It has emerged that local fascist organization the so-called “United Patriots Front” (UPF) paid unwelcome visits to anarchist social center the Melbourne Anarchist Club (MAC) and community activist radio station 3CR on Sunday November 1st.
http://mac.anarchobase.com/
http://www.3cr.org.au/
Five UPF members attended the Melbourne Anarchist Club in Northcote while only one member of the collective was present and attempted to harass and intimidate the member whilst video-recording the entire incident. The video was then uploaded onto their Facebook page for propaganda purposes. MAC have released the following statement regarding the incident…
Dear friends and comrades,
On Sunday, November 1, at 12:25pm, five members of the fascist group the ‘United Patriots Front’ (UPF) attended the Melbourne Anarchist Club (MAC) in Northcote.
The five confronted a member of the Club who happened to be present: the confrontation was filmed and uploaded to the UPF Facebook page.
Obviously, the UPF intended their visit to intimidate the MAC, local anarchists, and all those in Melbourne who reject fascism.
In this context, we deeply appreciate the solidarity displayed by local anti-fascists who attended the space later that day in support.
The MAC is issuing this statement in order to re-affirm our commitment to anarchist politics and to appeal to the broader community to join us in a public refusal of fascist attempts at intimidation.
We appeal to our fellow anarchists, anti-fascists, and all those involved in public campaigns to oppose racism and fascism in Melbourne to attend the Club on our next opening day on Sunday, November 8 from midday onward.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2070425446432067/
We intend to carry on our work of promoting anarchism, regardless of the UPF’s actions.
~ MAC.
As mentioned above, the UPF also attended 3CR Community Radio on the same day. 3CR is a volunteer-run community activist radio station located on Smith St in the inner-city suburb of Collingwood. The UPF deliberately chose to attend the station on a day when hardly any staff were in attendance. A volunteer unwittingly let the 5 UPF members inside the station not realizing who they were. A UPF member then proceeded to roam about the station filming while other members distracted the volunteer. The video was then uploaded onto the UPF’s Facebook page for propaganda purposes.
The UPF and the fascist “Reclaim Australia” movement they are part of have been emboldened recently due to favorable media coverage they received via a shameful report aired by the Channel 7 Network’s ‘Sunday Night’ program.
SOLIDARITY WITH THE MELBOURNE ANARCHIST CLUB AND COMMUNITY RADIO STATION 3CR!
ATTEMPTED HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION BY FASCISTS WILL NOT GO UNOPPOSED!
https://insurrectionnewsworldwide.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/melbourne-fascists-attempt-to-intimidate-melbourne-anarchist-club-3cr-community-radio/