No.5: Take a Stand Against the Klan and Nazis | Original Issuez Highlights
In 2025, it is more important than ever for the people of Chicago, and the rest of the world, to stand up against racist violence and hatred in their communities. This article, written by the John Brown Anti-Klan Committee, an anti-racist activist group that ran from 1978-1990, was originally featured on page five of issue five of WholesomeZine in 1986. It details members of the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis showing up to anti-racist and anti-apartheid events to attack protesters.
As we can see from this article, racist groups have always been more than willing to perpetuate violence against peaceful protesters, because racism is violence. At the end, the author calls for active support of the freedom struggle in South Africa as well as Black and Jewish struggles in the United States. With ongoing protests in Chicago against the Trump administration, ICE raids, and the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, this report is a historical reminder that we - especially those of us who are white - continue to have the responsibility to speak out against racial terror.
Source: WholesomeZine Issue Five 1986; Written by the John Brown Anti-Klan Committee
The group of about 60 had gathered to participate in the “Stamp Out Racist Graffiti” project, sponsored by the John Brown Anti-Klan Committee. John Brown conceived the project out of increasing concern about the growth of neo-Nazis and racist violence in Chicago. Supporters planned to paint over the many swastikas and white power graffiti that appear on walls and bus stops all over the Lakeview area.
Instead, we found approximately 15 members of the Klan, Nazis and Romantic Violence (a neo-Nazi punk gang with ties to the American Nazi Party) when we gathered at noon. Carrying Nazi flags, a U.S. flag, Nazi shields and placards, the racists began chanting “white power”.
Our immediate response was to oppose the Nazis by drowning out their “white power” chants with our own chants of “KKK - Out of Our Community”. Others among us went to the street corner and encouraged motorists to honk their horns to oppose the KKK. We passed out flyers to people in the community and alerted people that they were in the park.
As we continued to chant and stand up to the Klansmen, they attacked the crowd by jabbing with sharpened flagpoles, striking with Nazi shields, and throwing punches, Several in the anti-racist group received minor injuries and three people were taken to the hospital with head injuries.
The Klansmen returned to their cars, opened their trunks and pulled out a tire jack and other potential weapons. They headed back to the park, with one of them running towards the anti-racist crowd and swinging a heavy tire jack. Only then did the police arrive. They had to physically restrain the Klansmen from further attacks. The police escorted them back to their cars and on their way. THEY ARRESTED NO ONE.
They had to physically restrain the Klansmen from further attacks. The police escorted them back to their cars and on their way. THEY ARRESTED NO ONE.
For those of us who have seen the videotape of the 1979 Greensboro Klan murders of 5 anti-Klan activists, it was indeed chilling to see the KKK open their car trunks for weapons. It was chilling to realize that in a heavily patrolled area, the police did not show up for at least 20 minutes as the Klan attacked our gathering.
In the past, the Chicago police have bent over backwards to protect the Nazis as they came out to publically call for the genocide against Blacks and Jews. They have arrested anti-Nazi demonstrators on several occasions. Yet, when they had to physically restrain Nazis from attacking people with car jacks, they made no arrests.
The Klan and Nazis did not come out to have a peaceful picket, to exercise their “rights to free speech”. They came to injure - with flagpoles that they had sharpened into spears, with shields with sharpened edges. They came to intimidate. Clearly, when in the span of 48 hours, they appear at 3 different anti-racist activities, their intent is to prevent progressive people from carrying out this work.
We believe that all people have the right - and responsibility - to actively support the freedom struggle in Anzania/South Africa, as well as the Black struggle here. At a time when Black families’ homes are firebombed, when crosses have been burned, and synagogues attacked, we must oppose those who carry out racist violence. We cannot allow the Klan and Nazis to stop us, to force us out of public parks, to frighten us as we walk in our communities.
The situation is serious. It is crucial that everyone who opposes the Klan and Nazis stand up and be heard. If we do not try to stop them now, it will only get more difficult. What was the lesson of Germany, but that ignoring the Nazis does not make them go away?
What was the lesson of Germany, but that ignoring the Nazis does not make them go away?