Kaunas antifascists call for a protest against the LTJS march
Submitted by Редакция on 11 February, 2014 - 01:29
On February 16, Lithuanian Nationalist Youth Union (LTJS – Lietuvių Tautinio Jaunimo Sąjunga) will organise the traditional march in Kaunas: once again, guised under Lithuanian flags, they will propagate xenophobic, racist, homophobic and sexist ideas. The crew of antifa.lt calls for all who see inherent fascism in the famous slogan "Lithuania for Lithuanians" to join the anti-march protest. Antifascists and their friends are to gather by Miesto sodas (opposite the municipality) at 3 PM.
In order to adapt to a changing political climate, participants of the march stopped sporting Nazi stripes, Hitler-saluting and chanting antisemitic slurs. Nevertheless, their main message remains the same. The territory and discourse of Lithuania belongs to a white heterosexual male of pure breed, a true Aryan, whereas all the others can choose between accepting and adapting to it or getting the hell out. I.e., anyone to resist the only "true" narrative is to be domesticated or exterminated. On February 16, a day that in the First Republic was commemorated in solidarity by Lithuanians, Jews, Russians and Germans, Kaunas streets will teem with fascists, chanting slogans as "Down with the East and the West, Lithuania for the children of Lithuania" and "Lithuania for Lithuanians". After instigating fear on the Laisvės alley and Vilnius street, fascists will gather for an evening concert: one of its main acts is the openly White Pride band "Baltas triukšmas" (White Noise).
Antifa.lt would like this to be a wake-up call. To retain the naivete of "not rousing the tensions" is not a way to solve the problem of fascism. The only effective way to fight it is publicity and straightforwardness: let us show that xenophobia is not welcomed on the streets of Kaunas. The call is especially aimed at those who were once derogatorily nicknamed by a nationalist poster "queer, black, red and gypsies": LGBTIQ people, persons of non-Lithuanian ethnicity residing in Lithuania, and anyone who see themselves on the left side of the political spectre.