Saturday 23 October saw the biggest anti-nazi demos in Sweden since the
second world war. More than 40 000 participated in demonstrations in 20
towns, according to the organisers, the syndikalist trade union SAC.
The manifestations was a tribute to the syndikalist trade union activist
Björn Söderberg, who was shot dead by nazis on the 12 October.
The demand for a one hour political strike against the nazi terrorism
got very good respons as the only concrete proposal how this movement
should go forward. In Stockholm, Socialist Justice Party, collected more
than 1 000 signaturs for the demand. In Umeå, SJP-member Yvonne Lantto
raised the demand in her speech, and got the best respons of all
speakers. A similar demand, for one hour meetings against nazism on all
work places, was raised in Stockholm from the speaker from Network
against Racism and got similarily the best respons.
Reactions of shock and anger was further increased by a new nazi attack
the night before the demos. The syndikalist office in Gävle, named the
Joe Hill House, was destroyed by a bomb. Instead of scaring people in
propably increased the participation.
SJP-members and members of Elevkampanjen, the socialist youth
organisation, have responded in best possible way to the nazi terror.
Tha latest issue of Offensiv, with six pages against nazi violence, sold
451 on Friday and 916 on Saturday, record since the paper became weekly
two years ago. Upon this, 120 papers have been sold at the university in
Stockholm alone. We have sold almost 200 subscribtions of the paper the
last week. In total, we have raised nearly 50 000 swedish kronor, papers
included. Four new youth has joined the party, and the number of
contacts is the highest this year.
We have had some good media coverage, considering the focuse being on
the syndikalists. Gunilla Leijon, our leading comrade in Södertälje, was
on three pages in the localr daily, including the front page, because
she is on one of the fascists threat lists. In total, 51 members are on
that list. For the same reason, Per-Åke Westerlund was on national
morning TV, along side a well known actor. Our paper was shown in that
interview, as in the TV coverage from the demos. Yvonne Lanttos speech
in Umeå also gave local publicity.