More Nightclub Disasters

Solidarity and condolences to the friends and families of those killed or injured in two recent nightclub disasters. All too familiar tales of blocked fire escapes and unsafe buildings.

Kocani fire, North Macedonia, 15 March 2025

'Thousands of people have protested in the North Macedonian town of Kocani, demanding justice and action against corruption after a nightclub fire killed 59 people, many of them teenagers... The Pulse nightclub was packed with fans watching DNK, a popular hip-hop band, when sparks from flares apparently set a patch of ceiling ablaze. About 20 people have been detained for questioning over the disaster, including the nightclub owner and some former government ministers. Many in Kocani believe that corruption had allowed the improvised venue to operate with inadequate safety measures' (BBC) The exit from the club was locked and people trying to escape through windows were blocked by bars. During protests a bar believed to belong to the nightclub owner was smashed up and his car was overturned (see Wikipedia)

Santo Domingo, 8 April 2025

More than 200 people have died after a roof collapsed at the Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Among those killed was the singer Rubby Perez. 'Many are pointing the finger of blame at a fire at the nightclub around two years ago. Some fear the blaze structurally weakened the site or that any repairs carried out were insufficient or not up to code' (BBC).

See previously:

Nightclub fires in Brazil (2013) and France (1970) - with reflections on latter by Guy Debord

Nightclub fires in China (2008) and Argentina (2005)

Nightclub fire in Russia (2009)

Goths Against Fascism

We've all met some black clad wannabe edgelord with fascist adjacent ubermensch syndrome.  These creeps now think they are running the world, so now is definitely the time for eyeliner antifa to declare itself . And yes, thankfully, goths against fascism is a thing - there's T-shirts and everything.

'fascists do not dance in our darkness'

Thelemite industrial goths The Cassandra Complex have recently released 'Nazi Goths Fuck Off':

It's a cover of 2021 track by Finnish artist Suzi Sabotage:

You look so laughable

Dressed in your victimhood

Crocodile tears

Salt your self-inflicted wound

You wear your fascist views

Like a Ku Klux hood

Then you act like

You've been misunderstood

This is not your playground

We don't want you around

Your bigotry's not welcome here

So drop dead and disappear

Nazi goths, fuck off

Nazi goths, fuck off

Nazi goths, fuck off

Nazi goths, fuck off

Take out the fascist trash

Their symbols will burn to ash

Enough is enough

Nazi goths, fuck off

Meanwhile spotted in the great Dash the Henge record shop in Camberwell, Robert Smith is in the picture - 'Charlotte Sometimes, Always Anti-Fascist'

Update May 2025:

The Sisters of Mercy had an early 1990s 'Sisters gegen Nazis' t-shirt. They also took part in an ambitious if commercially ill-fated 1991 US tour with Public Enemy and Gang of Four. After a number of gigs were cancelled apparently due to concerns about the different audiences mixing, Andrew Eldritch said:  'Perhaps naively, I don't think it dawns on English bands that this sort of thing should be a problem. There is this tradition of the Rock Against Racism and Anti-Nazi League things and there's a tradition of white bands playing with black bands'

Andrew Eldritch (Sisters of Mercy) and Chuck D (Public Enemy)