The fight against New York’s Nazis in February 1939

JVL Introduction

Nathaniel Flakin tells the story, almost forgotten till recently, of how 50,000 antifascists rallied in protest against a large Nazi rally in New York’s Madison Square Gardens in February 1939.

What is unusual is that this counter demonstration was organised neither by the Communist nor Socialist Parties and was not supported by the radical Jewish press,  Forward declaring: “Avoid the area around Madison Square Garden today and do not participate in any demonstration around the hall.”

It was the Trotskyist Socialist Workers’ Party which called the protest and its call was answered by vast crowds, met by the largest police force New York City had ever deployed against a single demonstration – to defend the Nazis’ right to “free speech.”

Indeed, Trotskyism in that period was enormously appealing to radical Jews show wanted to fight fascism and many socialist Zionists from Hashomer Hatzair became important Trotskyists – and anti-Zionists.

This article was originally published by Red Flag on Tue 5 May 2020. Read the original here.