Интервью

Through war, despotism and social change: Russia’s Anarchist Black Cross

For this year’s International Anarchist Prisoner Solidarity Week, Freedom interviewed the Anarchist Black Cross-Moscow to discuss their long history in Russia supporting imprisoned Russian anarchists, the challenges they face under Putin’s regime and their work during the war on Ukraine.

Antti Rautiainen: Autonomous Action, Anarchy And Ukraine

This video on YouTube channel "The Right Podcast" includes an overview of Autonomous Action and an interview with Antti Rautiainen who was exiled from Russia. Antti talks about the history of Autonomous Action, the current website that arose from the movement, events in Russia leading up to his exile, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, anarchist resistance to Russia, work with political prisoners and more.

"We are few and we can’t cope with the repression stream": interview with Solidarity Zone

Solidarity Zone” is a project that helps people repressed for anti-war resistance. Altleft talked to activists of the project about solidarity in the Russian society, forms of protest and the prospects of the end of the war. Questions were answered by participants that work in Russia.

“I take a sick leave” How mobilization affected workers?

Antifond — is a common project of Antijob, Feminist Anti-War Resistance and Antiwar Sick Leave (Antivoenny Bolnichny), organized after beginning of the invasion. The project focuses on supporting strikes and protecting labor rights, including from harassments at work for anti-war stances.

A Russian Anarchist on the Ukraine War

This week, The Final Straw Radio spoke with Petr, a Russian anarchist member of the group Autonomous Action, who is living in Europe right now. For the hour we speak about the invasion of Ukraine, a bit about the resistance inside of Russia to the war drums and the Putin regime, the dangers of a nuclear conflict, the impacts of increased sanctions and anarchists organizing across the borders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus against the war and against tyranny.

Elephant in the room: conversation with anarchists from Russia on the "Freedom to Navalny" protests

We got in touch with several anarchist comrades to talk about the recent protests on the streets of different cities in Russia: looked into political events of 2020 and how they brought people to the situation with protests.

With the comrades we managed to clarify if Navalny is a nazi and the whole protest should be ignored by the anarchists or leftists. And of course we talked about anarchists and their participation in protest movement.

Listen to our radio stream:

Dmitry Buchenkov interviewed in prison: it turned me into a convinced revolutionary big time

Dmitry Buchenkov, PhD in political sciences, antifascist, anarchist and boxing coach, has been under arrest for already more than three months in “Vodnik” remand prison. Investigators suspect him of participating in the riots of May 6, 2012 at Bolotnaya Square in Moscow. The absurdity of the accusation against Dmitry Buchenkov is quite evident: he had been in Nizhny Novgorod on that day, more than 300 km away from Moscow, but he was arrested anyway despite the alibi.

 

How do you spend your day in prison?

 

Interview with a representative fan group Dolphins Gruppo 05 (FC Panamvrakikos)

Fans associations in Greece there are not only in big cities but also in a very small towns across the country. Most people strive to maintain the famous team, but sometimes ultras groups appear in the clubs of the regional leagues. Panambrakikos based in the resort village Buka in the west of Greece, it is an absolute backwoods where football exists only at the amateur level. However, local residents was founded a very good fan group. Some of these guys have responded to our questions and give an overview of its activities.

Interview with fan groups Wolfbrigade 04 (Sankt Polten, Austria)

Austria does not have such a serious ultras scene in other countries. In general, it is known only derby between Rapid and FK Austria Wien. However, in small towns outside the capital are their local fan group. One of the largest provincial fan movements appeared in St. Pölten and at the same time its members are not alien to the anti-racist views.

Interview with a representative fan groups Warriors Gate 6 (Panetolikos Agrinio)

The provincial Greek town of Agrinio can hardly something to interest demanding public. Essentially it stands out among thousands of other industrial cities only a local football club and its fan movement. Warriors can rightly be considered one of the top local firms in Greece, in his city they can to fight even with a famous Athenian hooligans. With regard to policy, Agrinio undoubtedly be called anti-fascist city.

Interview with a representative of the fan group XanthiFans

Again we return to Greece. This time we will focus on the region of Thrace, which is on the east of the country. Xanthi town is one of the largest in the area, and the football club of the same name because of its achievements is often called the "Queen of Thrace". Fan movement FC Xanthi takes pride of place among the local Greek ultras scene. The city is multiethnic and no problems in this regard in the stands does not arise, Nazis are here despise everything. Our friend and supporter of FC Xanthi agreed to answer a few questions.

Interview with girl ultras "Spartak Nalchik"

Team Spartak Nalchik has never been a serious financial support like Anji Makhachkala, but his mark in the history of football in the Caucasus it postponed. We hope that the trend created in these years, will continue to evolve in Nalchik. At the very least, any precedent antifascist ultras in the former USSR and, especially, in Russia deserves a detailed review.

- How long you support Spartak?

Interview with a representative of the fan club Green Ghetto (FC Agrotikos Asteras)

At this time we are back to Thessaloniki. This city is known for many football fans three clubs - PAOK, Aris and Iraklis. But the soccer city life does not end. And we want to introduce you to one of the many small football clubs in Thessaloniki. We go to the western part of Thessaloniki, to introduce you to the club Agrotikos Asteras, which is based in the area of Evosmos. The club supports firm Green Ghetto, who kindly agreed to give us an interview.

- Hi. Introduce yourself to our interview.

Interview with a representative fan group Panthers (Panionios, Nea Smyrna)

  Again we return to Athens. Panionios is considered quite a serious team in the scale of Greece and has a very impressive fan base. However, with all of this club is very difficult to compete in popularity with three Athenian giants. Nevertheless Panionios trying to compete with them and has long established itself as the fourth team of the Greek capital. His Panthers fan movement is one of the top in the country and has repeatedly stated his anti-fascist positions.

 

Interview with a representative of fan associations Fentagin (Atromitos Peristeri)

Here we'll discuss one of the fastest growing teams in recent years Greece Atromitos Peristeri. Fentagin fan movement is also becoming more numerous. They are largely known for their animal protection actions against the killing of animals for the European Championships in Ukraine and the Olympic Games in Sochi. Anti-fascist banners here be present at each game and have become an integral part of the fan sector.

- Tell us about your city of Athens. What football traditions in your city?

Interview with a member of the fan club Gate 4 (PAOK Thessaloniki)

This time we interviewed a fan of one of the most famous teams in Greece. Two-headed eagles Thessaloniki  are one of the symbols of the city, along with the White Tower. This team was created by migrants from Turkey, people affected by genocide and nationalism. PAOK fans are known throughout Europe as one of the craziest, and the stadium in Tumba Derby Day turns into hell. Ladies and gentlemen, today we will focus on the black-and-white heart of Macedonia, the legendary club PAOK Thessaloniki.

 

Interview with a member of fan club Front Commun Montreal (Montreal Impact FC, ​​Canada)

North America is a region where football and fans culture  hardly developed. Sport in this region is very commercialized and turned into a passive contemplation of what is happening on the field. Football never here more profitable and therefore poorly developed .If you know about Mexican ultras lot of fan communities that the U.S. and Canada there is very little information. While still on hearing some group of fans of teams from Portland, Washington, Houston.

Interview with a member of fan associations Gate 13 (Panathinaikos Athens)

Bring to your attention an interview with a member of one of the most famous and influential fan associations in Greece. Multiple champion Greece and member of European club Panathinaikos needs no introduction, and his fans known far beyond the country. Athens had once been known as the cradle of Greek culture and the birthplace of democracy. Now this metropolis known as political protests and football fights. And here it will be one of the protagonists of such confrontations Gate 13.

 

- Tell about history your club.

 

Author columns

Антти Раутиайнен

June 11th is the International Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason & All Long-Term Anarchist Prisoners. This action day has a long history, it was organized first time 20 years ago in 2004. In the first year, we managed to paint a graffiti to wall of one of the most guarded objects of Moscow,...

5 months ago
Антти Раутиайнен

Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war...

5 months ago