Toronto Anti-Fascists Respond to JDL Hosting PEGIDA-UK

Fascism makes strange bedfellows. On Thursday, March 10th 2016, the fascist Jewish Defense League hosted Paul Weston of the white supremacist, anti-immigrant PEGIDA-UK and Islamophobic Danish hatemonger Lars Hedegaard at the Toronto Zionist Centre at 788 Marlee Avenue for a speaking event called “The Threat of Radical Islamic Immigration and the Erosion of our Freedoms”. As in Montreal the evening prior, a number of local anti-fascists, including members of the Revolutionary Communist Party Organizing Committee–Toronto and the Revolutionary Student Movement, gathered in order to shut down the event. While it is not entirely clear if the Toronto event was decisively shut down as it was in Montreal due to differing circumstances (the Montreal event was to be held in a restaurant until the venue cancelled the event due to pressure from our comrades there, whereas the Toronto event was taking place at the JDL’s home base), the blockade of the Toronto Zionist Centre’s driveway was successful in sufficiently disrupting the event by preventing visitors from attending, thus leaving the event’s possible attendance to JDL and PEGIDA membership already at the Toronto Zionist Centre and perhaps a handful of other attendees.

The police, as usual, were present and were working to protect the fascists, who were recording and photographing the counter demonstration. Despite the cops’ demands to clear the way, despite their shoving, and despite their attempts to intimidate us with their mounted officers—and despite the suggestion from within our ranks that we be conciliatory and relinquish our hold on the Toronto Zionist Centre driveway—we stood our ground, and together we were able to show how the JDL and even the police can be paper tigers. We congratulate our comrades in Montreal on their success in shutting down PEGIDA in their city, we thank our friends at PEGIDA Watch Canada for organizing the counter-demonstration in Toronto, and we thank our fellow anti-fascists for holding the correct line of not accommodating the police. DARE TO STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN! NO QUARTER FOR FASCISTS!

Co-signed by members of the Revolutionary Communist Party Organizing Committee–Toronto and the Revolutionary Student Movement

Stop the Imperialist War in Afghanistan!

The 15 Years of War campaign logo

PRAC is supporting the  campaign on the 15th anniversary of the imperialist war in Afghanistan. The campaign is currently looking for other organizations to get involved. What follows are the campaign’s points of unity. More information can be found at the campaign’s website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Points of Unity

What follows are the points of unity in forming a united front against the imperialist war in Afghanistan:

Condemn the imperialist occupation of Afghanistan

We condemn not only the military occupation of the US led war on the people of Afghanistan, but also the ongoing involvement of corporations and NGOs – particularly Canadian corporations, NGOs, and financial interests – that followed the military intervention and force economic dependency and underdevelopment. In this way we also recognize that the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan does not mean the end of the occupation, as it is so often proclaimed in the mainstream media, because the occupation persists, managed by capitalism, military bases, a “native” army trained by our militaries, and a puppet government installed by imperialist means.

Condemn the puppet government

We do not recognize the government that was put in place by the US and Canada as “democratic” or an expression of Afghanistan self-determination. We recognize that it is a puppet dictatorship that masquerades as “democratic” when it is in fact as reactionary as the Taliban. Indeed, the only thing that makes this puppet regime any different than the one deposed by the US-led intervention is that it is a willing servant of the occupation. The fact that former members of the Taliban are part of this government demonstrate that the war on the people of Afghanistan was never about liberation.

Condemn the Islamic State’s (ISIS) invasion of Afghanistan

Due to the chaos imposed by the war on the people of Afghanistan, and the incorporation of the Taliban and a variety of other Islamists into the Karzai government, ISIS has seen this as an opportunity to invade Afghanistan and subject it to the rule of its “Arab Caliphate.” Produced in the crucible of imperialism, ISIS is another foreign invader that seeks to occupy and oppress the people of Afghanistan and should not be recognized as a home-grown resistance to imperialist occupation.

Support the progressive revolutionary resistance of the people of Afghanistan

Rather than see the liberation of Afghanistan as a task that can be completed by an anti-imperialist movement here, we need to embrace the spirit of internationalism and draw attention to the efforts of the revolutionary, secular, and grassroots movements that are resisting imperialist invasion, occupation, and the puppet government. These forces include feminist mass organizations that are autonomous from those “feminist” groups that have been implicit with the occupation and who collaborate with the puppet government, the New Democratic and Maoist movement, and many other democratic and progressive tendencies throughout Afghanistan. Here in Canada, we commit to give voice to these revolutionary people’s movements through rallies, teach-ins and other political projects.

We invite our fellow comrades to join in this campaign.

December 13 Call to Action Against the JDL and Robert Spencer.

UPDATE: Due to concerns regarding capacity to successfully and safely mount a proper counter-demo at this time, we are regrettably cancelling this call to action. PRAC of course still condemns in the strongest possible terms the JDL, Robert Spencer, and the particularly islamophobic brand of fascism which they promote. With the current upsurge in islamophobic harassment and violence in our communities, it is obvious that more organizing is needed on this front. We would like to encourage other like-minded organizations to think about how we can come together to form a strong united front against fascism and racist violence.

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On Sunday, December 13, 2015 the militant, zionist Jewish Defense League (JDL) will be hosting author and anti-Muslim activist Robert Spencer at the Toronto Zionist Centre (788 Marlee Avenue). The event is billed as “Chanukah with David Spencer: The Threat of the Syrian ‘Refugees’ Trojan Horse” with an event poster which promotes a spurious link between Syrian refugees fleeing imperialist violence in their homelands, the fascist Islamic State in Syria (ISIS), and the recent violence in Paris, France.

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Spencer is the director of jihadwatch.com (funded by the David Horowitz Freedom Center) as well as the co-founder of various organizations American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), and Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA) which is the American version of its European counter-part. He counts amongst his allies such anti-immigrant, Islamophobic ideologues as Pamela Gellar, Anders Graves, and Greet Wilders. Spencer is the author of such racist polemics as The Truth About Muhammad, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), and The Complete Infidel’s Guide to ISIS.

The JDL, founded in 1968, is a far-right international organization which upholds a militant zionist line. The organization has a long history of violent activity that includes harassment, beatings, arson, bombings, and murder (such as the 1994 massacre of 29 Palestinian Muslims in a mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron). Spencer’s SIOA is not without a violent reputation. His compatriot and SIOA co-founder John Joseph Jay has publicly stated “that all of islam is at war with us, and that all of islam is/are [a] combatant[s].” He has also stated that “we should have destroyed islam as a force of terror,” and that “islam shall suffer retribution.” Spencer himself, characterizing his Islamophobic organizing as part of a “Crusade against Islam,” declares Muslim people to be a “threat to the peace and well-being of the Western world.”

While fascism should generally never be afforded a solitary minute of peace and comfort, in light of the recent dramatic increase in anti-Muslim attacks both within the city of Toronto and elsewhere, this particular brand of anti-Muslim, anti-immigration hate, and fear mongering requires an especially decisive response. The Proletarian Revolutionary Action Committee—Toronto and Revolutionary Student Movement are calling on all revolutionary and progressive forces to unite and together deliver a clear message to these fascists that racism and Islamophobia is not welcome in our communities.

Specific details will be forthcoming. For now we encourage likeminded organizations and individuals to save the date of the early evening December 13, 2015 and expect to meet somewhere near the Lawrence West subway station. Contact us at practoronto@gmail.com for more.

AGAINST FASCISM! AGAINST ISLAMOPHOBIA! 

PRAC participates in anti-PEGIDA rally

On the afternoon of Saturday, September 19, 2015, a racist, xenophobic group by the name of PEGIDA Canada attempted to hold an anti-Muslim, anti-refugee rally at Queen’s Park. PEGIDA is a fascist group that originated in Germany, their name stands for Patriotische Europäer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West). Their main political activity is organizing demonstrations in the imperialist centres to advance anti-Islam, white supremacist and xenophobic politics, hiding behind the liberal language of “anti-misogyny,” “anti-violence,” and “anti-hate.”

But anti-racist and anti-fascist organizations and individuals have also responded with even bigger counter-protests whenever PEGIDA attempts to organize. In Toronto, while the numbers on the PEGIDA side were about a dozen or so, a group of approximately 100 people from various anti-fascist, anti-racist, and migrant justice organizations—including members of Proletariat Revolutionary Action Committee and of the Toronto, Hamilton, and Niagara chapters of the Revolutionary Student Movement—came together and formed a united front. With a force that outnumbered the racists 10:1, the anti-PEGIDA forces set out to not only prevent their rally from taking place but to also send a message to fascists of all kinds that the people will not abide their hate.

Chants such as “Refugees in! Islamaphobes out!” and “Nazi scum off our streets!” drowned out PEGIDA’s hateful songs and speeches. At one point, a militant managed to disconnect the chord supplying power to PEGIDA’s sound system. When asked why it was important for revolutionary communists to be present at these counter-demonstrations, a PRAC member responded, “We have to make these fascists know that every time they attempt to organize, we are always ready to stop them with militant action!”

As expected, the Toronto police formed a line to protect the fascists. While feeling safe and secure behind the line of bike cops as well as some ETF officers, PEGIDA continued to taunt the counter-demonstrators, particularly the militant women of colour in the frontlines. PEGIDA managed to power their amplifiers with a generator, raising anger and impatience amongst the crowd who were screaming “Shut it down! Shut it down!” A group of militants from different anti-racist organizations locked arms and started to advance towards the police line.

Expectedly, the police were quick to use violence in their attempt to fight back and suppress the advancing wave. Using fists and feet, batons and bicycles, the police beat on those who dared to get closer to PEGIDA forces. Many activists sustained bruises from the encounter. As furious as the cops were, it was apparent that the will of the people to fight was also intensifying. As the people push forward, the line of cops was soon forced into retreat, as was PEGIDA.

While the retreat of PEGIDA on September 19th can be seen as a small victory, the fight against white supremacy, Islamophobia and racism is a longer protracted battle. “The reactionary politics of PEGIDA may be seen as extremist and only shared by a few, but we have to remember that racist ideology has continued to shape the class struggle Canada,” says an RSM-Scarborough member. “Stopping PEGIDA is just a component of our greater task in advancing the class struggle, that is ultimately led by Indigenous and people from oppressed nations.”

Toronto Launch of Boycott Campaign

Boycott the Elections! Fight for People’s Power!

On September 12th we will be part of the launch discussion of the national electoral boycott campaign.  This year will be the first year in which organizations across Canada, from the east to west coasts, will be involved in organizing around a rejection this year’s electoral farce.

“This campaign aims to mobilize and bring together all those who see themselves in this critique of the capitalist system and who aspire to more than simply changing the face of the capitalist system but a revolutionary transformation of the world in which we live. It aims to build and strengthen the organizations—the party and the genuine people’s organizations campaigning and mobilizing the masses for such a transformation—that are needed to achieve this objective. It aims to use the tools—leaflets, posters, newspapers, websites…—that will spread this criticism and these perspectives as far and wide as possible. And it requires that we manifest these aspirations as concrete actions confronting profiteers and the defenders of the system.”

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The launch meeting will be held at OISE [252 Bloor Street West] on Saturday September 12th in room 5280 at 2pm. The meeting is conceptualized not only as a discussion around the boycott but as a space to organize for the National Boycott Day of Action that will be held on Sunday, October 18th.  Those who are interested in endorsing the campaign are encouraged to attend.

Hasten the Revolution! Remember Comrade Leslie!

Leslie Feinberg, who identified as an anti-racist white, working-class, secular Jewish, transgender, lesbian, female, revolutionary communist, died on Nov. 15. She succumbed to complications from multiple tick-borne co-infections, including Lyme disease, babeisiosis and protomyxzoa rheumatica, after decades of illness.

She died at home in Syracuse, N.Y., with her partner and spouse of 22 years, Minnie Bruce Pratt, at her side. Her last words were: “Hasten the revolution! Remember me as a revolutionary communist.” From the obituary written by Minnie Bruce Pratt from the paper of the Worker’s World Party

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At this time, we’re reminded of Lenin’s words about the appropriation and distortion of revolutionaries and of their legacies after death: “During the lifetime of great revolutionaries, the oppressing classes constantly hounded them, received their theories with the most savage malice, the most furious hatred and the most unscrupulous campaigns of lies and slander. After their death, attempts are made to convert them into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the “consolation” of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it.”

On December 11th, members of the Proletarian Revolutionary Action Committee and the Proletarian Feminist Front- Toronto participated in a tribute event to the life of Leslie Feinberg.  We read the following statement to reassert the revolutionary legacy of such an important proletarian leader, as well as to begin to chart a course for building revolutionary communism and trans liberation in Canada.

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We are trans revolutionaries from the Proletarian Feminist Front Toronto. The Proletarian Feminist Front is a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist collective that believes that gender liberation is meaningless without the abolition of Capitalism. Likewise, we believe there can be no communism without liberation for women and trans people. To this end, we aim to recruit and train women and trans people as revolutionaries to take up leadership within mass organizations of the working class and within a revolutionary party.

We send you all revolutionary greetings on this occasion, and thank you all for allowing us to speak. We are here tonight because we take seriously comrade Leslie’s dying words, to remember hir as a revolutionary communist. We take this not as mere sentiment but instead as an urgent call to action. In the words of martyered labour hero Joe Hill, we are here not to mourn, we are here to organize.

We remember comrade Leslie’s commitment to the working class by building a united proletarian movement against capitalism. We aim to stand on the frontlines to protect proletarian neighbourhoods from gentrification and displacement. While boutique hotels, gay bars and fancy art gallerys may provide “safe space” for the queer ruling class, there is no safe space for us when we are ripped from our homes and thrown into the streets. As trans revolutionaries, we demand universal access to food, shelter, and trans specific healthcare. Our people by and large are very poor, and this is especially true for trans women and trans people from oppressed nationalities. Transphobia has excluded many of us from the formal job market, pushing us to the sidelines of society and into the reserve army of labour. However, we aren’t naive enough to believe that our poverty will end simply by liberal human rights legislation and employment equity schemes. For what point is there in being equal if it means that we are equally starving? It is only through the struggle for socialism that we believe we can achieve universal emancipation from the chains of exploitation and poverty.

We also remember comrade Leslie’s fierce commitment to international solidarity through hir work with the Cuban people. We aim to unite with LGBTQ people from around the world in the spirit and aims of proletarian internationalism.

We wish to unite with the New Democratic Movement of the Philippines, which has been on the front lines of queer liberation. Since 2005, the Communist Party of the Philippines and The New People’s Army has been performing same sex marriage for comrades in defiance of the reactionary Filipino state, and continues to struggle against cisgender and heterosexist chauvinism within it’s own ranks.. We want to take this opportunity to call for Justice for Jennifer Laude, a trans filipina who was murdered by a US marine, by repeating the call for a end to the US occupation of the Philipines. Occupying armies the world over exist to rape and kill proletarian and colonialized women- both transgender and cisgender. This is why we firmly believe that fighting against imperialism is key to trans liberation.

Likewise, we reject a liberal LGBTQ human rights narrative that attempts to gain support for inter imperialist rivalries. We are cannot unite with proletarian queers in Russia through reactionary patriotism that falsely posits Canada as a “safe humane liberal nation” in opposition to supposed foreign backwardsness. We reassert the Leninist ideals of revolutionary defeatism in the face of on going conflicts, and want to unite proletarians to bring the war home, turning this anger instead into struggle against our own ruling class oppressors.

Lastly, we would be remiss without also acknowledging the Canadian state as one which is settler-colonial. The genocide of indigenous people, and the crushing of two spirit cultural traditions was key to the creation of the Canadian state. We are inspired by the resurgence of two spirit cultural traditions as a powerful aspect of decolonization, however genocide against first nation’s people will continue as long as Canada exists as a capitalist, imperialist, settler-colonial state. Therefore, we stand in solidarity with all efforts for national self determination for indigenous people up to and including succession from the Canadian state. We believe that for trans proletarians and two spirit people, our interests are intertwined, and it’s only through the decimation of the Canadian bourgeois state that we can all be liberated.

We want to thank you all again for having us here tonight, we hope that many of you will choose to join us in the building of our revolutionary movement. As trans proletarians struggling in this oppressive exploitative society, we have nothing to loose but our chains. We have the world to win!

Occupation and Resistance in Afghanistan

As the occupation of Afghanistan nears its fifteenth anniversary, and the US and its allies (including Canada) continue their imperialist domination of the country, the anti-occupation resistance also continues.  Although there is a common assumption that this resistance is only Islamist, the fact is that there is a long and vital tradition of communist resistance in Afghanistan that is a minor trend only insofar as it has been ignored by the mainstream media.  Rather than focus only on the occupation, it is worthwhile learning about the secular resistance to this occupation by forces that the left in Canada should support. On Saturday November 22nd, in support of the communist day of martyrs in Afghanistan, Toronto’s Proletarian Revolutionary Action Committee will be hosting a supporter of the Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan who will be speaking about occupation and resistance in Afghanistan, challenging eurocentric conceptions that this nation’s population have either been invested in Islamism or passive victims of imperialist aggression.
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