From: aforum@moose.uvm.edu (Autonome Forum)
Subject: AF/ATS: ANTIFA groups respond to Rostock pogrom
Organization: University of Vermont -- Division of EMBA Computer Facility
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 18:44:31 GMT

subject: ANTIFA groups respond to Rostock pogrom
posted by: AF/ATS
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[The following message was received from an autonomist info-shop
in Germany.]


Independent antifascist groups from Rostock and Berlin call up
to support the

antifascist demonstration in Rostock-Lichtenhagen

on saturday, 29th of august, 1 pm.

We demonstrate against the anti-humanitarian policy, which
provoces the pogroms with its sayings and acts.



Pogroms at Rostock

For three days the cops and politicians at Rostock allowed
fascist pogroms against refugees and migrants. It started on
saturday, the 22nd of august with an announced manifestation in
front of the hostel for refugees in Rostock-Lichtenhagen. It was
known since a week that there was planned an attack on the
hostel. Nevertheless there were only 20 cops to protect the
refugees. They could not succeed against the more than 100
nazis, who attacked the hostel. The window-panes of the house
were damaged. Also after 100 more policemen arrived, the police
remained passive and let the fascists have their way. There were
some water cannons, but they were not used. Only at 5.00 in the
morning the action stopped. In front of TV-cameras a lot of
people of "the audience" declared sympathy for the nazis.

On sunday a row of 'Bundesgrenzschutz' (federal border police)
and police units took position in front of the refugee-home.
Also water cannons were ready for action. But the cops didn't
prevent the fascists and sympathising people from gathering in
front of the blocking. In the evening around 8 o'clock more and
more racist shouting aroused. Stones and molotov cocktails were
thrown. Near the place was also seen the leader of the fascist
"Nationale Liste" from Hamburg, Christian Worch. Other
observations indicate that organized nazis with walkie-talkies
supplied the aggressors with information. Meanwhile in the
centre of Rostock some 200 antifascists gathered. At 9 pm. about
hundred of them appeared in front of the refugee-home, but were
blocked off from the place soon by the police. With the cops
using helicopters the fascists withdraw from the house. About 60
antifascists were arrested after a spontaneous demonstration in
the night. 

On Monday the refugees were carried away from the attacked
house. But vietnamese contract workers living in the same
building were not evacuated. In the evening the house was again
attacked with molotov cocktails, but the cops withdraw. At 8.30
pm a number of flats of the house were in flames. Emergency
numbers of police and fire department were offline, policesquats
close to the refugee-home didn't take action. Journalists caught
in the burning house together with about 150 vietnamese had to
alarm the fire brigade by calling friends in Berlin and Hamburg.
They rescued themselves by moving to the roof of a neighboring
house before police and fire brigades took action at 10 o'clock
pm. Step by step the police controled the situation. On monday
there were no more coordinated actions by antifascists allthough
several fascists were chased and beaten in the neighborhood.

The police could have controlled the situation a lot faster than
they did. Their retention in face of the fascist attacks
contrasts extremely with their brutality against antifascists.
Next saturday when the antifascist demonstration will start they
will have doubled their force and will be ready to smash it. The
reactions of politicians of all colour, especially that of the
minister of the interiour of Mecklenburg, who expressed
appreciation of the racism among the people and plied to abolish
the right of asylum, indicate that the pogroms were not that
inconvenient to their plans. They strenghen the organized nazis,
who can celebrate a great success, as well as the rascist wave
the population. The fight for the rights of the refugees will be
a decisive for the future of our society.


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