Anti-fascist protest against SS-meeting successfully

14. März 2009

Last week we received good news from Riga: The planned marching-up of SS-veterans and supporters by the extreme right wings in the Latvian capital was forbidden by the city.

Reason for this decision are initiatives of the International Federation of the Resistance fighters (FIR), their member federations and other political forces, who were directed against such a marching-up for the glorification of the criminal SS. In an urgent appeal to the Latvian government, to the delegates of the European parliament and the democratic public FIR had demanded a prohibition of the meeting and the promotion of the civilian-social resistance against SS-veterans.

With letters to the president of Latvia, with political resolutions and with diplomatic contacts through the Ambassadors of different European states the responsible persons were pushed in the past days, to follow the political consent of the European community “never again SS-Europe”. The decision over a prohibition of the marching-up shows that anti-fascism in Europe is a mobilizing political power, which can limit a driving of extremely right forces and historical revisionistic groups.

The FIR thanks all supporters of the initiative – whether member federations, parties or representatives of the civil society. In Europe may be tolerated neither historical falsification nor minimization of Nazi criminals and their organizations. The prohibition of Riga is an important signal in this sense.
Michel Vanderborght, President
Dr. Ulrich Schneider, General secretary