Richard Spencer just before he was punched at Donald Trump's inauguration. Youtube. Fair use. The place of violence in resisting the far right is contentious. Some will tell you that it is never justified. Others will say that it is the only effective way to fight fascism.
The truth probably lies somewhere between these two positions. In the UK in the 1970s, the Anti-Nazi League would confront National Front street gangs to disrupt their marches. This was one element, combined with non-violent campaigning, changes in football stadium culture, and internal divisions within the National Front, that led to the far-right group’s decline.
We see echoes of this in the modern anti-fascist movement, with masked black bloc marchers present at many protests (as protection at events for progressive causes; and as resistance at events held by those on the far right). They have even made the news lately due to conflicts between anti-fascists and “alt-right” Trump supporters in Berkeley.
