Racism and Fascism - new material (19)
01 July 2011
Breivik, the conspiracy theory and the Oslo massacre, Liz Fekete. European Race Audit Briefing Paper 5 (September) 2011, pp. 25. This analysis provides context and analysis to the Oslo massacre carried out by the far-right extremist, Anders Behring Breivik, which claimed the lives of 77 people in two attacks in Oslo and Utøya in July. Breivik argued, in his 1,500 page manifesto 2083: A European Declaration of Independence, that by taking out the next generation of Labour Party leaders he would prevent the disintegration of Nordic culture by the mass immigration of Muslims, and kick start a revolution to counter the destruction of western civilisation. This paper deconstructs Muslim conspiracy theories peddled by the extreme-right, counter-jihadists and neo-nazi circles, drawing comparison with Jewish conspiracy theories. In addition to an examination of the sources that influenced Breivik the report contains appendices on “Responses to the Oslo massacre” and documentation of anti-Muslim provocation across Europe in 2010 and 2011: http://www.irr.org.uk/pdf2/ERA_BriefingPaper5.pdf
Far-right Murder Rampage in Norway, Tore Vik and ‘Cultural Conservative’ Terror in Norway: the background, Anne Jenson. Searchlight No. 434 (August) 2011, pp. 8-11. These articles provide background to the attacks on 22 July in Oslo Utøya carried out by 32-year old Norwegian Nazi, Anders Behring Breivik. The massacre, the most recent in a series of far-right criminal acts in Norway since the bombing of a left-wing bookshop in 1977, killed 77 people, some as young as 14 years of age. Beivik, who was formerly a member of anti-immigrant Progress Party (he left in 2007), had links to the Swedish Nazi website Nordisk and the Norwegian Defence League and was in contact with the nationalistic English Defence League. He was also influenced by Christian fundamentalist, Islamaphobic and conservative thinking.
The New Geographies of Racism: Plymouth, Jon Burnett. Institute of Race Relations 2011. This briefing is the first of three investigations into three areas experiencing high levels of racist attacks. Hate crimes in Plymouth reported to police rose by 60% between 2004/5 and 2009/10. The overall research examines the pattern of migration and settlement and the changing geographical pattern of racial violence. It places incidents of racial violence in context of the role of state policies and action which sets a climate for popular racism and a context within which racist attacks take place, highlighting popular forms of racism such as anti-Muslim racism resulting from “the war on terror” and more local expressions of racism resulting in abuse, and brutality. This climate of racism has meant the far right is able to draw on, and make the most of these growing hostilities. The briefing draws on in depth interviews of a cross section of those working on anti-racism and race equality in Plymouth and victims of racial violence. It sets the background of racial violence in relation to recent demographic changes; economic developments; patterns of employment; poverty and deprivation and the historic context of racism and anti-racism. This research aims to contribute to the debate and tactics to respond to new and emerging localities of racism. Available as a free download at: http://www.irr.org.uk/pdf2/New_geographies_racism_Plymouth.pdf
BNP Bear Fight, Dave Williams. Searchlight No. 434 (August) 2011, pp. 18-19. Update on the result of the British National Party’s leadership election contested by current leader Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons, both party MEPs. There was little to choose between the two men, both having a long history of involvement in fascist politics (both are former chairs of the National Front.) Griffin eventually scraped home by nine votes (with 11 spoilt papers and 37 invalid), promising further disruption in the future.
Number of violent neo-Nazis on the rise in Germany. Deutsche Welle 18.4.11. A short article noting the decline in popularity of the nationalist political party the NPD, and the rise in support for the Autonomous Nationalists, one of the neo-Nazi groups who have adapted antifascist imagery and tactics to their own ideals. According to Germany’s internal security service, during 2010 the number of ‘violent neo-Nazis’ grew by 600, to 5,600 people.