The National Action "bookshop" is a centre for the incitement of criminal and violent racist activities. Campaign Against the Nazis has thus organized demonstrations and meetings, with the aim of shutting down the shop. This is a defensive approach: we need to stop National Action now so they don't become a major threat.
The police defend National Action against demonstrations, but don't defend anti-fascists against National Action. Every time there is an action at the Fawkner shop, the police turn out in large numbers. Yet, when National Action rallied at Parliament House several years ago, police didn't prevent them from attacking counter-demonstrators as we assembled. National Action leader Michael Brander was later convicted of assault.

We place no faith in the police to defend us - not only because of practical experience, but because the police are part of the state - and so support the interests of those who rule this society. This minority may turn to fascism in a crisis as has happened before. We don't call for state or council bans on fascists, but organize working people to smash fascist organizations. Bans aimed at right wing groups have often been used against the left.

At demonstrations, we have organized marshalling to protect ourselves from attack by the fascists or the police. The National Action thugs are cowards by nature and only attack when they have the numbers. We ensure they don't get to pick people off.

Within this defensive strategy, there is the possibility of offensive actions. For example, if a demonstration was attacked we could choose to defend it by fighting back, not by running away. This would depend on the balance of forces. When National Action held a rally in Brunswick in 1994, we chased them away with their tails between their legs. They have not had an organized presence in Brunswick since. If the opportunity arises to chase them out of their shop, we will do so.

We don't advocate individual attacks on National Action's shop. Individual actions are no solution - we need to mobilize the labour movement and groups that are under attack to drive National Action out of Fawkner.

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