Because of this we claim the streets in Dresden on October 19th.

Created: Wednesday, 30 September 2015 18:18

+++ One year of Pegida will meet resistance + strategy conference still this year + How will Dresden react to Pegida? +++

Last Sunday, the alliance „Nazifrei! Dresden stellt sich quer“ (Dresden Nazifrei) used one of its alliance plenums to debate its future strategy against the recently growing numbers of Pegida demonstrators. The previous position on Pegida was critically examined and key points of a new approach in how to protest against Pegida were developed. As is customary, this happened in accordance with the principle of unanimous vote of the structures and individuals present.

Speaker of the alliance, Silvio Lang, explains: “The renewed growth of Pegidas numbers as well as the prospect of Pegida bothering Dresden for going on a year now caused us to reevaluate our previous alliance position. In April, following a period of inner radicalization, which went hand-in-hand with a decrease in numbers of their weekly rallies, Pegida was clearly on the descent. It was our aim not to interfere with this development (which even the visit of the Dutch right-wing populist and racist Geert Wilders could not stop) by providing Pegida with attention it otherwise wouldn’t have been able to generate. For some time, this strategy worked quite well: All through the summer, virtually no one took notice of Pegidas “strolls”, which took place first weekly, then biweekly, later moving from city to city. Since some time, however, the refugee crisis and the ever growing problems of adequately housing asylum seekers provided Pegida with growing numbers again. A development, which is ultimately attributable to the calculate failure of the saxonian government.

The alliance has decided to take part in a protest on the occasion of one year of Pegida-demonstrations. Any support from stakeholders from within Dresden or farther away are welcome to participate. Against Pegida, a broad consensus of protest by civil society is necessary.

“At the same time,” Lang continued, “radically new ideas are required. We need to come to terms with the fact that we managed to mobilize similar numbers as Pegida only on a few occasions during the entire Winter of 2014 – in stark contrast to the rest of Germany. This is why we will use the last months of 2015 to conduct a strategy conference in order to develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy of the entirety of the dedicated Dresdner civil society against Pegida and the associated phenomena of xenophobic attacks. To that end, we will approach other stakeholders in advance to jointly conduct the conference.”

In closing, the speaker of the alliance noted: “After a year of racist demonstrations on the streets of this city, the time has come for Dresden and its residents to show their true colors: Do they want to continue to project an image of a city that is open to right-winger and in which convicted criminals and racists can do whatever they want? Or do the hitherto silent masses rise and dedicate themselves to a society marked by a spirit of welcome and a clear rejection of racist propaganda? In short: Will Dresden continue to stand primarily for Pegida and attacks on asylum seekers? We will pose this question – and Dresden will have to answer.”

Created: Thursday, 02 April 2015 10:42

#NOPEGIDA – Stand against Europe's far-right

Since November 2014, PEGIDA has been dominating the media discourse in and about Dresden. A crude assemblage of Neo-Nazis, hooligans, enraged conservatives and the self-appointed “mainstream of society” have discovered Dresden as their new marching ground. As we pointed out back then, what unites organizers, participants and sympathizers is a frightening mix of ideologies: behind the alleged peacefulness and the phony indignation about a supposed culture of excessive political correctness, racism, nationalism, chauvinism, islamophobia and at times openly neo-nazistic ideas rear their head. All of this is accompanied by regular eruptions of violence during demonstrations, death- and other violent threats, and hateful rants in the comment sections of online and social media.

Yet despite the dangers PEGIDA is posing, the movement's failure to gain momentum outside of Dresden shows that those who are shouting “We are the people!” are primarily a problem of Saxony, if not specifically of Dresden – a problem which can only be solved by a determined and concerted effort of all local anti-racist factions.

Apparently PEGIDA is concerned about its continued decline in relevance. In an attempt to foster more (inter-)national attention, the movement has invited Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch PVV, to speak at their rally on April 13th. An established “hater of Islam”, Wilders has gained notoriety far beyond the Netherlands for considering Islam to be a “fascist” and “sick” ideology. If it were up to him, the Quran would be banned altogether. It is not surprising that the islamo-racist Wilders and the islamo-racist followers of PEGIDA seem to get along quite well.

This, however, affords PEGIDA a significance that far exceeds Dresden and Saxony. Wilders is just the beginning. If his visit were to become an unopposed success, PEGIDA’s Lutz Bachmann would soon welcome other representatives of the European shift towards the far-right: be it Heinz-Christian Strache from Austria, Nigel Farage from the UK or France’s Marine LePen – the coordination of the growing right-wing forces in Europe is well under way. New about this is not the ideological mix of racism, chauvinism, homophobia and assorted bits of conservative and nationalistic folklore, but its success and the level of acceptance it has gained under the guise of Euroscepticism and the alleged defense of democracy and European values.

Hence, April 13th is not just about Dresden and the protest against PEGIDA! Rather, we are facing a scenario that we and many alongside us have successfully combated for years: Dresden as the location of a European right-wing mass rally, as the focal point of a movement that far exceeds the impact and danger of the thuggish Nazis of the commemoration marches.

That is why we call on everyone in Dresden, Saxony, Germany and Europe, to come to Dresden on April 13th. Let us foil the plan of the Bachmanns, Wilders' and company. Together we will confront racism and stand against the growing strength of the European New Right. We call on all activists of the anti-racist spectrum to contribute, either with activities of their own or by supporting our efforts.

Together we have denied Dresden to the Nazis – with your help we’ll stop PEGIDA as well!

We are Dresden Nazifrei!

No pasaran! #NoPegida!

Created: Thursday, 27 August 2015 14:08

Prevent Tomorrows Pogroms Today

Protecting Refugees, rather than Understanding Racists

The racist attacks in Heidenau on the 21st and 22nd of August mark another dramatic climax in the current wave of racist hate speech, violence and arson attacks going through Germany. Enough is enough!

We want to channel our impotent anger into political action: Violence against people who are on the run from war and violence is no solely an East German phenomenon. The states of Lower Saxony, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg also had refugee housings bursting into flames or getting flooded. However, the progrom-like attacks in Heidenau mark a new level of violence as hundreds of racists and organized Nazis besieged and attacked a refugee shelter for hours. The wind that PEGIDA has sown has finally turned into a full-blown storm of hate and brutality.

The insufferably silent complicity of parts of the German public is only surpassed by the level of ignorance shown by the Saxonian government. After the Nazi attacks of the refugee housing in Freital and of the refugee tents in Dresden, no one within government or the higher ranks of the police could credibly claim to have been surprised two days in a row by the events unfolding in Heidenau. Rather, the ignorance and wholly ineffectual response of police and government represent a blatant administrative failure: By playing down racism as "criticism of asylum policies" and by reacting sympathetic and appeasing towards the increasingly aggressive PEGIDA-movement, Nazis all but had to feel encouraged to attack refugee housings. In stark contrast to the timid police response in the days before, however, 250 antifascists were faced with brutal police force on the 23rd of August.

By protesting against corralling refugees under catastrophic conditions, we stand for a world without fear, with humane living conditions and a right to stay for all. Even now, thousands of people are stepping in, supporting refugees in a myriad different ways, providing the assistance the administration is withholding in a calculated effort to discourage further potential refugees from seeking asylum in Germany and Europe. For those of us who do not agree with the way political policies are currently enacted on the backs of refugees, it is time to stand up. It is time to take a stand against Nazi violence and racist hatespeech. Dresden is the political centre for this dispute. It is on us to make that difference.

Thus our call: Come to Heidenau and Dresden this Friday and Saturday!

What exactly is supposed to happen?

Following the initiative of organisations and activists from all over Germany and with their massive support, we want to achieve two goals: Demonstrating a culture of welcomeing towards the refugees and show that another way is possible – even in Heidenau. That’s why we want to meet on Friday at 3pm in Heidenau, at the former Praktiker hardware store. We are planning a welcoming festival with live music, BBQ and a bazaar of donations. Here we are counting on your support as well: Whoever can bring food or donations (such as clothes etc.) is contributing to the overall success of the evening. May this also serve as a token of appreciation and motivation for those who get involved in helping the refugees – even in Heidenau and despite a climate of hostility and threats of violence!

On Saturday we will voice our criticism on how the current refugee situation is managed in Saxony. Both the immediate housing and emergency housing situation display the failures of the state government, their utter incompetence in dealing with right-wing violence as well as their conscious neglect or at least carelessness with regards to the rising Nazi networks in Saxony over the past 25 years. But also our criticism of the Saxon police, which – yet again – just watched the right-wing hordes in Heidenau, yet deliberately sought confrontations with left-wing demonstrators, needs to be heard. We will voice these criticisms where they need to be heard: With the responsible administration officials in Dresden.

This is why there will be a mass rally on Satuday, August 29th, starting 2pm at Dresden Main Station (Hbf) with intermediate stops at the police headquarter and in sight of the Saxon State Government, ending at the train station Dresden-Neustadt. For those of you joining us from further away an ideal demonstration route!

Now it is up to you: We will do our best to prepare both events as well as possible. But ultimately it is your presence in the streets that will be needed to make both events as big as possible and to generate the largest impact possible. We want to show the people in Heidenau and Dresden that it is worth it to stand up, that they are not alone in facing up to Nazis. But we also want to emphasize that the much-demanded “Uprising of the Decent” won’t occur if the decent people don’t, in fact, rise up. We may be able to spark a movement there.

Let us show yet again that racism and Nazi-ideology is opposed decisively – also in Saxony, also in Dresden! Saxony is no safe haven for Nazi structures and attacks on refugees will be decisively opposed now and in the future! The government will be held to account for their failures! Let us show that there are many of us who say: Refugees welcome!

Ultimately, in accordance with out long-standing motto, that Nazis and racists need to understand that ¡No pasarán! applies in Saxony as well!"

Created: Tuesday, 10 March 2015 23:13

Dokumentation von Polizeiverhalten