European Union supports gig of right-wing extremist music bands

Right-wing extremist bands from Austria, England and Italy will perform at a Darkwave-Festival in Spain

On July 14th/15th 2000 a Spanish organization is planning a concert festival „Arcana Europa“ in the town of Taracon, 80km southeast of Madrid. A number of leading perfomers of the European right-wing extremist music scene will perform in the amphitheatre Segobriga. According to the websites of the organizers „Los Cantos de Maldoror“ (www.seduced.to/arcana-europa) the festival is supported by the European Union and regional Spanish governmental departments.

Some of the scheduled musicians from Austria, England and Italy represent the right-wing extremist segment of the Dark-Wave- or Neofolk-Scene. (see below for details). Many of the performing musicians are uniting behind their cultural orientation towards traditional values and criticism of modernism. They are propagating a religious orientation in the framework of a so-called Neo-Paganism which is opposed to christianity and an idea of elitism in opposition to the idea of egalitarism. There is substantial evidence that a number of these formations and individuals have had contacts to well-known right-wing extremist and neofascist circles in the recent past.

There seems to be an obvious lack of sensitivity among the organizers and supporters of the festival for a music scene, which has had to defend itself against increasing attempts of subversion and influence by right-wing extremists in the last few years. The right-wing extremists are linked on a European scale. By subverting and influencing this youth culture they see a possibility to overcome their social fringe positions.

A support of festivals in which right-wing extremists are involved is contradicting the European efforts to push back the inhumane fascist and right-wing ideologies in youth cultures.

The signatories of this press bulletin demand from the European Union and the regional governmental structures a support for events in the area of youth culture which are based on the principle of promoting the understanding between peoples. We demand from the Spanish and European institutions, that they immediately withdraw their direct or indirect support of the festival in Tarancon.

APABIZ – Antifaschistisches Presse-Archiv und Bildungszentrum Berlin (Antifascist Press Archive and Educational Center Berlin)

AIB – Antifaschistisches Infoblatt (Antifascist Magazine)