violence daily on migrants. The recent pogroms, sanctioned by silent nods from the authorities, have left migrants injured, their shops and homes destroyed, and their families thoroughly terrorized.
The legal entanglements stemming from these events have skyrocketed the legal fees for our comrades. But we will not stand idly by. The Defence Fund has made a significant contribution to their legal defence fund and we call on all anti-fascists to do likewise.
The four middle-aged white men who comprise Calgary Police Services’ “Diversity Unit”
Adora and Taylor, two valiant Black women in Calgary, stand accused in a glaring display of what appears to be legal intimidation. Their crime? Daring to organize against anti-Black racism. The Calgary Police Service (CPS) seems to have decided that their activism is a threat, slapping them with an avalanche of charges, each more bewildering than the last.
The narrative is as old as it is tired: stack charges high, aiming to silence and intimidate. Adora, president of Black Lives Matter YYC, and Taylor, co-creator ofInclusive Canada, find themselves in the crosshairs of a system that appears more interested in protecting its image than its people. The Stop the Stack YYC campaign is raising a clarion call against this practice, which not only burdens these women with legal fees but also inflicts a relentless psychological toll.
Adora’s ordeal reads like a Kafkaesque nightmare. Charged with a hate crime for merely trying to reenter a building—a charge so ludicrous it was later dropped due to a “clerical error” – the media ran with teh story, painting her as a criminal, wreaking havoc on her reputation and wellbeing. Her subsequent charges for standing against hate speak volumes of the CPS’s apparent priorities.
Taylor’s journey is a harrowing testament to the cost of speaking out. Facing 17 charges since 2020, her activism against police violence and bigotry has been met with a ruthless response. Even as she stands for others, Taylor finds herself repeatedly pushed to defend her own dignity and freedom, battling charges that range from the bizarre to the outright offensive.
The stories of Adora and Taylor aren’t just individual injustices; they’re chapters in a larger narrative of resistance against a system seemingly desperate to maintain the status quo. Their legal battles are microcosms of the broader struggle for racial justice and equality, reflecting the high stakes of standing up in a world that often demands conformity.
This is where we draw the line. The Defence Fund is more than a financial resource; it’s a commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with those on the frontlines. Adora and Taylor’s fight is our fight, and we’re here to ensure they don’t stand alone.
Now’s the time for action. If you’ve ever believed in fighting against the tide of racism and for the right of every individual to stand tall without fear of retribution, here’s your chance. Contribute to their legal funds, spread the word, and stand firm in the face of adversity. In solidarity with Adora and Taylor, we continue the fight.
Historically accurate bust of Ukrainian national hero and also Waffen SS member Roman Shukhevych is on the left.
It’s no secret that Ukraine had a troubled history during World War Two and many of the people from that time that many Ukrainians consider national heroes were also full-on Nazis and members of SS kill units. Take, for example, Roman Shukhevych. Shukhevych was a Ukrainian ultra-nationalist that fought against the Soviet oppression of his people, leading a military unit that fought for Ukrainian liberation from the Soviets and, to a lesser extent, Nazi Germany after its invasion of Ukraine. That latter resistance proved to be short-lived and soon Shukhevych and his brothers in arms became Nazi collaborators, followed by full-fledged SS officers who carried out slaughters of Ukrainian Jews.
Shukhevych, sitting 2nd from the left, with his other SS pals, in their SS uniforms.
What does this history lesson have to do with the Defence Fund? Well, it turns out that someone took exception to an organization of Ukrainian expats erected a statue in tribute to Shukhevych and made some historically-accurate revisions to it. Twice. The vandalism was reported in local media outlets and the police carefully concluded that one of the journalists who wrote about it must actually also be the culprit, since he reported on it!
Before the police take this Pythonesque reductio ad absurdum logic further (“this journalist reported on a murder, so they must be the murderer!”), the Defence Fund stepped in to make sure the journalist in question has a competent lawyer with him in court to explain to the police how journalism works.
The evidence, including multiple videos taken of the attack, was obviously in Leif’s favor. He clearly acted in self-defense. Yet the police and prosecutors forced him to hire a lawyer and fight the charges in court. Leif had to set up a crowdfunder to help pay for his legal defense and after reaching out to us, The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund stepped in to make a contribution.
Last week, we got the good news that this was money well spent! Leif beat the assault charges in court earlier this week and happily accepted a plea deal and took a misdemeanor with zero jail time for reasons he explains here. We’re as happy as the fascists are mad that the assault charges got tossed and Leif gets to continue to live his best life, IN NO SMALL PART THANKS TO US!!!
BTW, Leif still has outstanding legal expenses to pay off, so if you feel like kicking in a bit to help him with that, you can do that right here.
Just three days after the 2021 attempted insurrection on Capitol Hill, a mob of MAGA extremists, full-on neo-nazis, and assorted white supremacists ran wild in San Diego, beating a veteran wearing a George Floyd t-shirt, pulling knives on people, and attacking anyone showing any sort of resistance to their message of hate. That included a group of anti-fascists counter-protestors that did more to keep people in the community safe from violence than the police there that day.
In fact, the SDPD seemed there to enable the far-right goons to do as they pleased and only intervened when they could arrest someone unwilling to be victimized by the bigots. To-date, the only people charged for anything that day were anti-fascist counter-protestors.
This seems to be the doing of Summer Stephan, San Diego’s far-right District Attorney. Stephan has launched a witch hunt against “antifa” – charging 11 alleged anti-fascists with a litany of felonies while ignoring the overwhelming evidence of far worse violence being committed by the other side (who she no doubt counts as votes for her next term). Many of the defendants, facing bizarre conspiracy charges one would normally see in mafia trials, took plea deals. Some are currently serving prison sentences.
But not JW.
JW refused to bow down in fear to the overwhelming force of the state and their attempt to criminalize the self-defense of a community from hardcore bigots and extremists. He’s going to trial and he’s ready to fight and beat the charges. But his lawyer needed some help with some of the expenses involved in fighting the case. The Defence Fund was honor-bound to help out in any way we could and we look forward to JW’s press conference on the courthouse steps, after he beats the case.
Still, that left our friend facing serious prison time. Given that he his the sole source of support for his disabled mom, he took a plea deal instead and will be doing about six months in prison. He reached out to ask for help paying off his court fees and providing for his mom while he’s locked up and, of course, we said “absolutely!”
Trans people shouldn’t face public hate rallies calling for their elimination. People defending the rights of trans people to exist should wind up harmed or arrested for doing so. We all need to stand with the people putting themselves in harm’s way to defend trans rights and answer their call when they need help.
Unless you’ve been in a coma for the last two years, you may have noticed that far right extremists have shifted their apoplectic rage towards drag queens and trans people as of late. There have been hundreds of violent attacks on events featuring drag queens and events supporting trans people’s right to simply exist.
Most of us would stay home and let the event organizers, performers, and attendees fend for themselves. But not Leif. Leif put his body on the line defending people from the bigots’ physical violence, crucially intervening when the armed goons attacked people as they left the event.
Of course, the dozens of police on the scene doing nothing to protect people eventually stepped in to the altercation to make an arrest OF LEIF! Incredibly, despite the overwhelming evidence showing Leif acting in self-defense and in the defense of others, he’s the one now going on trial this month.
Defending people against murderous, bigoted thugs shouldn’t mean you end up facing prison time and thousands of dollars in legal fees. We’ve stepped in to help Leif defray those costs. You can too by contributing to Leif’s crowdfunder. You’re also always welcome to help us get emergency support to the people defending drag shows and countering transphobic hate by making a contribution to the Defence Fund.
The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund 
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