Interview Punk Revival - Krasnoyarsk

We gave this interview at last year our Brazilian comrades from AnarchoPunk movement of São Paulo for their Zine. Site our comrades from São Paulo it here www.anarcopunk.org. The given text awakes is interesting to those whom interestingly how to develop the anarho-punk movement in Siberia and Russia. But also as not which questions connected with antifascism and anarchical movement in Russian Federation .

When appeared the Punk Revival organisation?

The Punk Revival Organisation appeared in Saint-Petersburg city, the northern-cultural capital of Russian Federation. There were many reasons why organisation was formed. But on it mostly influenced the situation among the punx in Russia at those times. Firstly, they had no political views or radical positions in society and in the world. Almost all of them had no idea what is antifascism, feminism, animal rights, vegan/vegetarian and so on. Very sad picture. The movement was nothing but the drunken crowd of teenagers who were not interested in anything what is going on around. It seemed that they were trying to persuade people around and first of themselves that there is no future for them, for the world, for everyone and there is no meaning to do something. Nihilistic bullshit.... For Russian and Siberian punx including was only one ideal way of life – to meet together, to ask money on the streets, to drink alcohol, to take drugs and to visit different so-called punk-rock shows. So hopeless... Unbelievable, but even on these concerts and especially after them it was so easy to meet a great number of nazi-skinheads who came to the shows only in order to start bloody and cruel struggle with drunken kids. The worst thing was that they couldn't fight back nazis, because they had no skills, no experience and even more they didn't burn with desire to stop nazi's violence. They preferred to run away and hide wherever but not to stand up and fight. They were frightened because at those times the number of fascists was enormous even though it was decreasing gradually. Very sad fact...especially for the country that won the Second World War, the war against fascists. The other sad fact was that many punks chose to be nationalists and called themselves nazi-punks. That was very awful but maybe it was their attempt to get a chance not to be under pressure of nazi's pursuit as an enemy.... Terrible truth... Of course, it did not mean that all russian punks were agree with nazi-terror, not all of them were so helpless. There were some separate groups of punks who took part in anarchist's actions and ecological protest camps. Another part of them have visited radical antifascist's actions since the end of the 90th years and beat unmercifully nazis. Even though their number was very small, they took an active position in formation of radical punx movement in Russian Federation. Of course, not the least support they got from Belorussian punx and their distros, whose help was very important. They sent by mail various anarcho-punk literature and punk-zines as well as music of their local anarcho-punk scene (mainly the bands were from Minsk and Grodno). But there were also and russian zines. Among all the well-known anarcho-punk zines the most popular was “Noji I Vilki” (“Knives and Forks”) from Saint-Petersburg city. Lately in 2004 for russian readers was published Craig O'Hara's book “The philosophy of punk: More than noise”. The influence of the book was great and it was one more step to anarcho-punk movement's development.

By the period of 2003 – 2004 years began to appear first groups of antifa-punx. They distributed leaflets on the streets and sticked stickers with antifascist's appeals. Later than began to attack radically neo-nazis. But endless fights with nazis are not the way out of a situation.

Many antifa-punx started to self-educate by reading different books and zines received from anarchists. Later it became clear that only way to destroy fascism is to destroy capitalistic system. In the end of 70th – beginning of 80th years in Britain increased nazi-movement because of mistakes of capitalists. In order to find the way out of economical crisis they decided to use cheap labour force of immigrants. That step was not approved by the most part of inhabitants of England and it was undoubtedly in the interests of National Front. And in Russia happened almost similar situation (first nazis, nazi-skinheads appeared in Russia after the falling of the USSR, in the middle of 1990th years, when the economical and political situation in the country was almost critical).

But let's return to the history of Punk Revival organisation. Many antifa-punx understood clearly that the only way of the situation is to form strong anarcho-punk commune and radical revolutionary movement. And these were the first steps to found organisation. With the support of Saint-Petersburg's League of Anarchists the Punk Revival stated it's appearance among the anarchists in Russia with news of capture and forming the first punk squat “Klizma” (“the Enema”) in Saint-Petersburg on the 22nd of June in 2003. for many punx from Punk Revival this squat became a headquarter as well as home where punx of Saint-Petersburg city united for radical actions. Squat “Klizma” had existed for about a year although it was often attacked by neo-nazis in order to burn it. In comparison with European squats, it was not for a long time, but we should take in consideration that squatting movement in Russia is badly developed because there isn't any resistance tactics or laws that can help to protect squatters and occupied buildings from the government and police.

After the falling of squat “Klizma” the new one appeared in Saint-Petersburg. And again the squat was formed with the support of anarchists of Saint-Petersburg and was called “Vedro”. Unfortunately this squat had existed even less than “Klizma”.

At the same period of time while founding squats the Punk Revival organisation made their official web site – http://www.pv.mahost.org, where they published reports from actions, different articles, free literature and leaflets that were written by the participants of the organisation. On the other hand they also published and distributed their anarcho-punk zines : “The Green Cord” and “From the Zero”. And from these times a lot of information about Punk Revival org. began to spread throughout the whole internet.

The idea of formation the Punk Revival organisation inspired many punx from different cities of Russian Federation and even on the territory of Ukraine. But more or less successfully attempts were in such cities like Moscow, Arkhangelsk and Voronezh. The last two manifested themselves more active than other cities. Punx from Voronezh even repeated Saint-Petersburg's punx deed and occupied empty building and founded a squat “Revival”.

The same ideas of forming the Punk Revival org. reached and Siberia too. By the period of 2007-2008 years the Punk Revival org. appeared only in two Siberian cities: Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk, the last one had existed not for a long time and broke up quite fast. But Punk Revival – Krasnoyarsk ( i.e. our department ) made a great attainment and reputation among the Punk Revival from another cities. Punk Revival – Krasnoyarsk was formed on the 26th of June in 2008 in the “Island of a rest” district that before existence of Punk Revival had a non-official name the Krasnoyarsk League of Anarcho-Punks (KLA) that formed a part of Krasnoyarsk Group of Anarchists (KGA). KLA's decision of founding PR-Krasnoyarsk was taken by all the members of anarcho-punx group. We showed our desire to be the part of Punk Revival – Russia by the first and very successful solidarity action in support all who was protesting against the summit of “Big 8th”in japan last year. Later, in autumn of the same year with of Krasnoyarsk Group of Anarchists we carried out series of actions in solidarity with arrested anarcho-punk Alexei Bichin from Saint-Petersburg who was charged with attack on nazi. Unfortunately this fuckin' nazi was a policeman.... also by this period of time we organised Days of Memory of killed antifascists: Fedor Filatov and Timur Kacharava. We always with great pleasure supported anarchists of Krasnoyarsk and took part in their different anti-military and anti-capitalists actions. The brightest among them were the First May, the 7th November and Day of Solidarity with rebellious Greek anarchists in the end of 2008 – beginning of 2009 years. Owing to what we had made during this period of existing of our organisation we got a great attention throughout the internet mass-media that spoke well of our activity and attitude to other departments of Punk Revival in Russia.

This organisation is a collective one, association or federation of anarcho-punk?

Unfortunately, not...For all the time of existing of our organisation we haven' become a part of any international anarcho-punk associations or even the most famous Federation of Anarcho-Punx. The only reason is that not all the participants of Punk-Revival know any anarcho organisations in th other countries and all the more their contacts. And also not all the members know english as well as it should be, but I think the problem will disappear in the near future and the language borders won't prevent any more. Fortunately, our department, PR-Krasnoyarsk can be proud that our anarcho-punks know english on good level, furthermore we always try to improve our language knowledge and skills by communication with people all around the world in order to get support from foreign organisations and comrades especially from Eastern Asia, North and South America. Only together we can make our culture strong and independent from authority and capital and destroy these fuckin' borders that surround us.

Know that in Russia the fascism has grown very of a time for as here explains this?

Well... from political point of view we can't say that the fascism is growing up so much in Russian Federation nowadays. On the other hand, yes...the problem exists and the truth is that nazis attack social activists and antifascists more and more often with knives, traumatic weapon and even with explosive. In large regional cities the situation is getting worse. Fascism is growing up more and more among city-dwellers and it is closely connected to propaganda of xenophobia and everyday's racism by politicians and the main party “United Russia”. In regions of Eastern Europe everyday's fascism is also growing up, but fortunately slowly and not so strongly. In Siberia this tendency is less than in other regions because there live people of different nationalities and culture, so that our region is very international furthermore in Siberia live a great part of native Asiatics. In Eastern Siberia a lot of people against fascism and racial prejudices, even more than in east-European part of Russia and in Western Siberia. In our city radical nazis are becoming less and less problematic. At any case they simply live like street football hooligans: they drink beer in pubs or at home, in the yards on the benches and visit football matches on weekends. We hope that in the near future we will get rid of this damned scum that have annoyed us and prevented to develop for many years.

Other punks and anarchists from there have made with hold this neo-Nazi wase?

Well... It is very moot point... In different parts of Russia and Siberia anarchists solve this problem by different ways. On the one hand, a lot of anarchists think that where there are not so many nazis or whether they are nazi-skinheads who live like street football hooligans there is no need to pay attention on them because they chose this way of life only to be in fashion. People like them heard somewhere that there's an ultra-right movement but they have done nothing political yet. Everybody knows that for those who do it only because of fashion, fashion will be over someday. But talking about large central cities where there are parties with great influence we should use any methods from protest actions to competent antifascist propaganda.

From our point of view, we, PR-Krasnoyarsk think that whether in our city the number of neo-nazis is small and moreover among them there are a lot of young poseurs the only way from the situation is a propaganda of social equality and internationalism among our city-dwellers. Only when people will think negatively about ideas of nationalism and when they will themselves want to get their city of fascists and bring them to fear and disappointment – this will be the final victory.

Have some work directed the immigrants on the part of the Russian anarchists?

Both, yes and no. Mostly, with protection of immigrants work different antifascist-human rights organisations and other left organisations. For anarchists in Russia and Siberia it's hard to find common language with immigrants. The most part of them are house-builders from countries of ex-Soviet Union. Of course, there are and students-immigrants, but for their safety answer student trade unions. For russian and for many anarchists of Eastern Europe: from Belorussia and Ukraine – work with immigrants and propaganda among them ideas of anarchism is getting better and better. And of course, anarchists many times took part and organised actions in protection of immigrants workers and students, against their oppression by fascists. Also some anarcho-syndicalist take part in legal aid and help worker-immigrants. But despite all these facts it hasn't been yet a great and serious work with immigrants when they start themselves large-scale fight for their rights, for their self-organization and self-administration with other workers on factories and buildings local cities of Russian Federation.

Somebody of the Punk Revival organization already participated, or participates of I.A.P. (International Anarcopunk)?

We can't say about other departments of Punk Revival – Russia: from Saint-Petersburg, Moscow, Voronezh and Arkhangelsk, but Punk Revival – Krasnoyarsk is for with great pleasure! How it was said before, for us any entry in world organisation or association of anarcho-punks will do much good! And we are always ready to exchange our production that we do by ourselves: clothes, music, films, etc... Only unity and brotherhood can destroy these fuckin' borders that prevent us to be together!

Contact Us

Official site/blog to Punk Revival - Krasnoyarsk
http://kras-punxrevival.blogspot.com/
E-mail: [email protected]

Official site to organization Punk Revival - Russia:
http://pv.anho.org/

Official site to Punk Revival - St. Petersburg
http://pv.mahost.org/
E-mail: [email protected]