White women kick Neo-Nazi organizer out of Mission Coffeeshop

White women kick Neo-Nazi organizer out of Mission Coffeeshop

It was another beautiful day in San Francisco this past Sunday, March 13. Hundreds lounged at Dolores Park taking in the sun. People gathered for futbol/soccer games and bike rides. My housemates went to the beach to see the enormous waves. And a neo-nazi in his late 20's was having a one-on-one conversation with a younger white woman to recruit her into "the Order". Sporting his NSSF patch (National Socialist Skinhead Front), he was openly organizing to build up the base of members for a right-wing white supremacist organization in the Bay Area.

Two white anarchist comrades, who wish to remain anonomous, randomly selected a table at Muddy Waters coffeeshop on 16th and Valencia. While they planned to take some time to read for an upcoming study group, they quickly realized what was happening at the table next to them. The fascist recruitment strategy was fascinating they explained to me later. The neo-Nazi and young woman had come together and it seemed that she was loosely affilited with right-wing political activity already. He choose his words carefully, talking about the 'organization' and their 'political work'. He explained that while he grew up in the Bay Area, he's been traveling to help build up chapters around the country, Arizona being the most recent spot. He wanted to talk with her specifically about the importance of women's leadership in the organization and wanting to support the sisters to take more active roles.

Explicit white supremacist grassroots groups like Neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan have long been key forces to maintain and advance right-wing politics in communities around the United States - the shock troops that allow the White Citizen's Council's and the White House to operate as 'moderates/conservatives'. Communities of color, Jewish people and the Left have long been both the primary targets of right wing violence and the communities from which sustained challenges to white supremacy have been based. Throughout the 90's and into today, Left/anarchist activist groups like Anti-Racist Action have led hundreds of successful efforts to confront these right-wing groups. From physically putting their bodies on the line to stop them to organizing white youth to connect their anger and alienation to the real systems of power in this country like capitalism and joining with communities of color in struggles for economic and racial justice.

Back out in front of Muddy's, a group of friends, all white, mostly queer and majority women & genderqueer, gathered in front determined to "do something". After a brief discussion about the very real possibilities that he might react with violence - he was visibly carrying a knife and had earlier talked at length about the violent acts of his organization- the group agreed that two of the women would confront the neo-Nazi and tell him that he was not welcome in our communties. Their goal was to kick him out of the cafe and send a message that people will fight back whenever we see them.

In taking this stand, one of the women explained later, "White folks in particular need to stand up alongside people of color who are fighting for racial justice. White supremacist organizations represent only the most blatant, hate-fueled fringe of racism in this country, which goes much deeper than the neo-Nazi organizations that are resurging right now in response to the advances made by the right wing in all arenas. All of us need to take responsibility to challenge the rise of the right, which includes making our neighborhoods, streets and cafes Nazi-free zones. We can't allow white supremacists in our midst to build their power undisturbed. Just like this past January, when the anti-choice movement tried to march through San Francisco, thousands of us got into the streets and successfully turned their march around in the name of reproductive justice."

The other woman added, "We cannot allow this to happen. How often do we encounter situations that reinforcing oppression and how often do we remain silient, feel demoralized and wish later that we had acted."

They explained the situation to the Muddy's employee and the plan of action to which he replied "I support you". The two women went to the back of the cafe and confronted the neo-Nazi, telling him that they wouldn't allow them to continue a conversation about building white supremacist organizing, and to get the hell out. "I'm just having a conversation and this is America and we have free speech" he replied. He and the young women both said "don't judge us and this doesn't relate to you." The two women replied, "We will judge you and this does relate to us, as white people in this society racism impacts us and we will not tolerate you organizing in this cafe. You can't do this in our city and you have to leave."

Six others stood around the cafe prepared to support the two women if the situation escalated. They also walked around to all the other people hanging out in or coming into Muddy's and explained what was happening. Over 15 people then stood around the cafe to see what was happening. After ten minutes, with no physical confrontation, we watched the two antifascist women walk the neo-nazi and his recruit out the door. Word was spread to more people coming into the cafe about what had happened and several shared thank-yous with the women who refused to just stand by.

For more information about Anti-Racist Action check out: http://www.antiracistaction.us
For more information about the National Socialist Skinhead Front: http://www.nssf88.org/
For more information on white supremacy and work for racial justice: colours.mahost.org