(The following article is from the November 1-15, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)
PV Vancouver Bureau

At 5:38 am on the morning of October 3rd, Calgary Anti-Racist Action (ARA) members Jason Devine and Bonnie Collins awoke to the sound of glass breaking. A cinder block had been thrown through the front window of their house, as well as a smaller projectile through the bedroom window of their three sleeping children. The front door had been tagged with graffiti: a red spray-painted "C-18" and a swastika. "C-18" is a reference to Commando 18, a British-based fascist group.

     The attack occurred just a week before an October 10 rally in the city's Bridgeland neighbourhood to alert residents about the increasing neo-Nazi activity in the community.

     Jason and Bonnie have been targeted before, first in February 2008 with a molotov cocktail thrown at their house, and again last summer on the morning before a local anti-racist rally. They have also received numerous insults and threats over the internet. Many Calgarians believe the attacks are the work of the Aryan Guard, a neo-nazi movement which has been extremely visible in the city for several years.

     Refusing to be intimidated, the couple issued a statement stressing that "this is a clearly not a random act of violence but a direct target to us and our family, other anti-racist activists, and all who are against racism, with a clear message: neo-Nazis are violent, have no regard for human life, especially children, and they are clearly a terrorist gang."

     ARA members held their Oct. 10 rally as planned. Speaking to participants, Devine warned the racists that "You're not wanted here. Nobody wants you here, nobody wants you in the neighbourhood, nobody wants you in the city.... Racism is wrong. It's horrible. We're not going to accept it. We're never going to accept it. We're never going to back down."

     He urged those who are worried about protesting publicly to take other forms of action, such as writing letters to city hall and to the police department to demand an end to racist violence.