‘Stand Up’, a coalition of associations opposed to the far right, is transforming itself into the Brussels Anti-Fascist Front (FAB).
The organisation is reorganising to broaden its base and offer "a direct and pragmatic response to the threats" posed by the far right to society and democracy, it announced on Thursday.
‘Stand Up Against Fascism’ (its full name) was created in 2018. Around 30 associations, trade unions and other organisations came together to form a united front against the rise of the far right in Europe.
The Human Rights League, the non-profit organisation Garance, which fights against gender-based violence, the Jeunes FGTB and CSC Brussels, the Christian Workers' Movement (MOC) and the Comac (the youth movement of the PTB) and collectives fighting against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia were among the first signatories.
With Stand Up joining the FAB, "the idea is to open up the collective to individuals, because we are seeing more and more people wanting to get involved," explains group spokesperson Berro Ammar.
"Without necessarily being activists or associated with a political party or movement, many people are realising the harmful impact of the Arizona government's policies and want to react," he continues, adding that this includes "many young people".
N-VA, the party of Prime Minister Bart De Wever, sits in the European Parliament within the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), a group that also includes the far-right French party Reconquête d'Éric Zemmour and Giorgia Meloni's post-fascist Fratelli d'Italia, the Brussels activists points out.
This is why the new structure welcomes both organisations and activists ‘of different sensibilities and with multiple modes of action’, provided that they all adhere to the Front's demands, which are identical to those of Stand Up.
The coalition calls for a society free of racism, sexism and transphobia "on a liveable planet", a "genuine sharing of wealth", the guarantee of freedom of demonstration and the preservation of the right to strike.
A charter is expected to be presented on Saturday at a general assembly in Saint-Gilles. Each member of the FAB will have one vote to decide on the actions to be taken and the political angles of attack, Ammar concluded.
