Prevent Tomorrows Pogroms Today

Protecting Refugees, rather than Understanding Racists

The racist attacks in Heidenau on the 21st and 22nd of August mark another dramatic climax in the current wave of racist hate speech, violence and arson attacks going through Germany. Enough is enough!

We want to channel our impotent anger into political action: Violence against people who are on the run from war and violence is no solely an East German phenomenon. The states of Lower Saxony, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg also had refugee housings bursting into flames or getting flooded. However, the progrom-like attacks in Heidenau mark a new level of violence as hundreds of racists and organized Nazis besieged and attacked a refugee shelter for hours. The wind that PEGIDA has sown has finally turned into a full-blown storm of hate and brutality.

The insufferably silent complicity of parts of the German public is only surpassed by the level of ignorance shown by the Saxonian government. After the Nazi attacks of the refugee housing in Freital and of the refugee tents in Dresden, no one within government or the higher ranks of the police could credibly claim to have been surprised two days in a row by the events unfolding in Heidenau. Rather, the ignorance and wholly ineffectual response of police and government represent a blatant administrative failure: By playing down racism as "criticism of asylum policies" and by reacting sympathetic and appeasing towards the increasingly aggressive PEGIDA-movement, Nazis all but had to feel encouraged to attack refugee housings. In stark contrast to the timid police response in the days before, however, 250 antifascists were faced with brutal police force on the 23rd of August.

By protesting against corralling refugees under catastrophic conditions, we stand for a world without fear, with humane living conditions and a right to stay for all. Even now, thousands of people are stepping in, supporting refugees in a myriad different ways, providing the assistance the administration is withholding in a calculated effort to discourage further potential refugees from seeking asylum in Germany and Europe. For those of us who do not agree with the way political policies are currently enacted on the backs of refugees, it is time to stand up. It is time to take a stand against Nazi violence and racist hatespeech. Dresden is the political centre for this dispute. It is on us to make that difference.

Thus our call: Come to Heidenau and Dresden this Friday and Saturday!

What exactly is supposed to happen?

Following the initiative of organisations and activists from all over Germany and with their massive support, we want to achieve two goals: Demonstrating a culture of welcomeing towards the refugees and show that another way is possible – even in Heidenau. That’s why we want to meet on Friday at 3pm in Heidenau, at the former Praktiker hardware store. We are planning a welcoming festival with live music, BBQ and a bazaar of donations. Here we are counting on your support as well: Whoever can bring food or donations (such as clothes etc.) is contributing to the overall success of the evening. May this also serve as a token of appreciation and motivation for those who get involved in helping the refugees – even in Heidenau and despite a climate of hostility and threats of violence!

On Saturday we will voice our criticism on how the current refugee situation is managed in Saxony. Both the immediate housing and emergency housing situation display the failures of the state government, their utter incompetence in dealing with right-wing violence as well as their conscious neglect or at least carelessness with regards to the rising Nazi networks in Saxony over the past 25 years. But also our criticism of the Saxon police, which – yet again – just watched the right-wing hordes in Heidenau, yet deliberately sought confrontations with left-wing demonstrators, needs to be heard. We will voice these criticisms where they need to be heard: With the responsible administration officials in Dresden.

This is why there will be a mass rally on Satuday, August 29th, starting 2pm at Dresden Main Station (Hbf) with intermediate stops at the police headquarter and in sight of the Saxon State Government, ending at the train station Dresden-Neustadt. For those of you joining us from further away an ideal demonstration route!

Now it is up to you: We will do our best to prepare both events as well as possible. But ultimately it is your presence in the streets that will be needed to make both events as big as possible and to generate the largest impact possible. We want to show the people in Heidenau and Dresden that it is worth it to stand up, that they are not alone in facing up to Nazis. But we also want to emphasize that the much-demanded “Uprising of the Decent” won’t occur if the decent people don’t, in fact, rise up. We may be able to spark a movement there.

Let us show yet again that racism and Nazi-ideology is opposed decisively – also in Saxony, also in Dresden! Saxony is no safe haven for Nazi structures and attacks on refugees will be decisively opposed now and in the future! The government will be held to account for their failures! Let us show that there are many of us who say: Refugees welcome!

Ultimately, in accordance with out long-standing motto, that Nazis and racists need to understand that ¡No pasarán! applies in Saxony as well!"