Several former chapters of Anti-Racist Action (ARA) have formed a new anti-fascist network called TORCH. They write, “This isn’t a fracture or schism coming from internal strife but the result of the realization that the blueprint laid out in a time before the internet no longer serves as a sufficient model for combating fascism…. Because of changes in the current political climate as well as our own political development, our understanding of what fascism is and how it relates to other political entities such as the working class, capital, and the state has evolved. We want to build a new network that fits our needs and politics. One that is more relevant and appealing to a new generation of anti-fascists.” So far they haven’t spelled out what these political changes are or how they will affect anti-fascist work, but it’s early days yet.
TORCH includes affiliate groups in Los Angeles; Central Florida; Central Texas; Bloomington and Lafayette, Indiana; Philadelphia; and Chicago. Its points of unity are closely based on the ARA unity principles, but with some differences. For instance, the first ARA point reads, “We go where they go…. Never let the Nazis have the street!” TORCH replaces this with “We disrupt fascist and far right organizing and activity” — a shift that might reflect greater emphasis on combating fascist activities online. Also, while ARA’s point #3 proclaims a “non-sectarian defense of anti-fascists” despite political differences within the ARA network, TORCH specifies, “We not only support each other within the network, but we also support people outside the network who we believe have similar aims or principles.”
For more information about TORCH or to get involved, see torchantifa.org.