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 colors black and red have been used by anarchists since at least the late 1800s, though generally used by anarcho-communists. The flag was used as the symbol of the anarcho-syndicalists by the CNT during the Spanish Civil War. The black represents anarchism and the red represents leftist and socialist ideals. George Woodcock writes that the bisected black-and-red flag symbolized a uniting of "the spirit of later anarchism with the mass appeal of the First International"
Skinheads who stand up against racists include traditional skinheads, trojan skinheads, typically known as Skinheads Against Racial Prejudices (SHARP)