Solidarity with the ‘Tinley Park Five’

The Detroit branch of Workers World Party held a public forum Aug. 4 on fighting fascism. The speakers included Abayomi Azikiwe, a WW contributing editor, who spoke on the history of fascism and racism in the United States. This writer did a short talk on WWP’s history of fighting fascism, whether it comes from the Klan, the American National Socialists, or any other hyper-reactionary forces. The special guests of the evening were part of the Tinley Park Five’s defense team who, for safety reasons, used only the first names Chandra and John.

Back in May, the Tinley Park Five — all militant anti-fascists and part of Anti-Racist Action or ARA — confronted a group of racists with the Illinois European Heritage Association, which has links with the fascist National Socialist Movement, who were meeting in a restaurant in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, Ill.

Chandra and John talked at great length about the extensive work ARA has done over the years in fighting reactionaries wherever they rear their ugly heads. Their organization has branches all over the country, as well as some in Canada and Mexico.

Currently, the Tinley Park Five are being held in captivity on multiple felony charges with a collective $1 million bond. It is clear they are political prisoners of the capitalist state.

Organizations or individuals who take the position of militant anti-fascism deserve the solidarity and support of the entire progressive movement. Fascists and racists must be combated wherever they are, whether by organizing mass actions, or confronting and stopping them physically. A liberal attitude of ignoring them accomplishes nothing. In fact, it only emboldens the racists.

For more information on the anti-fascist fight and the struggle to free the Tinley Park Five, visit tinleyparkfive.wordpress.com.