Chemnitz nazi riots – urgent appeal from German anti-fascists

Dear friends,

In the past few hours, a nazi mob of more than 5,000 people marched through the town of Chemnitz in Saxony.

Many were masked and prepared for violence, chanting “National Socialism now!”, “Free, social and national!” and “Germany for Germans – foreigners out!”.

It was the second evening that the nazis have gathered following a brawl at the localtown festival, leaving one person dead after a knife attack and two others severely injured.

It is still not clear what the reasons for the confrontation were, as the dead person was NO nazi. Nazis, however, are claiming that this was an act of foreigner criminality – as they put it – and are “commemorating” the dead.

Tonight, many thousand anti-fascists and democrats stood bravely against the nazis but everybody who is a potential victim of the nazis is in real danger in Chemnitz in these hours and the coming days.

The police forces deployed were small and would not have been able to protect anyone, if they even wanted. Journalists have been threatened with murder, Hitler salutes were shown and people were masked: all forbidden under German law.

Right now, at 21:45 German time, the nazi march has ended and the situation is becoming even more tense because small groups of nazis are patrolling the streets.

I appeal to you all as media people and anti-fascist colleagues to see what is going on in Chemnitz and to report on it. There are a lot of decent activists and media people in Saxony. Get into contact with them and ask them about their situation.

Every report from abroad is helpful. Anti-fascist struggle in Saxony needs your intervention and support right now. Ask questions to the police of Saxony, ask the government of Saxony what it will do about these racist outrages and how it will stop the threats to foreigners and refugees.

German politics is very aware of the damage international media coverage can do and tries to turn their voices down.

Don’t let international solidarity be silent. Send your messages of solidarity to us.

Thanks in advance for your support

Best wishes,

Ulli Jentsch [Anti-fascist Press Archive, Berlin]

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