Anti-fascism

Visitors to St Paul public libraries in recent weeks may have found an atmosphere quite different from the usual quiet and calm among the bookshelves. On two separate occasions since September, our libraries have played host to competing rallies - on the one hand, members of a hate mob gathered to oppose queer cultural events, particularly Drag Queen Story Hour. On the other hand, antifascists and other community members there to defend queer people and freedom of expression.

Although the far right street presence in the Twin Cities has been beaten back multiple times in the last five years, it is undergoing a resurgence - and its target is the queer community, through a manufactured outrage around drag events.

cw: mentions of CSA, transphobic & racist violence, anti-trans and antisemitic conspiracy theories

A joyous Saturday morning of story telling by beloved local drag performers for children and families was in danger of being disrupted by a group of Hold the Line MN and Proud Boys. A coalition of counterprotesters ensured the event proceeded as planned, thwarted the Proud Boys in inciting violence, shielded families and children from pornographic images displayed by Hold the Line MN and the Proud Boys, and made sure all attendees were able to leave safely.

cw: virulent transphobia, queerphobia, transphobic rhetoric

I'm seeing some commentary about militant actions that warns that the Nazis rose to power by citing the burning of the Reichstag, or even set the Reichstag on fire themselves- and so violence at protests is either being done by or unwillingly playing into the hands of fascists.

This is, frankly, horseshit.

The Nazi Party was already in power when the Reichstag Fire happened, and the biggest block in their rise to power had always been the militant antifascists- a fact which the Nazis themselves recognized, with Hitler admitting that if antifascists had smashed their movement from the beginning, it would have been the only way to stop them.