It is a classic problem for extremists, motorcycle gangs and criminals. Where do we meet? Where we have a beer? Where we can be who we want to be, without getting whining? Where we can discuss the best things that can not bear the light? Home, in the pub or in a private area? We pass by all three of these options within the extreme right-wing associations. But recently there has been a new development has become visible. Neo-Nazis recently opened two bars for its own supporters in Veendam and Ravenstein.
First a brief glimpse into the past. The search for suitable spaces issue is not one of today or yesterday. Right-wing extremists have since the Second World War, struggling to find meeting places. They want to consult, gather, meet each other, celebrate, drink and performances and gatherings can care for the grassroots. That all worked really long time, or a single time with great difficulty. Renting suitable premises proved to be often hopeless. Bosses pub and club owners did not right-wing extremists. Because they did not agree with them, but more often because problems were expected.
Right Extremists in your building, which is bad for the name, which chases away other clients and often causes major problems with political opponents or police authorities. Because the rent under his own name does not turn out well, was the late seventies switched to a new strategy. It is designed to discuss halls and pubs under a false name. That worked a few times it, but often not as political opponents behind them managed to get. Which then still staged a protest action or lit hall owners preventive. Which broke in many cases then leases.
Living-room
It seemed that the own home is often the only place where it could be undisturbed gathered. That was tight, but safe and without risk of much whining. And sometimes this alternative was affable. For example, had the very active Blood & Honour North Country group around 2006 some places to gather in and around Winschoten. For example, the Winschoten neo Martin of Gravel presented his house available for meetings of the club. But the parents of some young Blood & Honour members suggested houses, barn and farmland available for extreme right-wing pub nights, barbecues and other gatherings. Led to meetings in these areas for an increasing nuisance and the municipality in some cases surgery. Thus, a large barbecue gathering of Blood & Honour in 2009 banned by the mayor and terminated based on a noodbevel. After a long process by an attendee neo showed that decision, however, taken to be unjustified.
Extreme right-wing squatters
In other places looked for other solutions. One way that ensured appropriate spaces at limited cost, was to crack empty buildings. Extreme right-wing activists from Outpost circles creaked example 2000 an empty barracks in the woods around Eindhoven. That site was several years after a rallying point for right-wing extremists from all over the Netherlands. He had kroegavonden, concerts, political meetings and there was room for some people to attend. That situation could persist long because the city of Eindhoven and Defence - the owners of the complex - saw no reason to evacuate the complex. That changed in 2003 when a neo-Nazi concert was planned with a pronounced anti-Semitic announcement. That gave so much turmoil that it came quickly to an eviction of the squat. A few years later, in 2009, Neo-Nazis also tried in the Hague region of the National Socialist Action (NSA) to crack a few buildings. However, it was less successful: they were always cleared after a short time. Ultimately, such initiatives also proved short-lived.
Meanwhile, it seemed old lease problem to have become somewhat lower. The action group Voorpost example, has organized a number of years running regional 'stock tables'. These are monthly regional meetings Voorpost members and sympathizers that usually take place in a regular pub. That actually always works without major problems, already outpost guards there if they are not publicly known meeting places.
And the tribe tables also demonstrate why meeting spaces are so important. Important for the social aspect, conviviality and camaraderie, but also for the organizations: get at these meetings (regional) structures of an extreme right-wing group like Outpost form, can talk and be mobilized for actions and can be consulted about all sorts of practical issues.
Nazi Bars
Weather else did the North Holland Ulfhednar the neo-Nazi group. Shortly after the establishment of the group was concerned its own space in the coastal town of Callantsoog. This space was in the summer of 2011 used to organize meetings of supporters and other interested parties. Initially, it was done without any problems. That changed when two members, in the presence of a Flemish terror suspect, were met by a SWAT team out of their cars for possession of firearms.
A short time later the mayor of Callantsoog banned next meeting. This time litigated one of the neo-Nazis and ended up two years later as with the Council of State. But then Ulfhednar already disappeared from the scene. Even though this project failed partly, it made it apparent for some inspiration. For the past few months as many as two pubs were opened with a clear neo-Nazi image, “De Nationalist” in Ravenstein en “Rac‘n’Roll Place” in Veendam.
De Nationalist
The pub in Ravenstein is an initiative of resident John Willemse (1979), more than a decade already active in extreme right-circuits and lately especially visible as an active member of the Dutch People's Union (NVU). He opened his space 'Nationalist' in October 2014. Under the motto "uniting nationalists and National Socialists" is the pub opened about once a month. Drink is sold, there are beds available and there is room for some thirty people. Willemse sees his pub as a "national liberated zone". This term refers to a German phenomenon. Such a zone is an area where, through intimidation and violence attempts to exclude migrants and bullying way.
Nationalist from the beginning a club base for the NVU supporters, of which a significant part of the active supporters in the region lives. Furthermore, there are also regular members since the opening of the Autonomous Nationalists from Flanders along. The neo-Nazi group has since then - and possibly in the Ravensteinse pub - ever more closely with the NCE. Recently, both organizations even known that the Autonomous Nationalists will go on behalf of the NCE do Flemish elections. But apart from this encounter function happens more. In Nationalist political theme nights are held and propaganda material of the NCE, Black Front and Identitair Resistance spread. Begin 2015 shows that Nationalist has aspirations. "This year we will have x number of meetings to organize and participate in activities and demonstrations" they write on their facebook page. On what should be considered for such actions and demonstrations soon turns. In early March they want when they "True to Red White Blue 'meeting to raise money for a wreath to commemorate fallen German SS men at the war cemetery in Ysselsteyn.
Rac’n’Roll Place
Veendam is about an old gym just outside the center, where a portion from July 2014 was opened as a tavern. Martin pivotal figure of the grind (1969) from Winschoten has been running for over thirty years around in the extreme right scene and this gym has been converted into 'Rac'n'Roll Place'. Here is sold as in Ravenstein drink and far-right propaganda material distributed. As the southern Nationalist Flemish guests also pulling know, so Rac'n'Roll Place focuses successfully on German sympathizers. The difference between these spots is that there are gatherings take place more often in Veendam, where significantly more visitors coming. There is also a space where archery, strength training and kickboxing can be practiced. Furthermore they occasionally musicians, such as the Australian guitarist Nigel Brown (1967). Brown has played in a number of imaginative Nazi bands and was sentenced in Australia to nine months' imprisonment for 'gay bashing'. In 1995 he takes in the North Holland village Zwaag a CD with his band Celtic Warrior. During this recording, the band members were arrested by police. Two years later, Brown was sentenced to a fine of 1500,- for insulting Jews. In the old&new party which 2014 ended the visitors could admire Rac'n'Roll Brown a fee of € 15,- entree.
Rac'n'Roll Place brings together two groups. In his pub The Grind receives both right-wing extremists that are currently active in Blood & Honour circles. From his own region, de divisie Blood & Honour North Country, but also from other groups from the rest of the country. There will also be groups of far-right skinheads on the floor not to Blood & Honour connected. The skinhead culture is a youth style where the grind of thirty years working in and where he has kept many old contacts. The pub also steeped in a skinhead atmosphere. The name, Rac’n Roll, refers to far-right skinhead music, ‘Rock Against Communism’. On the wall are all kinds of skinhead attributes, including a flag "Hou Kontakt '. Hou Kontakt was an organization for Nazi skinheads in the early nineties, From where the grind time had charge. The atmosphere in the pub evenings can be described as rough and boisterous. One evening in January pelting different visitors each other for fun with darts and let Martin of Gravel shoot himself with a airsoftpistool. Barman Liam Taylor (1982) adjusts his boxing skills acquired in the Rac'n'Roll Place Post. Down the street from the pub he hits that night seemingly for no reason someone in the face, leading to his arrest and a night in jail.
Given the great distance (200 km) between the two bars it might be expected that there is little overlap is in visitors and organization. But that's not entirely true. There are brought about and visit again and the barman Liam Taylor Rac'n'Roll Place serves one evening also customers Nationalist. And actually, that's not so strange. The extreme right scene in the Netherlands was small and manageable, they know each other.
As we noted earlier in this article outlined his meetings and meeting areas so critical to any extreme right-wing organization. In these places one can own - controversial - identity without bringing problems out, there is room for friendship, music and fun, There meetings and training sessions can be held, there can be earned and collected money, in short: an organization on legs can be put. Of the two new pubs, Rac'n'Roll Place in Veendam and Nationalist in Ravenstein, those functions are also going to perform is still difficult to determine after a few months. The illegal nature of these pubs, the openly Nazi orientation and the disruption to the environment are potential problems for sustainable continuation of this meeting spaces.
