Hey y'all, wanna hear a somewhat funny story?

here goes :

So we're walking with a partner in the street. And a guy just says "glory to the National Rally (NR)". National Rally is Rassemblement National in French and is a far right party founded by literal nazis after WW2.

So I looked at him. I had no intentions whatsoever at first, wasn't sure what to say. But he saw me look at him and provoked me with something like "yeah that's right". Not a good day for that my guy… Went up to him and started an argument immediately that he shouldn't provoke me like that and that it is absolutely inacceptable to say what he said. He was visibly uncomfortable though trying to put on a brave face. Clearly he wasn't expecting anything or anyone to react. You know, the sort of embarrassment you have when you say something private out loud to yourself and suddenly realise there was someone behind you withing earshot. His friend said "no he was talking to me". Clear attempt to protect his friends. I know this strategy, I've used it, not gonna fly with me. Makes me think he was pretty young, 20yo tops, maybe even barely 18yo (he was driving though so necessarily a legal adult, 18yo were I live). The argument went on for a few minutes, not much longer. He invoked "freedom of speech". To which I answered that fascists don't have freedom of speech. He was chocked (or pretended to be) that I called the NR fascist since they are a "political party". Of course said that made no difference and he better learn, fast, that they are fascists. Also threatened him of violence for saying what he said out loud, that he was either joking or in danger. He wasn't scary for me at the time and though I amnot prone to violence, in this day and age, you better scare me pretty good if you wanna say stuff like that in public, or I'm gonna get in your face and fucking yell at you and make trouble. He then threatened violence against me and made a transphobic remark about my partner. I let it slide (cause otherwise something in me wanted to escalate the conflict further but that would have been a bad move in this case). Kept yelling at each other as both groups were continuing on their way.

Nothing major. But yeah, it was clear to me that he's a young radicalised person that doesn't realise what it means to be far right and a fascist supporter. My goal was to show by example that being far right is not safe in public space. That people will call you out and won't let you say whatever. I'd rather him not to be far right, but if he is, if anyone is, they keep that shit at home and private. Those assholes need to learn shame again.

Don't want to over blow it, it wasn't much, even feeling it was a duty to do something. Not saying I'm right, just that it is how I lived this. But still, I'm pretty proud of that one. I usually leave this kind of interaction pretty scared of what will happen in the next few days, what if he finds me back or something. There was almost none of that this time. Of course I thought about it and still am a bit – like I'm writing this text right? – but I feel safe. He's not dangerous as is, I don't think. And if he is? Well, that's that, I don't want to regret or anything. Plus the chance of me ever seeing him again are slim. And he'd have to recognize me. Though considering how I look generally, I am a lot more memorable than he is (random white guy with white guy style… bland as fuck).

Something I'm not proud of: I acted very swiftly and had no chance to consult my partner whether they were ok with me getting in his face like that. My action was a risk and dragged them into that with no prior consent. Of course we talked about it afterward and they said it was ok. Also, it's the second time we are both present for a conflict in the street. Last time was a kid getting bullied and assaulted and had time to agree to go and take him out of there.

Anyway. I'm not sure why I'm telling the story publicly. In part, it's because I'm insecure about what I do in life and I want to show and sometime I'm active and trying something to resist. But also to show the full spectrum of emotions and stakes that goes throw me. Hoping it will help people that don't feel brave enough or up to that kind of behaviour. Trying to curb the virilist narrative I see in anarchist and antifascist circles I've been in. It is difficult, it is scary and it is messy.

✊

#antifascism #dailyActivism