Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 11:08:00 -0500 (EST)
From: Gerald Levy <glevy-AT-pratt.edu>
Subject: M-I: Fire attack


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 16:36:34 +0100 (MET)
From: Harald Beyer-Arnesen <haraldba-AT-sn.no>
Subject: Fire attack

Below is the information I and others have received on the
the burning down in Lyon of the anarchist bookshop "La Plume Noire" and
the regional headquarters of Federation Anarchiste (who publishes
Le Monde Libertaire, sued by the Natinal Front), most likely
the work of the youth organisation of the National Front. "The
perpetrators also set fires in the only exit doorway to the
residential block above the bookshop" occupied mostly by
immigrants.
        I am sure any support would be appreciated.

                                                        Harald




ANARCHIST BOOKSHOP
"LA PLUME NOIRE"
BURNT DOWN


On Sunday, February 17th, at 4 a.m., Lyon's bookshop
"La Plume Noire" was burnt down.


WHAT WE DO KNOW :

Two oil jerricans were lit in the bookshop and in the
exit corridor of the attenant block. The fire grew
immediately and it would have resulted in numerous
dead people if ever the firemen had been less efficient.

The bookshop is destroyed.


THE CONTEXT :

On Saturday, the Lyon groups of the French Anarchist
Federation demonstrated in favour of our weekly, Le
Monde Libertaire. As you may know from previous
posts, Le Monde Libertaire is sued by the National Front
(extreme-right wing) because of a picture that did not
please Jean-Marie Le Pen.

In the very evening, bookshop La Plume Noire, which
is the Lyon bookshop of the French Anarchist
Federation, was overlaied with sticks from the Youth
organization of the National Front.

In the night, the fire...


WHAT NOW ?

The reaction is organizing !
-----------------------------

Gathering this evening at 6 p.m., place Bellecour, Lyon.

Meeting in what's left of the bookshop on Wednesday
19th at 8 p.m., 19 rue
Pierre Blanc , LYON.

Demonstration on Saturday, 3 p.m. place Bellecour.

Solidarity is organizing !
---------------------------

You can already send solidarity messages (and money...)
to

La Plume Noire
19, rue Pierre Blanc
69001 LYON
FRANCE

Pease warn us of any initiative of yours !

We will have you informed of the forthcoming events.

Francois COQUET,
for the International Relationship of French Anarchist
Federation


**************

From: Kevin Feeney <kfeeney-AT-ifhamy.insa-lyon.fr>


**********

        In the attatchment you will find a report on the latest troubles
of the french anarchists, In my view this is quite a serious turning
point for the social movement as it signifies an extension of the field
of combat of the Nazis.  All comments etc.. appreciated
kfeeney-AT-ifhamy.insa-lyon.fr
        waiting for the revolution
        Chekov Feeney - adjunct charged with international(anglophone)
        communication, Federation Anarchiste Lyon branch
Peace and love

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------


               Anarchist bookshop in Lyon burnt by fascists

        The ressurgence of the extreme right has continued unabated in
France since the 1994 elections, when it gained nearly 20% of the votes
in the presedential poll and captured three town halls.  Recent events
have combined to give the fascists a surge in confidence.  October 96 saw
the first reading of the Debre law, a bill aimed at restricting
immigrants right to stay in France regardless of their length of
residence.  The inclusion of such xenephobic legislation in the platform
of the constitutional 'Republican' right-wing government demonstrates the
extent to which the racist tactics of the National front(FN) have entered
the political mainstream.  Furthermore the national front has succeded in
manipulating state institutions in the municipalities which it controls.
In Orange the FN mayor has been able to ensure that the selection of
books in the municipal library meets with the cultural approval of the
fascists, while the mayor of Toulon has colluded with the region's police
prefect in dismissing the fiercely anti-fascist director of the national
theatre of dance and image.  These insidious manipulations have
underlined the fact that the fascists have sympathisers in many areas of
state administration espacially within the security forces.  Finally the
FN's victory on February 9th in the Vitrolles municipal election, easily
defeating the socialist incumbent, gaining for the first time an overall
majority demonstrates that their electoral popularity has not ceased to
grow.
        Bouyed by their recent victories it seems that the fascists have
now passed onto another plane of activity, one unseen in France for over
30 years: now bookshops have started to burn.  Lyon, early Saturday 15th
February the 'Plume Noire' anarchist bookstore and regional headquaters of the
French Federation Anarchiste (FA) was plastered with some 50 fascist stickers.
On the stickers was inscribed the slogan 'FN youth, the rebel wave the, LePen
wave' clearly identifying the perpetrators: the fascist youth wing, modelled
on the Hitler Youth.  This had never happened before in the area, a bastion
of the extreme left and the next night the significance of the act
became clear.  At around 5 a.m. the next day the bookshop was completely
destroyed in an obviously well orchestrated incendiary attack.  The
windows were smashed, cans of petrol were poured in and set alight and
the wooden interior, stacked with books caught flame quickly.  The
perpetrators also set fires in the only exit doorway to the residential
block above the bookshop and when the firebrigade arrived a human
catastrophe was just averted.  The fascists not only attempted to burn
down the bookshop but also attempted to murder the buildings occupants
(mostly immigrants), thus probably hoping to create an atmosphere of fear
and hostility towards the FA and a reluctance to welcome it into the area
as it could again be the target of such murderous attacks.

        The significance of the target must be recognised as the
anarchists have been the frontline of the opposition to the racist and
nationalistic politics of the FN.  In the defense of abortion rights,
divorce and especially illegal immigrants where the anarchists have been
often deserted by the traditional left wing parties who insist on
differentiating between 'good and bad illegals'.  In refusing to accept
any controls on freedom of movement the anarchists have formed the only
political pole which has refused to entertain any of the FN's racist ideas.
The current centre-right government as well as their predecessors the
Socialists have been particularly complicit in the rise of fascist
ideology in France.  By saying that the FN has 'bad solutions to good
questions' they have allowed the fascists to set the tone of political
debate.  In introducing ever more xenephobic immigration laws both
governments hoped to steal the FN's thunder.  On the contrary the FN has
been able to control policy, maintain its popular image as
anti-establishment and avoided the blame for the failure of the racist
policies, based as they are on simplistic, ignorant and false analyses.

        The response of the FA and other libertarians and
extreme-leftists to this damaging attack will be crucial to the
anti-fascist struggle as well as to the growth of anarchist ideas.  The
FA is facing a double pronged attack from the fascist ranks.  The
following day of the attack was coincidentally(!) the date set for the
start of a court-case taken by Jean-Marie LePen against the FA's weekly
newspaper Lemonde Libertaire.  The apparent motivation was a caricature
of LePen carried in the journal. However it is clearly a subterfuge
attempting to ruin the FA financially as it obviously cannot afford the
same level of legal support as the FN with its big business backers.
Furthermore the rebuilding of the bookshop and regional organisation will be
difficult and expensive.  Thus it is possible that the fascists have
embarked on a crusade to destroy the FA.  The anarchists are particularly
dangerous to the FN as they offer alternative solutions to the problems
which have led to the rise of the extreme right rather than simply
opposing fascism as many other groups such as ras l'front do.

        However this attack can be turned to the anarchists advantage.
The sight of burning bookshops is so reminiscent of Hitler's Germany and
so odious to the idea of freedom of expression that in the demonstration
that followed the attack many groups of 'respectable' leftists which
would normally disdain contacts with the FA came out to pledge their
support and solidarity.  Moreover in the demonstration of unity which has
been set for Saturday 22nd February at place Bellecour in Lyon, we shall
see the unusual sight of the red and black flags leading a procession
which will include trade unions, the green party and other respectable
elements.  The outrage will also serve as a rallying point for a
nationwide anarchist mobilisation with demonstrations of solidarity in
other towns as well as, hopefully, a convergence of libertarians on Lyon
for the demonstration.  The timing of the demonstration also coincides
with the final vote on the Debre law in the Asemblee Nationale which has
faced an unprecedented mobilisation of the artistic and intellectual
opposition.  Thus the time has never been riper for the anarchists to
push their ideas to the forefront of popular debate.

                when they confiscated the jews properties
                        I wasn't Jewish

                when they arrested the priests
                        I wasn't religious

                When they checked the papers of people
                        my card was in order

                when they deported the immigrants
                        It was my home town

                when they arrested the trade unionists
                        I wasn't a member

                when they filmed me in the streets
                        I obeyed the laws

                when they burned the anarchists bookstores
                        I wasn't an anarchist

                when they came to take me away
                        there was no-one to help me.


        END OF MESSAGE_______________________________________________

  in solidarity,
  Harald Beyer-Arnesen
  haraldba-AT-sn.no



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