Squadism
Encyclopedia
Squadism was a militant movement within the Anti-Nazi League
in the United Kingdom
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Participants used violence and intimidation to break up meetings, marches and other gatherings of far right
groups such as the National Front
and the British Movement
. The idea behind the tactic was to intimidate groups seen as fascist
, without generating media publicity for the far right. Squadism became increasingly frowned upon by the ANL leadership, and many squadists were expelled. When the ANL disbanded, many ex-squad members went on to form Anti-Fascist Action
and Red Action
.
In Italy, the Arditi del Popolo
(people's squads) pursued a similar policy in the 1920s and was suppressed by the Communist Party of Italy
.
Anti-Nazi League
The Anti-Nazi League was an organisation set up in 1977 on the initiative of the Socialist Workers Party with sponsorship from some trade unions and the endorsement of a list of prominent people to oppose the rise of far-right groups in the United Kingdom. It was wound down in 1981...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Participants used violence and intimidation to break up meetings, marches and other gatherings of far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
groups such as the National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
and the British Movement
British Movement
The British Movement , later called the British National Socialist Movement , is a British neo-Nazi organisation founded by Colin Jordan in 1968. It grew out of the National Socialist Movement , which was founded in 1962...
. The idea behind the tactic was to intimidate groups seen as fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
, without generating media publicity for the far right. Squadism became increasingly frowned upon by the ANL leadership, and many squadists were expelled. When the ANL disbanded, many ex-squad members went on to form Anti-Fascist Action
Anti-Fascist Action
Anti-Fascist Action was a militant anti-fascist organization founded by members of Red Action and other left-wing groups in the United Kingdom in 1985....
and Red Action
Red Action
Red Action is a small British leftist political group formed in 1981. It became known for violently confronting racist and fascist opponents on the streets, and for supporting Anti-Fascist Action...
.
In Italy, the Arditi del Popolo
Arditi del Popolo
The Arditi del Popolo was an Italian militant anti-fascist group founded at the end of June 1921 to resist the rise of Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party and the violence of the Blackshirts paramilitaries...
(people's squads) pursued a similar policy in the 1920s and was suppressed by the Communist Party of Italy
Communist Party of Italy
The Communist Party of Italy was a communist political party in Italy which existed from 1921 to 1926. That year it was outlawed by Benito Mussolini's fascist regime. In 1943, the name was changed to the Italian Communist Party.-Foundation:The forerunner of the party was the Communist Faction...
.