Antifa Then and Now: Post-WW2 Antifascism

Resistance to fascism is about as old as fascism itself, yet it is only recently that the word "antifa" has entered the popular lexicon. Those who are currently being labeled as "antifa" are really very far from the origins of antifascism. What is now being called antifa by news and media outlets is just another form of liberalism, and has nothing to do with the historical trajectory of antifascism. This second piece will examine movements against fascism after the fall of the well known fascist regimes of WW2.

Post-WW2 Antifascism

While one would think that the decline of the main fascist regimes in Germany and Italy would have begun a decline, or even the death knells, of fascism...in the decades following WW2, neo-fascist political groups began to pop up all over the world. From Indonesia, to Eastern Europe, to even Britain, fascist groups emerged across the globe. Opposition to these groups was usually minimal on the state's part, as most states were more concerned with fighting communism than preventing the spread of fascism.

In the 1960s, skinhead culture began to develop, and was initially a non-racial, anti-authoritarian, subculture that sought to unite working class people. By the 1980s, though, these scenes began experiencing inner conflict, and the current conception of skinheads as Neo-Nazis and fascists began to become more the norm than the exception.

In response to the growing fascist subculture, US groups like RASH and ARA formed in the late 80s and early 90s. Other parts of the world saw a reestablishment of antifa presences, too. In 1979, fascists shot and killed five people at a protest, for which no one was ever convicted. Years later, in 2014, one of the self-admitted participants in this shooting would go on to kill three more people. Throughout the 80s and 90s, fascists would continue to commit racial violence, and antifa would be there to oppose them.

The 80s and 90s saw a distinct formation of two camps, and antifa groups began to form wherever there were strong fascist presences. These groups had much more in common with the initial antifascist movements, in that they often fought Nazis in the streets, yet often found themselves on the stage of politics and protest. The goal of these groups was often to "no-platform" fascists in public, by shutting down events...but their approach was two-pronged.

Antifa in the 80s and 90s would often track fascists to their homes, and dispense violence outside of the political arena. As a response to violence committed by fascists, antifa sought to make fascists afraid to even leave their homes, to relative levels of success. Throughout the 80s and 90s, and even into the early 2000s, areas with strong antifascist presences were able to prevent fascists from establishing footholds. The interactions between fascists and antifa in this period was maybe best described as "low-level war" than any sort of politics.

Despite the fact that antifa and fascists currently show up to events with arms and shields, this aspect of "low-level war" has faded in current times. With the rise of the alt-right, fascism and its related ideologies have become more blatant, and are no longer afraid to show their faces. The conflict between antifa and fascists has largely moved to the internet and staged protests, however fascist violence against people has increased in recent years unchecked. In the next piece, we will get to the fun part, and talk about current antifa!