Timeline of Anti-Fascism

This is a timeline of events to do with anti-fascism from its origins in the late 1800s to the modern day.

1800s

1890s

• 1898: At the height of the Dreyfus Affair, proto-anti-fascists composed of anarchists and socialists in France protect pro-Dreyfus speakers and witnesses on their way to courthouses and in the streets. They plastered the city with posters to reclaim public space from the anti-Semites, staged counter-demonstrations and infiltrated meetings to disrupt and spy on them. Sébastien Faure forged invitations to a meeting of the opposition at a local restaurant in Marseille. Upon being denied entry, the pro-Dreyfusards went around the side and smashed through a glass door to storm in and disrupt the proceedings.

1900s

1920s

• 1921: The Arditi Del Popolo is founded in Italy in response to Mussolini's growing influence. It is the first militant anti-fascist organization and engages in gunfights with fascist gangs.

1930s

• 1934: The February Uprising in Austria sees socialist try to stop the rise of fascists in the country.
• 1934: Inspired by the Austrian uprising, CNT-affiliated miners in Asturias, Spain lead an uprising to protest the entry of fascists into the coalition government.
• 1936: The Spanish Civil War begins as much of the Spanish working class attempts to stave off the military coup by Francisco Franco.
• 1936: The Battle of Cable Street sees anti-fascists battle fascists led by Oswald Mosely in a Jewish neighbourhood.

1940s

• 1946: The 43 Group is founded in London by Jewish Veterans of World War II to fight off followers of Oswald Mosely.

1950s

• 1958: The Battle of Hayes Pond sees 500 Lumbee Indigenous Americans end a KKK meeting.

1960s

• 1962: The 62 Group is founded in London to defend immigrants from the Carribean from Britain's growing fascist movement.

1970s

• 1974: Kevin Gately is killed by police during an anti-fascist march in the UK.
• 1976: The Southall Youth Movement in England forms in response to the murder of teenager Gurdip Singh Chaggar by fascists.
• 1977: The Battle of Lewisham sees LGBT people, feminists, anarchists, socialists and anti-racists battle a fascist march and police with bricks in Lewisham, England. This leads to the creation of the Anti-Nazi League later that year.

1980s

• 1982: The Black Dragons forms in France to protect African youth from fascist attacks.
• 1982: The Blitz House in Norway becomes the basis for a new anti-fascist movement as Anti-Fascist Action is formed.
• 1983: The March for Equality and Against Racism attempts to replicate the success of the Civil Rights Movement in France.
• 1985: The Red Warriors becomes a punk communist anti-fascist street gang in France.
• 1985: Anti-fascist Günter Sare is killed by a police water cannon during an anti-racist march in West Germany.
• 1986: The Revolutionary Anti-Fascists set fire to a barn celebrating Adolf Hitler's 100th birthday in West Germany.
• 1989: Cornelia Wessmann is killed after a riot police truck chases her into oncoming traffic at an anti-racist demonstration.

1990s

• 1992: The Battle of Waterloo sees anti-fascists fight neo-nazis punks in England.
• 1995: The Battle of Sandaker sees anti-fascists fight police and neo-nazis in Sandaker, Norway.
• 1997: The First International Conference on Anti-Fascism is held in London.
• 1999: Björn Söderberg is muredered by neo-nazis in his home in Sweden, leading to tens of thousands of people protesting fascists in the country.

2000s

2010s

• 2011: 10 years of actions by Swedish anti-fascists bring an end to the Salem Marches.
• 2017: The Battle for Charlottesville strongly weakens the growing US fascist movement known as the alt-right.