Overtly Anti-Le Pen Group

Section carrément anti Le Pen

The Section carrément anti Le Pen (SCALP; "Absolutely anti-Le Pen group") is a French anti-fascist and libertarian group, formed in Toulouse in 1984 as a manifestation of the autonomist movement..

Background

The success of a group by the name of SCALP (Société contre les amis de Le Pen - Society against the friends of Le Pen) in attracting media attention at a rally in Toulouse on June 6 1984 led to the creation of numerous other groups sharing the same acronym in different cities around France. This first wave of SCALPs, developing alongside the alternative rock movement, disbanded in the early 1980s. An attempt to unite the different groups under a proposed National Anti-Fascist Representative Committee (Coordination nationale anti-fascist, CNAF) never took off, the Paris section of SCALP splintering in 1990.

History

After one or two years of dormancy, elements of the original Paris SCALP who had been running the magazine REFLEXes (so named because most contributors were former students of Paris X University) revived SCALP, using the acronym and the mythos surrounding it to attract the interest of young recruits. At the same time, the new SCALP distanced itself from the autonomist movement (elements of the original SCALP loyal to this movement dedicated themselves to other organizations and projects such as Karoshi and the CNT-AIT), opting to align itself more closely with traditional libertarian groups. Some members later left to join the National Confederation of Labour.

In 1992, the new SCALP organized itself into a national network called No Pasaran Network - a federation of the different local SCALP groups. The Paris group became known as SCALP-REFLEX (Réseau d'études sur le fascisme et de lutte contre l'extrême droite et la xénophobie - Network for the study of fascism and the fight against the extreme right and xenophobia). The radical measures taken by the network during their actions resulted in damage to premises and public property.

In 2004, more individuals quit the group, later going on to found the Libertarian and Social Offensive (Offensive libertaire et sociale, OLS).

In 2006 SCALP-REFLEX participated in demonstrations and university assemblées générales. They were involved in the occupation of the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (École des hautes études en sciences sociales, EHESS). Activists from the group clashed with those of the far right at a rally outside the Sorbonne on March 14 2006.

On May 9 2007 the group, along with other libertarian and student organisations (Alternative Libertaire, Union syndicale Solidaires, CNT), called for a counter-demonstration to be held to physically oppose a demonstration by the far right and to "show them they don't own the street." Fearing a police crackdown, the organisers - with the exception of SCALP - called for the counter-demonstration to be canceled. Several activists who attended the rally were arrested.

Current status

If current estimates of the group's strength as between 400 and 500 members are correct, more than 6000 people may have passed through its ranks since its founding.

Pornographic actress Ovidie is a former member of SCALP.

Publications

No Pasaran, the monthly publication of the network, is circulated in libraries and sectional offices. Numerous pamphlets on the far right have also been authored by the group.

In 2005 SCALP published Comme un indien Métropolitain (Like a French Indian), which deals with the history of the movement between 1984 and 1992.