(Photo: Oscar Webb)
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There are a number of ways to oppose neo-Nazis and fascist groups which have been shown to work. State bans are not one of them. From the mid-1980s to the late-90s, the British far-right was gradually beaten off the streets by anti-fascists who set out to oppose the far-right physically and ideologically.By using direct action against fascist rallies and meetings, and putting pressure on key organisers, Anti-Fascist Action (AFA) was able to force the British National Party (BNP) to abandon the classic fascist strategy of "march and grow", which groups like NA and NWI seek to emulate. This forced the BNP to don a suit and tie, pretend to be respectable and try to win elections. When this eventually failed (after, admittedly, winning a million votes in the 2009 European Parliament elections), the party collapsed. In the meantime, the fascist threat on the streets had been eliminated.The most serious blow dealt to NA since they started organising was when thousands of anti-fascists and locals penned them into a corner of Liverpool Lime Street station, humiliating them by throwing bottles, eggs and bananas at them and stopping them from demonstrating. NA responded to that by using encrypted communications to organise a surprise return to Liverpool alongside NWI and other EDL splinter groups – when they were prevented from marching by anti-fascists again.READ – Exclusive: Neo-Nazis Are Using a White-Only Homeless Charity to Spread Race Hate
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