Fourteen years ago, on November 16, 2009, in Moscow, antifascist Ivan Khutorskoy (Kostolom) was killed by neo-Nazis. Since that year, in memory of him, antifascists in various cities have been organizing a combat sports tournament called “Never Give Up.” Below, political prisoner in the “Network” case, Ilya Shakursky, writes about the tournament. Text and photos from one of the tournaments were provided by his mother, Elena.
In 2014, I made my debut at the “Never Give Up” tournament in Penza. Antifascists from different regions gathered in our city not only to showcase their combat skills in the ring but also to meet, socialize, and strengthen comradeship.
“Never Give Up” has been held almost annually in various regions of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The tournament became not just a label and motivating event for the antifascist movement; it became a kind of foundation for the continuity of values. Besides the power struggle against the Nazis, “Never Give Up” was about remembering the lives and activities of fallen comrades, about the unity of our beliefs. During the matches, we were opponents, but throughout the tournament, the spirit of unity was palpable as never before. Perhaps this is what Ivan Khutorskoy wanted to see.
Later, influenced by the realities of Russian life, the tournament acquired the status of a semi-legal event. The antifascist event in Russia took place under partisan conditions. No one feared that Nazi scum would be waiting at the entrance to the venue; the only ones who could disrupt the tournaments were the “E” center accompanied by “masks.” In some regions, they indeed managed to disrupt the tournaments. Previously, it was the norm for us; now, it has become the norm for all dissenters.
In such harsh times, one might think that such events have become impossible, and antifa seems to have faded into subcultural obscurity, but recently, friends printed and passed me photos from the August “Never Give Up,” which took place in Rostov-on-Don. Fourteen years have passed since the first tournament, but the initiative continues to live and be realized among young and active guys. Strong guys and resilient Valkyries show not only fighting skills in the ring but also that they do not forget about fallen comrades and our common unity.
This summer, through the news summaries of the “duty unit,” I saw familiar attributes of the Rostov guys who defended themselves against attacks by neo-Nazis at a concert. But the relevance of antifascism today is manifested not only in continuing street confrontations because when the level of violence based on various forms of discrimination and hatred towards all who are different, disagreeable, and dissenting reaches a high level, people need those who will protect them.
Antifascism is protection. However pompous it may sound, antifascism is still a shield of freedom from the aggression of fascism and dictatorships.
Being in prison, I am very happy when I hear about the “Never Give Up” being held. I like it when “Totan Comfort” sneakers are once again covered in dust, and it is important to me that every January 19, people once again speak about fallen heroes. This means that the shield is not broken, that everything is not in vain, and we have not given up.
Federal Correctional Institution No. 17 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Republic of Mordovia. 16 November 2023