To mark November 9, The International Day of Action against Fascism and Anti-Semitism, Women in Black and Queeria, make this public announcement:
WE ARE STOPPING FASCISM - WE ARE BUILDING SOLIDARITY!
Today, we are remembering November 9, 1938 - when Nazis, following the call of Hitler and Goebbels, destroyed Jew’s homes and businesses, burned books, robbed, killed, and sent people to camps. All of Europe marks Kristallnacht as The International Day of Action against Fascism and Anti-Semitism.
However, we are also using this day to remind the government and society about other forms of hatred, such as racism, xenophobia, and homophobia.
Unfortunately, the recent past has left us with little empathy and created a political climate in which there is minimal desire to understand those who are different. Wars, growing nationalism, the resurgence of rightist political parties, the influence of the church, and the ceaseless creation of enemies to shake off one’s own responsibility for war crimes strengthen of racist and fascist tendencies.
Hate speech, whether it is spoken by Members of Parliament, the media, or football fans, presents a serious sign that the government and society as a whole must dedicate itself more seriously to the issues of racism, anti-Semitism, and other forms of intolerance.
In recent months, there have been some serious racist incidents. At the end of August, ‘Auschwitz, Auschwitz’ was shouted while two Israeli citizens were attacked in Tašmajdan Stadium in Belgrade. On October 15, a group fans of Cacak’s Borac football club dressed in Klu Klux Klan robes and held a banner stating ‘Go Away - No One Likes You Here.’ Their actions were directed at the African player Mike Tamvanyera. Four days later, 152 fans of the Rad football club were arrested in Belgrade for shouting the slogans ‘Serbia for the Serbs - get out Turks!’ and ‘knife, wire, Srebrenica.’ Forty-seven minors were among those arrested.
Unfortunately, such incidents happen often here. Usually, they go unpunished or the legal sanctions against the perpetrators are minimal.
Therefore, as we have in the past, we demand that all authorized state institutions commit themselves to seriously confronting racist and fascist incidents since the victims of these incidents are most often citizens of Serbia.
Also, through the action ‘We are Stopping Fascism - We are Building Solidarity!’ we join all of our friends from other countries in striving to continue the antifascist tradition, one of the most important values of modern Europe.
To mark November 9, The International Day of Action against Fascism and Anti-Semitism,
we will organize an action in Republic Square on Thursday November 9, from 4pm to 5pm!
Women in Black, Belgrade
Queeria Center, Belgrade
Joining in this announcement is:
The Women in Black Network - Serbia (Babusnica, Becej, Bor, Boljevac, Dimitrovgrad, Kikinda, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Pirot, Priboj, Prijepolje, Tutin, Vlasotince, Vrbas, Zajecar, and Zrenjanin)
