FCK NZS: How noble protestors "against the right" assembled yesterday evening at the Dresden Altmarkt to shout about Alternative für Deutschland and finally defeat the Nazis
FCK NZS: How noble protestors "against the right" assembled yesterday evening at the Dresden Altmarkt to shout about Alternative für Deutschland and finally defeat the Nazis
This reminds me of a personal story. I might have shared it before, if so, apologies for repeating myself.
I lived in Berkeley, California in 2017. You might remember Berkeley as the epicenter of competing pro- and anti-trump protests.
My girlfriend at the time was, essentially, a right wing 4chan shut-in, and was excited to go to this "Patriot Rally" or whatever they called it. I freaked out, knowing that these kinds of events can end in violence or in arrests, and eventually agreed to go with her as a chaperone.
We arrived a few hours late. Early in the morning, the city officials had fenced off the park that the right wing rally planned to use, and declared it a "no weapons zone". They confiscated anything that could possibly be used as a weapon: sticks, shields, signs, etc. They funneled everyone through one entrance through the fence. Shortly after the protest began, a mob of antifa rushed the fences, and started beating the shit out of the rally-goers. Hundreds of cops, in full gear, rifles and all, just sat by and watched.
We arrived after this chaos has moved. The actual park where the rally was was pretty chill. A bunch of conservatives and libertarians just kind of hanging out. But in the street, a block away, there was a melee. Maybe 100, 200 people on each side. The line was tense, occasionally breaking out into fists. What shocked me was the antifa around the sides. There were people standing on the second story of the nearby buildings, throwing rocks and bricks into the right wing crowd. There were also antifa throwing M80 fireworks, which the military uses to simulate artillery sounds, into the crowd to provoke panic. This is where the infamous 'bike lock assault' happened, where an antifa guy ran up to a right wing protestor out of nowhere and threw a bike lock at his head, almost killing him. I didn't witness the assault, but I witnessed a 4-man swat team suddenly rush into the crowd, pull out the victim, and bring him to the medic tent. The blood spraying from his forehead is etched into my memory forever
(Fun fact: ALL CHARGES WERE DROPPED against the assailant, who was an ethics professor at a nearby college).
The whole situation seemed so artificial to me. There was a violent riot going on, but if you didn't want to be victim to the violence you could just stand at the side and watch. It was like a weird mutual combat.
We hung out for a while before getting increasingly worried about our safety and leaving. But I loaded up some livestreams on Twitter after we left. The melee moved from the street beside MLK park to downtown, two blocks away, with the Antifa people generally winning the fight (which now that I think about it makes no sense because moving to downtown meant that the antifa side was falling back, but that is what I remember).
Then, something glorious happened. Some dumbass on the Antifa side threw a bunch of smoke grenades into the Trump side but didn't check the wind first. The smoke blew back on the Antifa, disorienting them. The right wing crowd took the opportunity and rushed them. There's a very iconic photo of Nathan Damigo, someone apparently affiliated with Identity Evropa, punching some dreadlocked antifa chick the face. After this happened, the antifa melted away and then the riot ended.
Overall I expected it to go more or less like that but I was still shocked. I was shocked at how performative things felt. I was shocked at how the violence seemed 'opt-in'. I was shocked at how hundreds of cops were standing around just watching this happen, not intervening. I even spoke to some of them and asked them why they weren't. I don't remember what they said but the gist of it was that they were even more pissed about it than I was, but they weren't allowed to.
This was the second performative lefty violence event I attended, the first being riots over the Ferguson verdict in December 2014. But I was still shocked. I was even shocked by the media coverage. They did the standard "peaceful protest" lie. There was absolutely no mention of the guy who almost got murdered by a blow to the head. But the chick who got punched in the face went on national news and did the rounds on the media, and the next day, everyone I knew who wasn't personally in attendance at this event summed it up as "oh that's where the neonazi beat an innocent woman half to death".
Is Antifa authentic anywhere? They always appear to be the terrorist arm of the leftmost political party, much like the KKK was for the Democrat party in the US. They're clearly following orders to serve specific political masters.
The thing that is both humorous and sad about what you describe is the way these chickenhawks rail against imaginary Nazis and threaten to inflict all manner of harm on them. Why, if they could collect all the Nazis in Dresden, they might just invite the Americans and British to bomb it again. Quite a brave and bellicose bunch they are. No quarter to the faux Nazis.
But I wonder, if we were to somehow magically transport a regiment or two of actual Sturmabteilung from 1932 into the Altmarkt in 2024, just how would our brave Antifa lads hold up against them? My guess is not well. These nitwits are able to run around screaming about killing Nazis precisely because there aren't any actual Nazis about to take them up on the challenge.
Large segments of our younger generations are living in a dream world, where they slay dragons and rescue fair trans damsels in drag. I'm not sure how you break through that other than fetching them a stiff clout in the head. Would it that there were some Nazis about to do that for us.
I'm glad you clapped when that other dude clapped (followed by the uni girl) to clap away fascism LOL. In all seriousness thank you for doing this. very good commentary.
Eugyppius infiltrates behind enemy lines! Insightful observation about the demand versus limited supply of Nazis, but I have to ask, do you secretly eat falafel?
Excellent, incisive commentary PLUS field work! Thanks for this, 'gyp. Looks like bought-and-paid for protests (I think the kids today call it "astroturfed") seem to consistently attract (a) those out to make a few euros for their time; and (b) assorted crazies with their own pet agendas. Hence, a FAIL of the sort chronicled above. Do those pulling the strings actually think they are moving the needle of public opinion in the desired direction?
"Never have Nazis been in such great demand and such short supply."
Here in the US, we have the same shortage of KKK Members, John Birchers and their ilk that the left claims are the "Biggest threat to Our Democracy™", although I think their actual membership approaches 17 whole individuals nation-wide.
Without manufactured crises, where would the left be?
This sounds very much like the Christian revival tents we have in the southern US. Complete with slogan chanting, exhortations to expel the devil, manufactured drama, and everyone gathered around some barely charismatic speaker, addicted to feeling like they're part of something.
It’s always’ the current thing’ to be outraged in support of, or against. The outrage is the key element in their thinking. They might call it passion. I call it being used by the government and or the media to promote or protest ‘the current thing’. Believe me, in 70 years I have seen it over and over again.
Turn that passion toward helping those affected by the current thing, or raise money for relief. Pick up a gun and fight alongside your comrades against ‘the enemy’. You get what I am saying by now. Virtue signaling comes at no cost and very little effort.
This reminds me of a personal story. I might have shared it before, if so, apologies for repeating myself.
I lived in Berkeley, California in 2017. You might remember Berkeley as the epicenter of competing pro- and anti-trump protests.
My girlfriend at the time was, essentially, a right wing 4chan shut-in, and was excited to go to this "Patriot Rally" or whatever they called it. I freaked out, knowing that these kinds of events can end in violence or in arrests, and eventually agreed to go with her as a chaperone.
We arrived a few hours late. Early in the morning, the city officials had fenced off the park that the right wing rally planned to use, and declared it a "no weapons zone". They confiscated anything that could possibly be used as a weapon: sticks, shields, signs, etc. They funneled everyone through one entrance through the fence. Shortly after the protest began, a mob of antifa rushed the fences, and started beating the shit out of the rally-goers. Hundreds of cops, in full gear, rifles and all, just sat by and watched.
We arrived after this chaos has moved. The actual park where the rally was was pretty chill. A bunch of conservatives and libertarians just kind of hanging out. But in the street, a block away, there was a melee. Maybe 100, 200 people on each side. The line was tense, occasionally breaking out into fists. What shocked me was the antifa around the sides. There were people standing on the second story of the nearby buildings, throwing rocks and bricks into the right wing crowd. There were also antifa throwing M80 fireworks, which the military uses to simulate artillery sounds, into the crowd to provoke panic. This is where the infamous 'bike lock assault' happened, where an antifa guy ran up to a right wing protestor out of nowhere and threw a bike lock at his head, almost killing him. I didn't witness the assault, but I witnessed a 4-man swat team suddenly rush into the crowd, pull out the victim, and bring him to the medic tent. The blood spraying from his forehead is etched into my memory forever
(Fun fact: ALL CHARGES WERE DROPPED against the assailant, who was an ethics professor at a nearby college).
The whole situation seemed so artificial to me. There was a violent riot going on, but if you didn't want to be victim to the violence you could just stand at the side and watch. It was like a weird mutual combat.
We hung out for a while before getting increasingly worried about our safety and leaving. But I loaded up some livestreams on Twitter after we left. The melee moved from the street beside MLK park to downtown, two blocks away, with the Antifa people generally winning the fight (which now that I think about it makes no sense because moving to downtown meant that the antifa side was falling back, but that is what I remember).
Then, something glorious happened. Some dumbass on the Antifa side threw a bunch of smoke grenades into the Trump side but didn't check the wind first. The smoke blew back on the Antifa, disorienting them. The right wing crowd took the opportunity and rushed them. There's a very iconic photo of Nathan Damigo, someone apparently affiliated with Identity Evropa, punching some dreadlocked antifa chick the face. After this happened, the antifa melted away and then the riot ended.
Overall I expected it to go more or less like that but I was still shocked. I was shocked at how performative things felt. I was shocked at how the violence seemed 'opt-in'. I was shocked at how hundreds of cops were standing around just watching this happen, not intervening. I even spoke to some of them and asked them why they weren't. I don't remember what they said but the gist of it was that they were even more pissed about it than I was, but they weren't allowed to.
This was the second performative lefty violence event I attended, the first being riots over the Ferguson verdict in December 2014. But I was still shocked. I was even shocked by the media coverage. They did the standard "peaceful protest" lie. There was absolutely no mention of the guy who almost got murdered by a blow to the head. But the chick who got punched in the face went on national news and did the rounds on the media, and the next day, everyone I knew who wasn't personally in attendance at this event summed it up as "oh that's where the neonazi beat an innocent woman half to death".
It's all fake and gay. All the way down
"In which eugyppius attends dumb government-backed demonstrations AgAInST FasCIsM so you don't have to."
Thank you for throwing yourself on that sword for us Eugyppius. You are a braver man than I.
Is Antifa authentic anywhere? They always appear to be the terrorist arm of the leftmost political party, much like the KKK was for the Democrat party in the US. They're clearly following orders to serve specific political masters.
“we all clapped together, and in this way we defeated fascism.” 😂
I betcha they picked up their trash afterwards....
I don't know how you do it.
But thank you for doing some real journalism!
The thing that is both humorous and sad about what you describe is the way these chickenhawks rail against imaginary Nazis and threaten to inflict all manner of harm on them. Why, if they could collect all the Nazis in Dresden, they might just invite the Americans and British to bomb it again. Quite a brave and bellicose bunch they are. No quarter to the faux Nazis.
But I wonder, if we were to somehow magically transport a regiment or two of actual Sturmabteilung from 1932 into the Altmarkt in 2024, just how would our brave Antifa lads hold up against them? My guess is not well. These nitwits are able to run around screaming about killing Nazis precisely because there aren't any actual Nazis about to take them up on the challenge.
Large segments of our younger generations are living in a dream world, where they slay dragons and rescue fair trans damsels in drag. I'm not sure how you break through that other than fetching them a stiff clout in the head. Would it that there were some Nazis about to do that for us.
I'm glad you clapped when that other dude clapped (followed by the uni girl) to clap away fascism LOL. In all seriousness thank you for doing this. very good commentary.
Eugyppius infiltrates behind enemy lines! Insightful observation about the demand versus limited supply of Nazis, but I have to ask, do you secretly eat falafel?
Excellent, incisive commentary PLUS field work! Thanks for this, 'gyp. Looks like bought-and-paid for protests (I think the kids today call it "astroturfed") seem to consistently attract (a) those out to make a few euros for their time; and (b) assorted crazies with their own pet agendas. Hence, a FAIL of the sort chronicled above. Do those pulling the strings actually think they are moving the needle of public opinion in the desired direction?
Great report. So many people, so few brain cells.
"Never have Nazis been in such great demand and such short supply."
Here in the US, we have the same shortage of KKK Members, John Birchers and their ilk that the left claims are the "Biggest threat to Our Democracy™", although I think their actual membership approaches 17 whole individuals nation-wide.
Without manufactured crises, where would the left be?
My friends in Saxony are eagerly awaiting fresh elections, in the hope of seeing the despised greens sink below the 5% threshold.
Hungary is now in the crosshairs:
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04fa8c7c-0603-4b75-91b0-ecee840a81c3_1515x1525.png?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Wherever Samantha Powers or Victoria Nuland go trouble follows…BIG trouble.
This sounds very much like the Christian revival tents we have in the southern US. Complete with slogan chanting, exhortations to expel the devil, manufactured drama, and everyone gathered around some barely charismatic speaker, addicted to feeling like they're part of something.
Your continued sacrifice on behalf of us, your grateful readers, is humbling.
It’s always’ the current thing’ to be outraged in support of, or against. The outrage is the key element in their thinking. They might call it passion. I call it being used by the government and or the media to promote or protest ‘the current thing’. Believe me, in 70 years I have seen it over and over again.
Turn that passion toward helping those affected by the current thing, or raise money for relief. Pick up a gun and fight alongside your comrades against ‘the enemy’. You get what I am saying by now. Virtue signaling comes at no cost and very little effort.