The Three Arrows symbol was first used as a symbol of the resistance against Nazism in 1932, representing opposition against monarchism, nazism, and authoritarian communism. Today, the Three Arrows symbol is popularly used within the Antifa movement in the United States, along with flags based on the symbol of Antifa in Germany. Anarchists and anti-fascists frequently use the symbol, usually against authoritarianism, fascism, and authoritarian socialism.
The term "Redskin" is an abbreviation of "Red Skinhead", it is used by anti-fascist skinheads to differentiate themselves from racist boneheads and non-political skinheads. Before being a movement associated to skinheads, punks, and the alternative scene, the term redskin referred to the British soul-rock group The Redskins (1979-1986), several of whom belonged to the Socialist Workers Party. Redskins are often associated with communism, but many anarchists and anarcho-communists identify themselves as Redskins. The Redskins are a branch of the revolutionary left as well as an activist branch of the skinhead movement. This movement was born in radical opposition to the violence of racist
… Read more boneheads whose scene and groups were developing during the same period. Marked on the left and on the far left, the Redskin movement is politically oriented towards radical and street anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, anti-authoritarianism, anti-sexism and revolutionary anti-capitalism.
Its members are often actors of different Marxist, anarchist, anarcho-communist or syndicalist-revolutionary organizations and alternative scenes of which they use the tools, such as concerts, fanzines, radio broadcasts, sound-systems, etc. They are more broadly linked to the SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) and above all RASH (Red and Anarchist Skinheads) movements, which they are largely behind the establishment in Europe. Even if the appearance of the first redskins was roughly similar to that of skinheads, it was differentiated - especially in France - by the wearing of red laces and badges and/or patches relating to communism, anarchism and social struggles. One of the french redskins bands of the 1980s made a name for themselves as the Red Warriors. The symbol of this band was the sickle and the baseball bat, a diversion from the communist symbol of the sickle and the hammer. This band, made up of a hard core of about fifteen people, attacked racist boneheads around concert halls and in the streets of Paris, sometimes accompanied by other bands or anti-fascist groups.
The Red And Anarchist Skinheads (RASH) is a global movement of communist and/or anarchist skinheads who fight against fascism, racism, and capitalism. Far-left skinheads value anarchism, libertarian communism, anti-nationalism, anti-patriotism, anti-fascism, anti-racism, and alter-mondialism, in many ways ranging from street action to armed struggle and direct action
The majority of skinheads are not racists. The original skinhead subculture started in the United Kingdom in the late 1960s and had heavy British mod and Jamaican rude boy influences, including love for ska and soul music. Skinheads were not associated with an organized racist political movement until the late 1970s, when a skinhead revival in the UK included a sizable neo-nazi faction. Because of this, the mainstream media began to label the whole skinhead identity as neo-fascist, which is not true.
Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP) are anti-racist skinheads who oppose white power skinheads, neo-fascists, and other political racists, particularly if they identify
… Read more themselves as skinheads. SHARPs aim to reclaim the multicultural identity of the original skinheads, hijacked in their views by white power skinheads, who they sometimes deride as "boneheads". Many people may confuse SHARP members with racists since their appearance is superficially similar. Beyond the common opposition to racism, SHARP professes no political ideology or affiliation, stressing the importance of the black Jamaican influence in the original late-1960s skinhead movement. The second SHARP logo is based on the logo of Trojan Records, which originally mainly released black Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and reggae artists. Local SHARP groups have spread around the world in many countries.
Red and Anarchist Skinheads (RASH) is a left-wing anti-racist, anti-fascist skinhead group, formed in the United States in 1993. The RASH values direct action and self-defense against neo-Nazis. The movement has its origins in the multi-ethnic roots of the skinhead cultural identity. It has multiple chapters on all continents.
RASH and SHARP define themselves heavily on fashion, music, and violent opposition to white supremacist organizations. Their style of dress typically incorporates Dr. Martens boots, jeans, suspenders, bomber and Harrington jackets, short hair, and clothing produced by Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, and Lonsdale. Musically, they are typically associated with punk, hardcore, oi, ska, reggae, and two-tone music genres.