Controversy surrounded the February 16th “Punks Against Police” matinee. Originally to be held at ABC No Rio, it was moved to a venue in East Williamsburg after discussions regarding the affiliation of one band member with NATA-NY (National “Anarchist” Tribal Alliance – New York), and in particular of his promotion of the show in National “Anarchist” circles. Tensions regarding the show cooled after organizers and the band in question publicly denounced NATA and their positions. Nonetheless, NATA’s founder, Craig Fitzgerald, commented on the show’s Facebook event page that “NATA would be in attendance.”
True to his word, Fitzgerald assembled 7 National “Anarchists” and attempted to “storm the show.” Apparently, they didn’t get much farther than the stairwell, where they were promptly ejected, and then heckled as they lingered on the sidewalk. Defeated, the group posted an “Anti-Antifa” sticker outside the venue, and wandered around East Williamsburg, curiously stopping for a few photos near a camel in a nearby playground before dispersing.
Before they were ejected from the show, NATA kept a relatively low profile. Now their secret is out. They aren’t anarchists or freedom fighters, they are right-wingers trying to worm their way into radical circles. Our reservations about the affiliations and attitudes of one of the bands aside, we are happy that punks and radicals in New York, as fractured as they are, can at least agree that NATA’s Third Positionist, racial separatist, and anti-Semitic rhetoric should be given no tolerance and no forum.
Meet NATA:
Craig Fizgerald, Robert Erick, Luke Bilgrey (?), Carlton Hastein
Unmasked:
Craig FitzGerald
Robert Erick
Carlton Hastein
Also in attendance:
Brad Solomon
Gabriel Brown. Despite his attire, this is the guy who wrote a piece calling antifascists “clowns.”
Jamie O’Hara
UPDATE: We have removed the name and image of one of the people above as he has promised not to attend future NATA events.
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