Aurora Helsinki gathered today with other comrades to show solidarity with the anti-fascists sentenced to prison in Germany this week and to remember a Parisian comrade who had to pay the ultimate price for his anti-fascist beliefs ten years ago.

German anti-fascist Lina E., imprisoned since 2020, was sentenced this Wednesday to more than five years in prison for founding a ”criminal organisation” and for property and violent crimes against nazis. The trial of Lina and her comrades was marked from the start by the political colouring of the arguments put forward by the prosecution and by numerous delays in the judicial process, which delayed the verdict by several months. In addition to Lina, her fellow defendants received sentences ranging from two years to more than three years. These sentences have prompted thousands of people to take to the streets across Germany and on Saturday 3rd of June, despite a police ban on demonstrations, a nationwide Tag X mobilisation will take place in Leipzig to protest against the increasing criminalisation of anti-fascist activities. We condemn the political repression by the German state that aims to crush the resistance against the far right which is actively murdering people in Germany, and we demand the release of our comrades!

At the same time, we want to remember Clément Méric, an anti-fascist who was murdered by nazis in Paris ten years ago on 5th of June. Clément was known within his group as an active and reliable comrade, whose legacy has been present in the annual demonstrations in his memory over the last ten years, as well as in the broader anti-fascist movement fighting both the French extreme right and the state. From 1st to 6th of June 2023, an international anti-fascist week will be held in Paris in memory of Clément, and with this picture we want to contribute by sending a message to our comrades in France. The memory of Clément lives everywhere as a part of the movement against the far right and their hostile policies!

Freedom for Lina!
Clément Méric – toujours présent!
Helsinki hates Nazis!