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Far-right in US & Ukraine – same problem, different approach Far-right in US & Ukraine – same problem, different approach among politicians and media
(about 9 hours later)
While the recent surge in far-right violence in the US bears a striking resemblance to the situation of post-Maidan Ukraine, it gets strikingly different coverage in the MSM as well as differing reaction from Western politicians. While the recent surge in far-right violence in the US bears a striking resemblance to the situation in post-Maidan Ukraine, it gets strikingly different coverage in the MSM and differing reactions from Western politicians.
Same Nazi symbols, lit torches – different coverage Same Nazi symbols, torchlight parades – different coverage
The Unite the Right rally, held in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia on Friday night and Saturday, attracted all sorts of far-right activists, protesting the city’s plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a local park. The ‘Unite the Right’ rally, which was held in Charlottesville, Virginia on Friday night and Saturday, attracted all sorts of far-right activists protesting the city’s plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a local park.
The removal of the monument was approved in April, but the process was stalled due to multiple lawsuits.The removal of the monument was approved in April, but the process was stalled due to multiple lawsuits.
Rally participants brandished tiki torches, chanted Nazi slogans including “Sieg heil” and “blood and soil,” engaged in the Nazi salute and carried various symbols, associated with Nazi Germany, such as swastikas, black suns, runes and others. Demonstrators at the march carried tiki torches, chanted Nazi slogans, including “Sieg Heil” and “blood and soil,” gave Nazi salutes, and carried various symbols associated with Nazi Germany, such as swastikas, black suns, and runes.
The event got pretty accurate coverage in the mainstream western media, which described the protesters as “neo-Nazis” and “white supremacists,” openly called their slogans “Nazi” and branded the gathering quite inappropriate. In general, the event received accurate coverage in the Western mainstream media, which described the protesters as “neo-Nazis” and “white supremacists,” while indicating their use of Nazi slogans and symbols.
The neo-Nazi torchlight processions, which are frequently held in post-coup Ukraine, receive different coverage, if any at all. The Ukrainian far right stages yearly marches on January 1, marking the birthday of the WW2-era Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera, hailed as a national hero. The neo-Nazi torchlight processions which are frequently held in post-Maidan Ukraine, however, have received vastly different coverage in the Western media – though more often than not, they are completely ignored. Ukrainian far-right activists hold marches each year on January 1, marking the birthday of WWII-era Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera, who is hailed by many as a national hero.
A 2015 march for example received the kind of coverage in the western media; that the Nazi essence of the event was entirely watered down. A 2015 march, for example, received some coverage in the western media, but the neo-Nazi elements of the event were entirely watered down.
The far-right marchers were neutrally described as “nationalists,” who chanted “patriotic” slogans, carried torches as well as “red and black nationalist flags.” While the flag represents exactly the same “blood and soil” symbol, originating from Nazi Germany, which was used in Charlottesville, it did not receive any colorful epithets as the Charlottesville events. The far-right marchers in Ukraine were described in neutral terms: “nationalists” who chanted “patriotic” slogans, and carried torches and “red and black nationalist flags.” While the Ukrainian “nationalist” flag – which represents the ‘Blood and Soil’ ideology – originated in Nazi Germany and was also used in Charlottesville, it was not exposed and condemned as it was in the media coverage of the Charlottesville events.
The presence of other neo-Nazi symbols at the Kiev march also somehow slipped from the coverage. Other neo-Nazi symbols in the Kiev march also managed to elude mainstream media coverage.
While the article admits that Bandera “was the ideological patron of resistance fighters who fought alongside invading German forces during World War II,” he is also somehow described as an “anti-Soviet insurgent branded by Moscow as a Nazi collaborator.” While the article admits that Bandera “was the ideological patron of resistance fighters who fought alongside invading German forces during World War II,” it also describes him as an “anti-Soviet insurgent branded by Moscow as a Nazi collaborator.”
Response to far-right violenceResponse to far-right violence
The clashes and car ramming attack in Charlottesville, which left one person dead and dozens injured, prompted swift and stiff reaction from officials and triggered a state of emergency in the city. Following the clashes between far-right activists, counter protesters and the police, the gathering was declared unlawful and was broken up. The clashes and car ramming attack in Charlottesville, which left one person dead and dozens injured, prompted swift reactions and triggered a state of emergency in the city. Following the clashes between far-right activists, counter-protesters, and police, the gathering was declared unlawful and was broken up.
“All the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today: Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth,” Governor Terry McAuliffe said during a news conference.“All the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today: Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth,” Governor Terry McAuliffe said during a news conference.
Mayor of the city, Mike Signer, condemned the car ramming incident as “a clear terrorist attack with a car used as a weapon.” The mayor of the city, Mike Signer, condemned the car ramming incident as “a clear terrorist attack with a car used as a weapon.”
President Trump’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, also branded the incident as a domestic terrorist act. US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, also called the incident an act of terrorism.
“Anytime that you commit an attack against people to incite fear, it meets the definition of terrorism,” McMaster said. “What you see here is a criminal act against fellow Americans. A criminal act that may have been motivated — and we'll see what's turned up in this investigation — by this hatred and bigotry, which I mentioned we have to extinguish in our nation.” “Anytime that you commit an attack against people to incite fear, it meets the definition of terrorism,” McMaster said. “What you see here is a criminal act against fellow Americans. A criminal act that may have been motivated – and we’ll see what’s turned up in this investigation – by this hatred and bigotry, which I mentioned we have to extinguish in our nation.”
The violent Ukraine “revolution” in late 2013 – early 2014 received quite a different reaction from western politicians. The violent Ukrainian “revolution” in late 2013 to early 2014 received a different reaction from Western politicians.
While the standoff between far-right militants spearheaded Maidan and riot police promptly turned violent, all the blame for the violence was pinned on then-President Viktor Yanukovich.While the standoff between far-right militants spearheaded Maidan and riot police promptly turned violent, all the blame for the violence was pinned on then-President Viktor Yanukovich.
The first clashes in early December 2013 were depicted as cruel oppression against “peaceful protesters,” and the rioters were praised as “brave Ukrainians.”The first clashes in early December 2013 were depicted as cruel oppression against “peaceful protesters,” and the rioters were praised as “brave Ukrainians.”
“We are delighted that so many Ukrainians are braving the cold to protest their president's abrupt decision to withdraw from signing the Association Agreement with the European Union,” Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski and his Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt said in a joint statement, praising the anti-Russian stance at the beginning Maidan and completely overlooking the violent far-right participants of the movement.“We are delighted that so many Ukrainians are braving the cold to protest their president's abrupt decision to withdraw from signing the Association Agreement with the European Union,” Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski and his Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt said in a joint statement, praising the anti-Russian stance at the beginning Maidan and completely overlooking the violent far-right participants of the movement.
“Violence and intimidation should have no place in today's Ukraine,” then spokeswoman for the US State Department Jen Psaki said, urging Kiev to respect the rights of Ukrainians for their “free expression,” and effectively condemning the weak attempts of Yanukovich to curb the violence.“Violence and intimidation should have no place in today's Ukraine,” then spokeswoman for the US State Department Jen Psaki said, urging Kiev to respect the rights of Ukrainians for their “free expression,” and effectively condemning the weak attempts of Yanukovich to curb the violence.
Who has a right to be anti-Nazi?Who has a right to be anti-Nazi?
US President Donald Trump has also found himself in hot water over the events in Charlottesville, but apparently, for not condemning the far-right activists in general, and the car attacker specifically. Trump’s statement, which condemned the “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides,” was branded in the media as being “extremely unpresidential” and not forceful enough.US President Donald Trump has also found himself in hot water over the events in Charlottesville, but apparently, for not condemning the far-right activists in general, and the car attacker specifically. Trump’s statement, which condemned the “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides,” was branded in the media as being “extremely unpresidential” and not forceful enough.
“No doubt the thousands of counter protesters included a fringe of hard-left losers, such as the “antifa” thugs who seem to relish armed conflict. But the vast bulk of them had nothing to do with “hatred, bigotry and violence”: You don’t have to be any kind of radical to be anti-Nazi,” an editorial issued by the New York post reads.“No doubt the thousands of counter protesters included a fringe of hard-left losers, such as the “antifa” thugs who seem to relish armed conflict. But the vast bulk of them had nothing to do with “hatred, bigotry and violence”: You don’t have to be any kind of radical to be anti-Nazi,” an editorial issued by the New York post reads.
However, such an approach of condemning explicitly intentional violent acts – which led to the loss of life – did not apply to the bloodshed in Ukraine.However, such an approach of condemning explicitly intentional violent acts – which led to the loss of life – did not apply to the bloodshed in Ukraine.
 The tragic events in Odessa on May 2014, when far-right militants shot and burned alive 48 people and injured dozens others opposing the coup did not receive any unified international condemnation. Those killed have been described in the western media as “pro-Kremlin activists” and their murderers as “Kiev supporters.” The tragic events in Odessa on May 2014, when far-right militants shot and burned alive 48 people and injured dozens others opposing the coup did not receive any unified international condemnation. Those killed have been described in the western media as “pro-Kremlin activists” and their murderers as “Kiev supporters.”
 German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for example, who was visiting the US during the Odessa events, used it to threaten Russia with new sanctions for the alleged destabilization of Ukraine, while somehow not noticing the neo-Nazis committing the crimes. The current Charlottesville unrest, on the contrary, despite the striking similarities, received the strongest condemnation from Merkel. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for example, who was visiting the US during the Odessa events, used it to threaten Russia with new sanctions for the alleged destabilization of Ukraine, while somehow not noticing the neo-Nazis committing the crimes. The current Charlottesville unrest, on the contrary, despite the striking similarities, received the strongest condemnation from Merkel.
“The scenes at the right-wing extremist march were absolutely repulsive, naked racism, anti-Semitism and hate in their most evil form were on display,” Merkel’s spokesman told reporters. “Such images and chants are disgusting wherever they may be and they are diametrically opposed to the political goals of the chancellor and the entire German government.”“The scenes at the right-wing extremist march were absolutely repulsive, naked racism, anti-Semitism and hate in their most evil form were on display,” Merkel’s spokesman told reporters. “Such images and chants are disgusting wherever they may be and they are diametrically opposed to the political goals of the chancellor and the entire German government.”
The probe into the Odessa events has been stalling for the three years, and despite publicly available footage and photos, showing the actions of the far-right militants, gunshot wounds on the bodies of the victims and other evidence of the massacre are still not found, while the media still describes the well-documented course of the events only as “Russian version.”The probe into the Odessa events has been stalling for the three years, and despite publicly available footage and photos, showing the actions of the far-right militants, gunshot wounds on the bodies of the victims and other evidence of the massacre are still not found, while the media still describes the well-documented course of the events only as “Russian version.”