Last modified: 2019-09-28 by rick wyatt
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AIF Organizational Flag - image from Pete Loeser, supplied by the AIF, 26 September 2019
See also:
The American Iron Front (AIF) is an anti-fascist, pro-democracy, non-violent activist network who oppose far-right activity in the USA. They support anti-racism, anti-fascism, and encourage general inclusion of all. At the present time the group has not been tied to any violence in their activities. They claim they aren't leftist looking for a Marxist revolution or abolition of organized government, but are against the far-right extremist groups presently being encourage by the policies and behavior of the Trump administration.
According to one of the founders of the American Iron Front "We're a more patriotic faction of the broader anti-fascist movement, also known as the antifa movement. I created the AIF so as to give more politically moderate people an outlet for anti-fascist activism who may otherwise be weary of it due to the various controversies and public image issues it has.
We do not have a set ideology, and include a wide variety of people, including Libertarians, Liberals, social democrats, and democratic socialists. One ideology we are vehemently against (besides fascism, of course) is authoritarian communism, like Stalinism, Maoism, and Juche. (Non-authoritarian communists we generally are okay with.)"
The symbol they have adopted - three arrows pointing inside a circle - dates back to pre-World War II Germany when it represented an actual leftist political organization, also named the Iron Front, that stood in direct opposition to Nazis and has persisted as a visual representation of anti-fascism.
Pete Loeser, 12 September 2019
Photos of these flags:
image by Pete Loeser & Tomislav Todorovic, 14 September 2019
This flag was used in protests in Philadelphia and Boston in 2017. According to the American Iron Front, this variant is similar to their Organizational flag, but without the name of the group around the emblem, and the center circle is black instead of blue. They explain the emblem on their Organizational flag and this variant (type #1) is mean to resemble Captain America's shield, illustrating their "patriotic anti-fascism" philosophy.
Pete Loeser, 26 September 2019
image by Pete Loeser & Tomislav Todorovic, 14 September 2019
In this Iron Front flag, the AIF demonstrates it is apparently comfortable with displaying the three downward arrows in either direction on their flags (hoistward or flyward).
Pete Loeser, 12 September 2019
image by Pete Loeser & Tomislav Todorovic, 14 September 2019
This black and white AIF flag features a fist smashing a swastika to rubble with the words "Good Night Alt-Right" surrounding it.
Pete Loeser, 12 September 2019
I would like to mention the following: The slogan featured on this flag "Good Night Alt-Right" is in direct opposition to the slogan "Good Night, Left Side" purported by the "alt right" movement which in recent years has emerged in the U.S. (a term attributed to be coined by Richard B. Spencer in 2010, as "alternative right" (source #1) and (source #2) Thus the "Good Night Alt-Right" is a flag against far-right groups.
The "Good Night, Left Side" has its own logo and flag as well, featuring mainly a man being thrown overboard from a helicopter as seen in the flag of the Anti-Communist Action (U.S.) , specifically the these flags: example one and example two. (source)
The Anti-Communist Action itself is a response to Antifa, that is Anti-fascist groups, worldwide. For instance as seen in Australia, France, Germany, and Spain.
That being said, the background for featuring a man being thrown overboard a helicopter is actually a historical reference of political dissidents (both members of banned guerrilla and terrorist group members as well as simple sympathizers) which became common practice when the helicopter became operational and used en masse around the 1950s in the armed conflicts that ensued since (mostly low-intensity conflicts (dubbed "small wars") or COIN (Counter Insurgency) conflicts. It is known for a fact that such practice became common in the 1970's in Latin American countries where dictators where in charge (i.e. Operation Condor, and it is also known that during low intensity conflicts (such as the internal conflict in Colombia 1960's-onwards) this practice was also implemented.
Hence, the "Good Night, Left Side" is a flag against far-left groups.
Esteban Rivera, 25 September 2019
There is also another anti-Fascist emblem with similar design and words ":Good Night, White Pride," which may also appear on flags.
Tomislav Todorovic, 25 September 2019
image by Pete Loeser & Tomislav Todorovic, 14 September 2019
In August of 2019 during a Portland Timbers soccer game supporters called "The Timbers Army" waved a green and gold American Iron Front flag at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. This apparent displaying by the Timbers fans of the AIF flag resulted in a knee jerk banning of the fans from the stadium and has started a dialog about Freedom of Speech, etc. Apparently the controversy has spread to the games of the Seattle Sounders, another professional soccer team, in nearby Washington State. A sign was displayed saying "Anti-fascist/Anti-racist/Always Seattle" has joined the debate began in Portland.
Pete Loeser, 12 September 2019
image by Pete Loeser & Tomislav Todorovic, 14 September 2019
This red, white and blue AIF flag made an appearance in the Straight Pride Parade in Boston in August 2019, so we have activities on both the west and east coast by the American Iron Front during August.
Pete Loeser, 12 February 2018
As you mentioned, this flag [American Iron Front] has been spotted both on the West Coast and the East Coast. Regarding the one spotted on the East Coast during Boston's recent protests and the one you drew, see here the second image from left to right (source) and
here (source) I believe the blue field is a darker blue.
Esteban Rivera, 12 September 2019
Nice to hear from you on this. I re-colored the drawings, the picture I was working from had the flag backlit and fooled me.
Pete Loeser, 13 September 2019
image from Pete Loeser, provided by the AIF, 26 September 2019
This is an illustration provided by the AIF of a red white and blue "parade" flag also used in the Boston Straight Pride Parade.
Pete Loeser, 26 September 2019
image by Tomislav Todorovic, 16 September 2019
Following the example of the Timbers Army, the Seattle Sounders' supporters, who go under the name of Emerald City Supporters (ECS), have introduced another flag with three arrows within the circle. Their large perfectly square flag also has a green field, but in much lighter shade (according to some photos, may also incline towards yellow), while the charges are in black. The ECS have been issued a formal warning from the Seattle Sounders about the use of political symbols, with which they disagreed regarding this one. It is worth noting that, despite the pronounced rivalry between Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders, their fans' organizations have been expressing solidarity with each other regarding the use of anti-Fascist symbols.
Sources:
image by Tomislav Todorovic, 26 May 2015
The use of the Gay/Straight Ally Flag by the AIF is a bit ambivalent. However, the flag was often seen displayed in Boston with the various variants of the AIF flags. The flag uses the black and white "colored stripes" of the Straight Pride flag as a field, but adds a large rainbow colored "A" (for Ally) to indicate straight support for the Gay Pride/Equal Marriage movement. It is not an AIF flag, but rather a sexual orientation flag. See: Heterosexual Flags.
According to our AIF source, "The reason one of our guys was flying the Straight Ally flag in Boston was we were counter protesting an anti-LGBT rally, and we wanted to show that there were non-LGBT people opposed to the so-called 'Straight Pride' event as well."
Pete Loeser, 12 February 2018
image from Pete Loeser, supplied by the AIF, 26 September 2019
This AIF variant flag was used at the "We the People" rally held in Philadelphia's Independence Mall on November 18, 2018.