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Dec 11, 20

Antifascist Resistance Heats Up Against ‘Stop the Steal’ Rallies & Faces New Challenges

“They’re taking over the boardrooms
And they’re fat and full of pride
And they all came out of the woodwork
On the day the Nazi died”

Chumbawamba, Day the Nazi Died

cover image: Unicorn Riot

Last weekend, major antifascist mobilizations took place across the so-called United States, the first to be called in the post-election period and in the face of an activated, angry, and energized far-Right. While the Trump administration’s attempts to legally contest the election has so far resulted in failure, Trump has continued to rally his base around the conspiracy theory that the election was stolen while insinuating that he will launch a run for the White House in 2024. In response, a coalition including MAGA supporters, white nationalists, militia members, and Proud Boys have organized ongoing rallies outside of state capitols, governor mansions, and beyond.

In several instances, far-Right rallies in support of Trump over the past several weeks have ended in violence. In Washington DC after the Millions MAGA March in mid-November, hundreds of drunken Proud Boys attacked Black Lives Matter and antifascist counter-protesters in Black Lives Matter Plaza, stabbing several people and beating many more before then ripping down and destroying BLM signs. In Sacramento, California over the past few weeks, hundreds of Trump supporters have rallied every Saturday along with members of the Proud Boys and other far-Right gangs, taking to the streets to engage in violence against counter-protesters and members of the public in the street as police have largely stood by. In Salem, Oregon, anger has also grown as police have facilitated continuous protests and rallies by violent far-Right groups. Last weekend in Olympia, Washington, this dynamic came to a head, as a far-Right Trump supporter opened fire on counter-protesters, injuring one person.

This coddling and facilitation of violent far-Right groups flies in the face of months of outright brutal counter-insurgency, attacks by militarized police and the National Guard, and more importantly, a flood of heavy charges against protesters. What the wave of far-Right rallies has shown once again, is that when the far-Right riots, attacks people in the street, destroys property, shoots people dead or runs them over with cars – the police do not deploy tear-gas, send in the military, and set people up on trumped up charges. The reason for this is simple: the State is using the far-Right as an auxiliary force of extra-legal counter-insurgency.

But as the ‘Stop the Steal’ rallies continue past the date in which electors will ratify their votes for Joe Biden, it becomes more likely that the far-Right demonstrations will evolve into rallies against masking and COVID-19 lockdowns, as they have already done in cities like Salem, Oregon. For both the MAGA crowd and the far-Right, this will allow them to continue to remain relevant; while also presenting an affront to autonomous anti-capitalists, as the far-Right will appear to challenge “the State” in their opposition to lockdown measures. At a time when many are hurting from lack of work and wages, this position will seem enticing. In reality, both the neoliberal Center and the far-Right is in agreement on who should pay for the current crisis: the poor and working-class who is being pushed back to work and school; told to sacrifice their lives upon the alter of the economy – the only difference is that the liberals would prefer if we did it from home.

In the face of this, antifascists face an uphill battle: on one side is a highly militarized police force, already activated and flush with resources in the wake of the rebellion and on the other, an activated far-Right, furious over losing the election. Moreover, many liberals and progressives have largely checked out; content to allow Biden to take the reigns of power and return the country “to normal.” In moving forward, antifascists must continue to build growing coalitions and over all, regional capacity, networks of information sharing and trust, and the ability to support continued struggle. This building must also be coupled with continued outreach and political education to our broader communities about why a post-Trump world doesn’t signal the end of the fascist threat. Lastly, as anarchists and autonomists we can’t solely and only dedicate ourselves to countering the far-Right; losing sight of building our larger movement and its infrastructure. Doing so in this critical time would mean losing all of the gains we have made since 2016.

As many have pointed out, the Biden administration will be more concerned about throwing a wet blanket on continuing class struggle and social conflict than the threat of real life far-Right violence. If Trump does in fact run in 2024 and continues to hold rallies alongside a growing autonomous far-Right street movement feeding off growing anger over the pandemic, with or without support from the GOP, we can expect to see continued far-Right activity and organizing. In short, if we fail to materialize both a powerful grassroots antifascist resistance and a revolutionary anti-capitalist force that engages poor and working people in a real way, then we risk ceding ground to an insurgent fascist force, both on the streets and within society at large.

With all that in mind, here’s our roundup of recent antifascist actions.

Olympia, WA

Sacramento, CA

St. Paul, MN

New York City, NY

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In search of new forms of life. It's Going Down is a digital community center and media platform featuring news, opinion, podcasts, and reporting on autonomous social movements and revolt across so-called North America from an anarchist perspective.

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