On learning of recent racist activity around the city, Philadelphia Antifa decided it was about time to make some visits.
Keystone United (aka KSS/Keystone State Skinheads/complete fucking garbage) are a pack of backwards racist boneheads that have not just a bullshit nonsense ‘ideology’, but also a string of misery wherever they go. Murderers, rapists, abusers, that’s who Keystone United is. They want new blood, and they’ve been out on Philly’s streets, advertising.
Crews of Philly Antifa responded in kind. We thought we should hit up Joey Phy’s (of 4383 Salmon St.) hood to let his neighbors know they have a Nazi in their midst. Not only should people know when they live next to a toxic dump of a ‘person’, we also want them to know that we are there, and are watching out for them. Joey Phy should not be comfortable spreading his propaganda, or walking the fucking street for that matter.
We also went back up to the northeast, where lots of KSS stickers were removed and destroyed recently. We blanketed that area too, covering up nazi symbols and messages with our own. Our friends at La horde (http://lahorde.samizdat.net/) will be happy to see their anti-fascist imagery put to use in silencing Keystone. Greedy gentrifier advertising was also disposed of; their community shattering tactics and property grabs dismantle deep and powerful neighborhood bonds that are the lifeblood of this city. Where they tried to take space for their messages, we took space back and stomped out their words.
When the Nazis try to crawl out of their holes, Philadelphia Antifa will be there, to bury them.
Post Trump election days have empowered every sort of white supremacist across the states. Northeast Philadelphia, always an active, stinking cesspool of racist skinheads, has seen the reemergence of the Keystone United (previously known as KSS/Keystone State Skinheads). They have been a menace for years. Their legacy has nothing to do with “heritage.” Their “heritage” is about about a trail of murders, violent attacks, and rapes wherever they pop up. Recently, the bigots have been back at it, covering the area with their fascist propaganda, showing up along major corridors, spreading their vile filth in their old recruiting grounds.
Local Philadelphia Anti-Fascists were quick in killing their messaging dead in its tracks. They cannot be allowed back into Philly’s hoods and communities, and racists will be met everywhere they are. They will not recruit. They will not have a place to speak. They will not feel safe. No quarter, no inch, no space to breathe for fascists.
Update 9/2: Some members of the media are incorrectly attributing Lichterman’s leave from work in the early 2000’s to the Blood and Honour hack in 2010 and also reporting that he has been on Philly PD payroll during the time he was reportedly (by himself on social media) working as a security contractor in the middle east, so we have updated that section with a more thorough explanation of our observations during that time. We also added the connection between the e-mail used in the BNH hack and Lichterman’s badge number.
Two updates 9/1:
We previously incorrectly implied that the “311” in Lichterman’s flikr and instagram accounts might be a reference to an outdated number code for KKK, but several people pointed out to us that “0311” is the Marine Occupational Speciality (MOS) code for a rifleman.
We also removed an erroneous description of Lichterman engaging in Third Reich soldier “Cosplay,” after an actual Cosplayer contacted us and informed us that they are actually engaging in re-enactment and wearing uniforms, not costumes, and asked that we not associate their generally badass hobby with Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. Apologies to cosplayers.
Ian Hans Lichterman (left) with 2 fellow Nazi reenactors. Lichterman was previously outed as a member of the WP network Blood and Honour and is an active Philly PD Officer
Those of our readers who have been Anti-Fascists for a few years may remember that during a period from 2010-2012 there were several successful hacks of Neo-Nazi websites that led to the identification of dozens of Neo-Nazis and White Nationalists.
One of the more interesting cases was that of Ian Hans Lichterman. Lichterman was listed as a member of Blood and Honour, an international network of Neo-Nazi organizations started by Ian Stuart Donaldson, the lead singer of Skrewdriver. Upon some investigating, it was discovered that Lichterman was also a Philly PD officer who had even recently been commended at a crime stoppers awards ceremony. The e-mailed listed alongside his name with the leak, philly3155@yahoo.com, seemed to refer to Lichterman’s badge number, 3155. The address that was also leaked with the name and e-mail is owned by Lichterman and his wife, fellow Philly PD officer Susan Bevidas.
Shortly after the hack, Lichterman appeared to leave the the Philly PD and to be working as a private security contractor (mercenary) in the middle east, presumably using his connections from his time as a Marine. Hoever, members of the media have note that during this time Lichterman was still on Philly PD payrolls. So either the move was ruse because people had been calling Philly PD asking about him and his affiliations… or he was kept on the books while working abroad for some reason. Recently, at the Philly Coalition for REAL Justice’s march during the DNC, someone noticed that one of the bike cops working the event had some shady tattoos. That cop has been identified as Ian Lichterman, back on duty in Philly.
Iron Cross Tat on Left Elbow is just the beginning
One was a rather generic Nationalist tattoo of an AR-15 over an american flag with “For God and Country” written above it. That is the motto of the American Legion, a veterans organization that was very sympathetic to Fascism in Europe before WWII.
“The president of the American Legion in 1923 was quoted as saying, ‘If ever needed, the American Legion stands ready to protect our country’s institutions and ideals as the Fascisti dealt with the destructionists who menaced Italy.’ In reply to whether this meant taking over the government, he said ‘Exactly that. The American Legion is fighting every element that threatens our democratic government-soviets, anarchists, I.W.W., revolutionary socialists and every other Red ..Do not forget that the Fascisti are to Italy what the American Legion is to the United States.'”
If that wasn’t bad enough, the other tattoo was this:
real subtle, Ian
That eagle design is called a partieadler. With wings outstretched and a simplistic design, the partieadler is distinct from the national emblem in every other era of German history, a history that stretches from the reichsadler’s first appearance in the 12th century, to its present design. It is the eagle of Nazi Germany specifically. And the word “fatherland” is also a reference to Nazi rhetoric oft-used to describe Germany during the Third Reich.
Oh, and then there’s these:
Ian Hans Lichterman (left) with 2 fellow Nazi reeanctors.
willing to kill people who hold a political belief he can’t spell
self-describing as an “infidel” is a common trope by Anti-Muslim racists.
Those pics are taken from Lichterman’s flikr account, which is under “Panzerhund0311.”
It is obvious from his past association with Blood and Honour, his Nazi tattoos, his affinity for dressing up as a Third Reich soldier and his reactionary, racist, anti-communist photoshops that Ian Hans Lichterman is an extreme danger to the people of Philadelphia (especially People of Color, Muslims and Anti-Racists) as long as he has a gun and a badge.
This information coming to light could lead to Lichterman’s removal, but one thing is certain: it will not change the fact that Police were developed specifically to protect White Supremacy and Patriarchy in this country. As long as Philly PD exist, their ranks will be full of the bigoted, power-hungry and corrupt, as well as a handful of fools and cowards who get the “good cop” label and serve to protect people like Lichterman.
A few members of Antifa Philadelphia participated in Tonight’s (8/20) Rally and March in Solidarity with the people of Ferguson resisting the police and national guard called by the Travon Martin Organizing Committee.
From the call:
Another Black man dead. This would be just another day like every other day in America, if it weren’t for one simple fact: Ferguson turned out, stood up, and has refused to get back on its knees.
Mike Brown was days away from college? Don’t care.
Didn’t he steal some cigars? Don’t care.
What about the looters? Don’t care.
Mike Brown was black, guilty of only this, which made him guilty of all else: (jay)walking while black, (back)talking while black, breathing while black. Black like Oscar Grant, black like Kathryn Johnson, black like Renisha Mcbride, black like Eric Garner, like Rodney King, like Emmett Till. All black, and all guilty.
Mike Brown’s life was of value–is of value. Full stop. No college degree makes that so; no robbery takes that away. The people of Ferguson recognize this. White supremacy’s subtle baiting of thievery, college degrees and saggy pants and talking back does not.
We talk back. We turn up. We stand tall. With Ferguson–for Mike, for every black body in America robbed of its right to live–for every injustice that we are growing sick and tired of. We are done with your police/media slander campaigns. We are sick with anger.
Thanks to One People’s Project, Philly Antifa was alerted, less than 48 hours before, to a planned rally by several sects of the Ku Klux Klan in the city.
Masturbator Race
The KKK is extremely fragmented these days, so for an explanation of those involved we turn to DLJ over at One People’s Project:
“According to some reports, the threat of a Klan rally was brewing for just over a month in the Tacony section of Philadelphia after a local Grand Dragon was kicked out of a town watch organization. According to Joe Nicoletti of the Tacony/Holmesburg Town Watch, The East Coast Knights of the True Invisible Empire have been trying to start their own town watches, and have been trying to recruit within established committees such as his. When he discovered this among his own ranks, his town watch removed the person. In response, the Klan groups wanted to come out to the neighborhood in a “show of force” to support him. There was no public call or any messages on the internet announcing the event, but a permit was filed with the city. Police officials said they could not release the name of the person who filed the permit.
The Klansmen boasted upwards (of) 80 Klansmen were to participate with a number of high profile speakers on hand, but in the end only seven stood on the steps of the Tacony Library on the corner of Torresdale and Knorr. Among them were Richard Preston, Imperial Wizard of the Confederate White Knights of Rosedale, Md., which as only been in existance for three years, The Knights of the Nordic Order, which was founded by former Aryan Brotherhood members, and other Klansmen from Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. The East Coast Knights banner was unfurled during the rally.”
Thanks, DLJ
Despite almost no notice, over 60 people turned out to protest against the Klan. That number started as a handful but continued to grow as word spread throughout the neighborhood and people came out to join Philly Antifa, One People’s Project and their fellow Anti-Racists.
The rally was typical Klan fare these days: they had 7 people, a permit and police escort. They were slated to rally for 2 hours but were there for about 45 minutes. No one heard a word they said over the boos and jeers. Someone had also written a sign that said “honk if you hate the KKK” which elicited plenty of honks. The Klan left hurriedly. They didn’t even bother to talk shit except once inside their cars speeding away. But that wasn’t the end of the day for Antifa.
Instead, about 2 dozen people from the crowd got to talking about something: the fact that local Neo-Nazi organizers Bryan and Patricia Vanagaitis lived only a few blocks away. Together we walked over there to 6611 Ditman st. and said hello.
Gross. Uh, we mean…hello?
The crowd chanted “DEATH DEATH DEATH TO THE NAZIS” and “THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY NAZIS OUT NAZIS OUT” out front and spoke with the Vanagaitis’ neighbors, informing those who were unaware of their affiliations. Eventually it became clear that no one was coming out even though they answered the door when the cops knocked.
The Vanagaitis’ house. Hung above the porch was an Italian flag with a Fasces on it, a Fascist symbol associated with Mussolini.
Despite claims by KSS that they “prefer to be in the streets” in 2012 Greek Nazi Zine, the Vanagaitis’ passed on our invitations to come outside. In the same interview, the KSS member says that “The reds (meaning anyone who opposed fascism) in America are often times young, spoiled, suburban kids with no real desire to be face to face with us, or people of other groups…” (Omerta Terror Machine #28)
The KKK,(and possibly Nazis as well), are holding a rally at the Tacony Public Library, located at 6742 Torresdale Ave in Philadelphia, tomorrow from 1pm-3pm. The organizers have a permit. Exact numbers are not known, but fascists will be coming in from rural PA and Maryland. All anti-racists/anti-fascists in the Philadelphia area need to be in attendance tomorrow at a counter demo being organized by Philly Antifa and One People’s Project. The counter demo will be located on the side walk outside the Tacony Public Library, beginning at 1pm. Please forward this alert widely!
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This is really short notice, but the Klan did not announce this demonstration anywhere and we were lucky that One People’s Project was able to find out at all.
The Klan has a permit, which means they will likely be bussed in and out under police protection. We encourage everyone able to attend the protest to do so. Let the Klan and Nazis know that no one is intimidated by them, and remind them what would happen if they should ever stand on a corner in Philadelphia in Klan robes for 2 hours WITHOUT a bunch of Philly PD protecting them.
A Day of Solidarity With Antifascist Prisoner Jock Palfreeman
Who is Jock Palfreeman?
Jock Palfreeman is an Australian serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria. In 2007 he was travelling in Bulgaria when he defended two Roma men being attacked by soccer hooligans; in the ensuing fight, one of the attackers was killed under unclear circumstances. After a biased trial, Jock was convicted of murder, and the Bulgarian authorities refuse to transfer him from the notoriously run-down prison he is held in to Australia, without paying a huge fine. While in prison, Jock helped form the Bulgarian Prisoners Union, and has been beaten by guards in retaliation for his activism.
Take Action!
Palfreeman’s supporters are trying to have him moved to Australia to serve his sentence out closer to his family. Despite international agreements, the Bulgarian government has refused to transfer him until his family pays hundreds of thousands of dollars. He has asked supporters to pressure the head prosecutor to allow his transfer to Australia under the theme: ‘Head prosecutor Tsatsarov, stop following orders from corrupt politicians and do your job!’
Palfreeman has asked that if money is raised, that it be sent to the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association, which he is the chairman of. www.bulgarianprisonersassociation.wordpress.com. Donation will be used for a legal aid defense fund and for lawyers to protect prisoners against punishments of the prison (for example appealable isolation punishments). Money can be sent via a wire transfer:
Vincent Pellegrino on the left, pictured also on the right along with his brother Nunzio (wearing the KSS Supporter shirt in the back) and Philly KSS member Joey Phy in front of Nunzio.
As One People’s Project has reported (as well as Philly.com and the Philadelphia Inquirer) Keystone State Skinheads (KSS) associate Vincent Pellegrino died on the morning of May 20th while fleeing the scene after sexually assaulting a woman in the 2600 Block of Collins Street.
Pellegrino crashed the car, which belonged to the woman he assaulted, into a wall along Westmoreland street and was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later. It is unknown whether he lost control of the car or intentionally crashed.
KSS (also known as Keystone United) had been trying desperately to fix their brand in recent years, changing between the two names frequently, and claiming in interviews that their acts of violence are all in the past. They would have us believe that these days they are just concerned nationalists. This incident demonstrates once again that KSS members and supporters are the scum of the earth, and no amount of careful media planning or timid behavior in public will make people forget this.
The Pellegrino brothers are both listed on the 6400 Block of Ditman street, only a few blocks from KSS members Patricia and Bryan Vanagaitis. Nunzio was the KSS supporter who recently attended a rally against Russian intervention in Ukraine. KSS members and other Neo-Nazis are lamenting Pellegrino’s death on social media and making absolutely no mention of the assault.
Rape and sexual assault are a global crisis. As much as we would love to blame it on Fascism, rapists (overwhelmingly but not always male) will claim to follow all sorts of political ideologies. What we can confidently say is that Fascism is and always has been a sexist and anti-woman movement.
“Woman’s world is her husband, her family, her children and her home. We do not find it right when she presses into the world of men.” – Adolph Hitler
Fuck you, Hitler.
Antifascists must support reproductive freedom, personal autonomy, an end to rape and rape culture, and oppose patriarchy and sexism. If we ignore those things in favor of making alliances with sexists who may be Anti-Nazi, we doom our movement to destroy itself with toxic people, as happens within Fascist movements routinely.
By now most of you have heard about the Misogynist murder spree of Elliott Rodgers, a so-called “nice guy” who was in reality a murderous sexist and racist to boot. Rodgers felt entitled to murder women for the “crime” of not wanting to sleep with him. He lamented online about how he couldn’t compete sexually with “inferior” black men. He had weapons and choose to turn them against unsuspecting young women because he felt entitled to do so.
Philly Antifa believe that we can live in a world without men like Elliott Rodgers and Vincent Pellegrino. That racism, sexism and hetero-patriarchy were concepts not borne from nature but intentionally engineered into our social and religious institutions as forms of control that have since become “tradition” or “just the way it is.” The fights against those evils are all unique and require different analysis and tactics, but they will either all be won or all be lost.
Death in June, the musical project of British white supremacist Douglas Pearce, is scheduled to perform at the Rex Theater in the South Side of Pittsburgh on May 29th as part of a US tour. Playing a mix of experimental neofolk and post-industrial music, Death in June has a long history of using fascist symbolism and of supporting and raising money for white supremacist groups. Their shows have been shut down in cities across the United States through call-in campaigns and demonstrations. Some venues, including in San Francisco and Los Angeles, have had their locks glued, windows smashed, and facades spraypainted before, during, or after recent Death in June tour dates.We are opposed to Douglas Pearce and his project for both his use of fascist symbolism and for his concrete, prolonged support of white supremacist organizing:
In 1992 during Yugoslavia’s civil war, Douglas Pearce visited the front lines to meet with and show support to Croatian fascist militants and later contributed music recordings to compilation records that helped raise money for fascist military efforts.
That same year, Death in June canceled their appearance at the Dark X-mas festival in Hamburg after organizers issued a statement condemning recent white supremacist attacks on immigrants in Germany. DIJ also refused to play the Festival of Darkness in 1994 because the show was promoted as being against racism and neo-Nazism.
Death in June songs were included in a tribute to Leni Riefenstahl, a director behind some of the most well known propaganda films in Nazi Germany.
Douglas Pearce has repeatedly expressed support for white nationalist and white supremacist Euro-centric movements in interviews.
To disrupt the ability of Death in June and the fascist elements of their fan base to support ongoing white supremacist organizing we are planning a call-in and online campaign to pressure the Rex Theater/Grey Area Productions to shut down this show.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
The Rex Theater is managed by Grey Area Productions. We are unsure if Grey Area is aware of the white supremacist politics of Death in June, and we are encouraging people to call, email, post to their Facebook page and reach out to them on Twitter with this information and to convince them to do the right thing by canceling this show.
The Rex Theater and Grey Area Productions can both be reached by phone at:
“I am e-mailing you to inform you that Death in June, a white supremacist band, is scheduled to play at the Rex Theater on May 29th. This band uses fascist imagery as a part of their shows and has a history of supporting white supremacist movements.
Death in June has been included on various white supremacist music compilations, has backed out of festivals that were raising money to combat neo-Nazism, and has repeatedly expressed support for white nationalist and supremacist movements.
Death in June shows have been protested, sabotaged, and even banned in certain regions for decades. Especially in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, where they have particularly strong neo-Nazi followings.
I have no reason to believe that anyone at the Rex or at Grey Area Productions supports these kinds of politics and actions. However, I hope that Grey Area will do the right thing by canceling this show that will undoubtedly draw white supremacists from around the region as well as anti-racist activists. The Rex Theater has a long history and doesn’t deserve to let one night and one band tarnish its image.
More detailed information on Death in June’s support of white supremacist movements can be found by following these links:
In addition to calling the Roxy to voice their opposition to Death in June playing there, we have learned that the person responsible for bringing the show to Pittsburgh, Manny Theiner, can be reached at 412-361-2262. In addition to booking DIJ, Theiner recently took down flyers at local businesses in the city advertising a letter writing event for Antifascist POW’s the Tinley Park 5 and then slandered the TP5 to the business owners.
As we’ve written about before, every October for the past 7 years Neo-Nazis have converged on Philadelphia and held a “Leif Ericson Day Celebration” that is in reality an attempt to have a real street presence in Philadelphia for even just one day a year. Opposition to the event has increased pretty much every year, with last year’s being especially embarrassing to the boneheads because they had brought friends from as far as Texas and still could not match the numbers of the Antifascists, who prevented them from marching and drowned out their rally, sending the boneheads home with nothing to show for their efforts.
Shortly after the event we released the names and pictures of almost all the attendees, as well as listed their affiliations to KSS, Blood and Honour, The Vinlanders, and several other White Power organizations. We have also outed the primary organizers of the event and their locations in the city.
Philly Antifa, in conjunction with #Anonymous & #ro0ted #OpAntifa now bring you more attendees of Leif Ericson Day 2013’s real name and most recent known address.
Anthony James Olsen, Philly Director of KSS, 2912 Knorr Street, Philadelphia PAPatricia Benner Vanagaitis and Bryan Vanagaitis, Philly KSS. 6611 Ditman Street, Philadelphia PAPatrick Rogers, KSS Supporter. 815 Wilson St Williamsport, PA 17701Joseph Phy, KSS – 4838 Salmon St., Philadelphia PA
Elizabeth and Michael Marcink – Vinlanders – 11340 W. Shipshewana IN
Donald M. Palmer – Blood and Honour – 211 S. 7th St., Unit A, Jeanette PABrien James – Head of Vinlanders – 2507 English Avenue, Indianapolis, INPatrick D. Westfall – Vinlanders – 4922 State Road 25 W, Lafayette INMatthew Heimbach – Founder of Traditionalist Youth Movement – 19616 Selby Ave, Poolesville, MD 20837. Allegedly recently moved in to a house with fellow TYN member Thomas Buhls at 3382 West Spruce Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403.
Jay Butterbaugh, Blood and Honour – 111 Elm Avenue, Hollidaysburg, PADavid “Matt” Parrot – Traditionalist Youth Network – 950 S. Ridgecrest Lane, Paoli, IN 47454Kevin McKeegan – KSS Supporter, Active with Council of Conservative Citizens and European American Action Coalition, a group founded by KSS chairman Steve Smith. 149 New Street, Glenside, PA 19038
We would like to call on local Antifa in these towns to pick up this fight and use this info to gather more intelligence to better combat your local Nazis. Their movements rely on anonymity; do not allow them to have it.
Philly Antifa would like to make it clear to the people listed below that coming to our city and contributing to KSS’ attempts to gain a foothold here, even for one ineffective day, is a provocation that will be met. Our allies are legion. All your friends do is invite you to get embarrassed and then targeted.
OVERLAND PARK, KS – The shooter that shot and killed three persons at a Jewish community center and a retirement home a mile away has been identified as veteran white supremacist Frazier Glenn Miller, who once ran a white supremacist paramilitary operation before he turned FBI informant and in recent years had been seen posting regularly on a white supremacist website forum, where his last post was to note that he had spoken yesterday to Craig Cobb the white supremacist who attempted to take over a small town in North Dakota last year.
While police have not publicly named the suspect in the shootings, his picture was shot as he was taken into custody and was spread throughout several media outlets. Several postings on the Vanguard News Network VNN) forum confirmed it was indeed Miller, who also is known as Fraiser Glenn Cross Jr.
Miller was a major player in the 1980s white supremacist scene, organizing a parimilitary Klan outfit based in North Carolina called the White Patriot Party (WPP) using $200,000 stolen from armored trucks by the neo-Nazi terrorist group the Order, according to Miller himself during his testimony during a 1988 sedition trial in Arkansas. The WPP collapsed after he violated an injunction against paramilitary activity and was convicted of threatening Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center. He was imprisoned for three years before being released in 1990. He was branded as a traitor for turning informant and went underground, but in recent years Miller was more of an internet presence posting as “Rounder” on the VNN forum. He also maintained a website which has videos and writings he authored. He also attempted to run for congress with the support of VNN. Another longtime white supremacist, Ron Doggett, who was a Unit leader in the WPP, supported his 2010 run.
His last VNN posting about Craig Cobb was one of several in recent weeks where he indicated he was in close contact with the white supremacist who attempted to create a white’s only enclave in Leith, ND before his arrest on terroristic threats. “Sounded confident and healthy. His PSI is completed, in the hands of his attorney, and next hearing (release hearing presumeably) is 29 April,” Miller said of Cobb, who is awaiting sentencing after agreeing to plead guilty to five misdemeanors and one felony. Cobb was in nearby Kansas City on Nov. 9 for a National Socialist Movement rally.
It has also been learned that two of the persons that Miller is alleged to have killed were Methodists.
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Antifa Philadelphia would like to send our condolences to those directly affected by these murders. To the rest of us, let this remind us that no matter how many layers of coded talk (“white rights,” “racialism,” “seperatism” etc.) they cover themselves with these are the same type of scum who killed 6 in Wisconson, 5 in Greensboro, 69 Oslo and millions upon millions in Europe. We will never surrender.
Eternal War on the Hitler Youth, and their old men too.
From left to right: Stacey Saunter, Joey Phy, Briana Pietropaula, AJ Olsen, Patrician Benner Vanagaitis and Bryan Vanagaitis.
Edit 3/21: Brianna Jeanne was a pseudonym her real name is Briana Pietropaula. We will continue to update this article as we get more new info on these scumbags. To those of you who have been sending us info, thanks.
Back in October the Philadelphia chapter of the Keystone State “Skinheads”/KSS (also know as Keystone United or KU) invited Neo-Nazis, White Nationalists and generally ugly people to our city under the guise of a “Leif Ericson Day Celebration.” In reality, the event served as an opportunity to show that KSS has a street presence in Philadelphia. However, as the report back and subsequent identification of almost all of the identities illustrated, only a handful of those in attendance actually live in Philadelphia area, and KSS had inflated their numbers with people from as far away as Indiana, Oklahoma and Washington state. This post will serve to identify the key players in Philly KSS who were involved in bringing that mob of Neo-Nazis to our town.
Bryan Vanagaitis and Patricia Benner Vanagaitis
jesus… there are no words…
Bryan and Patricia Vanagaitis are longtime boneheads. They live with their son at a house at 6611 Ditman Street in Tacony . Their son is a little nazi too; one we encountered at Leif Ericson Day 3 years ago when he was briefly detained then released after getting caught with a knife.
The house on Ditman street serves as an important home base for KSS in Philly. In addition to hosting social events there, the Vanagaitises provide housing to boneheads when they are first arriving in the city or if they need a place to stay. One guest of theirs a few years ago was a bonehead named Drew Boyle, who was eventually expelled from KSS for being a loudmouth drunk with a habit of getting arrested on embarrassing charges while they were trying to bury their history and whitewash the KSS brand.
AJ Olsen and Briana Pietropaula
AJ Olsen is the head of Philly KSS. He spearheaded organizing the Leif Ericson day celebration as well as a new initiative by KSS called the Be Active Front, which attempt to co-opt European graffiti and Autonome imagery and language to mask their Nazism.
Briana Pietropaula (aka Briana Jeane on fb), AJ’s partner, is a supporter of KSS (originally KSS did not allow female members. it is unclear whether Patricia Vanagaitis is patched in or not but she is definitely active in the organizing and recruiting for KSS) but has yet to make that support public. So we went ahead and did it for her.
AJ is another bonehead who lived with the Vanagaitises when he first moved from New Jersey to Philly. He was then living at 2415 Tulip street in a house owned (at the time) by Briana’s father Robert. AJ was living at 2560 Memphis Street until very recently, but hemoved, possible in with Briana.
Joey Phy and Stacey Sautner
note the thor’s hammer on Stacey’s leg as well as the Celtic Cross on Phy’s arm and SS bolts on his leg.
Joey Phy and Stacey Sautner live with their daughter at 4383 Salmon Street in Bridesburg. Phy was under house arrest a few years ago when KSS was getting a lot of press, but recently has become very active, helping organize Leif Ericson day as well as attending a recent protest against Russian intervention in Ukraine.
There will be consequences for attempting to organize a Fascist or Nazi presence in Philadelphia, even if it ends in abject defeat for the Fascists as Leif Ericson day did last year. Those responsible and their supporters cannot hide.
We would like to encourage all our readers to donate to one or both of these brave individuals who were imprisoned for taking a stand against Racism and Fascism.
Cece McDonald is a trans woman who was attacked in 2011, along with several friends, by a group of Transphobic Racists. In the ensuing melee, one of the attackers was stabbed and killed. Cece is scheduled to be released this month and her supporters are fundraising to give her some help when she get out. Click here to donate to Cece McDonald.
John Tucker is one of the Tinley Park 5, 5 Antifascists imprisoned on trumped-up charges stemming from a disruption of a meeting of representatives of several Neo-Nazi/White Power groups. John is also slated for release this month. His supporters have also started a prison release fund. Click here to donate to John Tucker.
Please give all you can to support these two Antifascists.
“The real damage is done by those millions who want to ‘survive.’ The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves—or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you’ll keep it under control. If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.” ― Sophie Scholl
We at Philly Antifa are pleased to announce our affiliation with the newly formed Torch Antifascist Network.
Points of Unity
1. We disrupt fascist and far right organizing and activity. 2. We don’t rely on the cops or courts to do our work for us. This doesn’t mean we never go to court, but the cops uphold white supremacy and the status quo. They attack us and everyone who resists oppression. We must rely on ourselves to protect ourselves and stop the fascists. 3. We oppose all forms of oppression and exploitation. We intend to do the hard work necessary to build a broad, strong movement of oppressed people centered on the working class against racism, sexism, nativism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest, and the most oppressed people. We support abortion rights and reproductive freedom. We want a classless, free society. We intend to win! 4. We hold ourselves accountable personally and collectively to live up to our ideals and values. 5. We not only support each other within the network, but we also support people people outside the network who we believe have similar aims or principles. An attack on one is an attack on all.
