For the record this group of miscreants are nothing to do with the 26 County Defence Forces in any way, shape or form. The Irish Defence Army is a violent extremist group that broke away from the very misleadingly called online network calling itself the ‘Irish Citizen Army’. This name for the online group is no coincidence, naming the group after the original Irish Citizen Army formed during the 1913/14 Dublin Lockout as a worker’s defence force which later, under the command of James Connolly, took part in the 1916 Easter Rising.
The ICA of days gone by and James Connolly were an antithesis to everything this group of far-right activists represent, no doubt funded by the business fraternity or elements within. The Irish Citizen Army back in the early 20th century was Marxist led and staffed by trade unionists and James Connolly who was, judging by his writings and practices, anti-racist, and opposed sectarianism and anti-Semitism. While he was in the USA Connolly remonstrated with the descendants of George Washington over that family’s treatment of black people and their support for chattel slavery while talking of freedom in the next sentence. He also argued with Irish migrants over their verbal and physical attacks on Chinese and Italian workers, arguing the host workers had issued the same assaults, threats, and insults to Irish immigrants when they arrived claiming the Irish were ‘taking American jobs.’ Ring any bells? The use of the name Irish Citizen Army and therefore indirectly invoking the name of James Connolly is no coincidence and is no doubt the brain child of somebody with a knowledge of Irish history which probably rules out the foot soldiers. If Connolly was around today, he would undoubtedly oppose such neo-fascist organisations as these.
The three jailed racists, Garrett Pollock, Darren Gorman, and Karolis Peckauskas were planning to bomb a Mosque in Galway. The sentencing Judge maintained the men did not represent the majority of Irish people. On this point she was correct but the unsavoury question must be asked how much support do these racist groups have in the Twenty-Six-Counties? Looking at some responses on so-called social media that support appears not as isolated as once thought. Of the jailed men somebody called Darryl Millar claimed they are ‘3 legends’ while Neil Bagani said; ‘Can’t get that song “god save Ireland said our heroes” out of my head all day’. I doubt very much those who the song is about, William Allen, Michael Larkin, and Michael O’Brien hanged in Manchester 1867 and became known as the ‘Manchester Martyrs’ would have anything in common with people like Neil Bagani! Another fool, Gavin Linden, added:
The three jailed racists, Garrett Pollock, Darren Gorman, and Karolis Peckauskas were planning to bomb a Mosque in Galway. The sentencing Judge maintained the men did not represent the majority of Irish people. On this point she was correct but the unsavoury question must be asked how much support do these racist groups have in the Twenty-Six-Counties? Looking at some responses on so-called social media that support appears not as isolated as once thought. Of the jailed men somebody called Darryl Millar claimed they are ‘3 legends’ while Neil Bagani said; ‘Can’t get that song “god save Ireland said our heroes” out of my head all day’. I doubt very much those who the song is about, William Allen, Michael Larkin, and Michael O’Brien hanged in Manchester 1867 and became known as the ‘Manchester Martyrs’ would have anything in common with people like Neil Bagani! Another fool, Gavin Linden, added:
Don’t know who the judge was speaking for when she described them as “embarrassing Ireland”. Certainly was not speaking for me nor anyone I know personally or familiarly.
These are just a few of the many messages of ignorant support for the would-be bombers and I would hazard a guess that none of these ‘would-be-heroes’, bombing people who have never done them any harm, would lift a finger to remove the British presence in the Six-Counties.
Passing sentence on Friday 30th October at the Special Criminal Court Justice Caroline Biggs stated; ‘modern Ireland is a multicultural and diverse country’ adding these men’s ‘actions bring shame on it’. Obviously, our social media warriors do not share the Judges opinions of the sentenced men’s actions if as one stated they are ‘3 legends’ or should that perhaps be 3 leg ends? Nevertheless anti-fascists cannot ignore the fact that cowards they may be, hiding behind their little mobile phone and Facebook, the numbers of respondents on social media supporting such acts are increasing. Or perhaps being politically illiterate these modern wannabe SA men (Hitler’s thugs during the 1920s) have not worked out how this far-right pecking order works. Firstly those at the very top do not get their hands dirty, that is what the men sentenced are for. The top people in these organisations, and those in the Twenty-Six-Counties are very much the junior partners in the broader scheme of things, remain faceless until such time as a real push for power is within their grasp. They are very often financed by medium to large business concerns who see fascism as their insurance against socialism and threats to their wealth, usually obtained through the principle of exploitation.
Passing sentence on Friday 30th October at the Special Criminal Court Justice Caroline Biggs stated; ‘modern Ireland is a multicultural and diverse country’ adding these men’s ‘actions bring shame on it’. Obviously, our social media warriors do not share the Judges opinions of the sentenced men’s actions if as one stated they are ‘3 legends’ or should that perhaps be 3 leg ends? Nevertheless anti-fascists cannot ignore the fact that cowards they may be, hiding behind their little mobile phone and Facebook, the numbers of respondents on social media supporting such acts are increasing. Or perhaps being politically illiterate these modern wannabe SA men (Hitler’s thugs during the 1920s) have not worked out how this far-right pecking order works. Firstly those at the very top do not get their hands dirty, that is what the men sentenced are for. The top people in these organisations, and those in the Twenty-Six-Counties are very much the junior partners in the broader scheme of things, remain faceless until such time as a real push for power is within their grasp. They are very often financed by medium to large business concerns who see fascism as their insurance against socialism and threats to their wealth, usually obtained through the principle of exploitation.
In the meantime populist politicians like Herman Kelly, Malachy Steenson, and Gavin Pepper fill the void but will have no place in any future far-right administration, they too are mere tools of the times. The foot soldiers having served their purpose are then arrested and, just like now, put in prison only for longer. The far-right will use them to instigate trouble, get their candidates elected, then when they continue to cause street problems because nobody has told them not to do it anymore it’s thanks a million and ten years. Malachy Steenson, once considered by some on the left-wing of republicanism now viewed on the far-right, would probably have his leftwards political past evaluated and denied any responsible position in the future neo-fascist regime.
We are, however, a long way from this scenario and, hopefully, will never live under a right wing ‘terroristic’ regime. For the men sentenced on Friday I would advise they read how Hitler in the Third Reich used foot soldiers just like themselves, a bit lacking when it comes to politics, then claiming ‘only he could stop the violence on the streets,’ (Marine Le Pen is presently claiming in France) or so he told the electorate, was voted into government and threw such street troublemakers into a concentration camp which make any prison on the island of Ireland (now Long Kesh is closed) a picnic!
Any protests against the far-right are dealt with by the Gardai much more aggressively than racist groups protesting against migrants. This is always the case, and always has been, simply because the neo-fascists and racists are no threat to capitalism. The anti-fascists tend to be also anti-capitalists, though not exclusively, and the state view them as a serious threat to the ‘economic stability’ of the ruling-classes.
Any protests against the far-right are dealt with by the Gardai much more aggressively than racist groups protesting against migrants. This is always the case, and always has been, simply because the neo-fascists and racists are no threat to capitalism. The anti-fascists tend to be also anti-capitalists, though not exclusively, and the state view them as a serious threat to the ‘economic stability’ of the ruling-classes.
Fascism, orthodox or the updated neo-fascism, is an extension of capitalism in crisis. For that reason the bourgeoisie need this form of ‘the open terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinistic and most imperialist elements of finance capital’ as their defence of class positions against the communists and socialists.
The media seldom report the times anti-fascists reportedly kicked the likes of neo-Nazi Justin Barret and his cohorts off the streets but they do show the increase in support for racists albeit in a guarded, for now, manner. Of all the isms capitalism fears only one, and that is true communism. Fascism might not be its preferred form of capitalism but if push came to shove, as was the case in Germany and Italy during the 1920s and 30s, the bourgeoisie would lean heavily on this ideology. The time is not right for the likes of the men thrown into jail which is why they were given long prison sentences, their thuggery is not yet needed. Hopefully they will catch themselves on before it’s too late.
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
