The Antifascistisk aktion (AFA) is a far-left, extra-parliamentary, anti-fascist movement in Sweden, whose stated goal is to "smash fascism in all its forms".[1] Some of its members are influenced by the theory of triple oppression, and all of its members claim to oppose sexism, racism, and classism. The point of the organization is to exchange information and to coordinate activities between local groups.

The groups' activities have included handing out flyers, organizing demonstrations, direct action, and property destruction. In line with their ideology, and as a consequence of being constantly monitored by the police, the group has no central authority. This means it has a flat organization consisting of many independent groupings, without a board or leader. AFA works with other anti-racist groups all over Europe.[2][3] The groups' origins are in the heterogeneous anti-fascist groups of the late 1930s and early 1940s, mostly made up of social democrats, communists, and progressive Christians.[4] Their ideology is libertarian socialism.[5]

History

1932 "Come to us" poster of the German Antifaschistische Aktion

The name Antifaschistische Aktion (Anti-Fascist Action) was used from the early 1930s in Germany.[6] The name was subsequently used by anti-fascist groups in several other countries.

Antifascistisk aktion (AFA) was founded in Sweden in 1993. AFA is a part of the "autonomous" (autonoma in Swedish, from autonomist Marxism) subculture, which revolves around many forms of leftist activism like antifascism, environmentalism and animal rights activism. This subculture includes people of many different ideologies, but the ideologies of the movement is always some form of radical leftism.[7] In stark contrast to the American Antifa,[8] the Swedish AFA is not open to more moderate forms of leftism, and on one occasion members of a left-wing party were spat upon by them.[9]

Approach

Their Activity Guide advocates direct action against neo-Nazis.[10] AFA members have admitted to arson by timed firebombs,[11] and have pleaded guilty to burning the Tråvad spinnery in 2005.[12] In January 2006, Swedish AFA members attacked the Norrköping immigration office and threatened officials.[13] In June 2006, AFA members broke windows of an estate of the Christian Democrats in Kalmar.[14] In October 2006, AFA members threatened to block a municipal council meeting in Gothenburg, because the Sweden Democrats had been elected to the council.[15]

In July 2007, AFA members threatened and attacked an immigration judge in Gothenburg.[16] The judge's front door was hit with an axe, and the house was vandalized with red spraypaint. Personal information about the judge and other judges was posted on the Internet.[17] On 7 March 2008, Säpo, the Swedish security police agency, reported that AFA or people using its symbols constantly threaten municipal and provincial elected council members.[18] In August 2008, AFA members spread announcements in Uppsala with the name and image of an opponent, encouraging people to attack him. For this, AFA promised to pay 500 Swedish kronor and a free "knogjärn" (knuckle duster).[19] In February 2009, AFA members attacked the National Democrats politician Vávra Suk.[20]

Criticism

An editorial in the tabloid newspaper Expressen argued that the anti-fascist label was misleading because the organization's methods such as stealing the subscriber list of the National Democrats newspaper and threatening the subscribers are counterproductive and similar to methods used by fascists.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "antifa.se - Antifascistisk Aktion Sverige". Antifa.se. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  2. ↑ "Antifascistisk Aktion – Mot sexism, fascism, kapitalism och homofobi". Antifa.se. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "Antifascistisk Aktion – Mot sexism, fascism, kapitalism och homofobi". Antifa.se. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  4. ↑ Pritchard, Gareth (2012). Niemandsland: A History of Unoccupied Germany, 1944-1945. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107013506.
  5. ↑ "Presentation – Antifascistisk Aktion". antifa.se.
  6. ↑ Balhorn, Loren (May 2017). "The Lost History of Antifa". Jacobin. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Samtalskompassen - Våldsbejakande vänsterextremism: Ideologi". Samtalskompassen.samordnarenmotextremism.se. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  8. ↑ "Unmasking the leftist Antifa movement (2017) - CNN Video". 18 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Tre gärningsmän filmade och spottade mot Vänsterpartiets första maj-tåg". 3 May 2017.
  10. ↑ "Aktivitetsguide för antifascister" [Activity guide for anti-fascists] (PDF) (in Swedish). 11 February 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  11. ↑ Nyheter, S. V. T. (1 January 2006). "Afa riktar ilska mot Migrationsverket". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "Afa tar på sig mordbrand på nazistgård". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 2005-12-28. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  13. ↑ (in Swedish) Afa riktar ilska mot Migrationsverket Archived 12 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine SVT 10 januari 2006.
  14. ↑ (in Swedish) Slåss med knogjärn Aftonbladet 13.9.2009.
  15. ↑ (in Swedish) Aktivister försökte stoppa möte med Sverigedemokrat Archived 11 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine DN 2 november 2006.
  16. ↑ "Migration judge threatened by extremists". Thelocal.se. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  17. ↑ (in Swedish) Domare som utvisat irakier attackerades Dagens Nyheter 31 July 2007
  18. ↑
  19. ↑ "Afa belönar misshandel av nazist - rapport | SVT.se" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Ruotsin TV
  20. ↑ "Afa tar på sig våld mot ND-politiker". Stockholm.expressen.se. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  21. ↑ "090215: Stoppa AFA". Expressen.se. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
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