#DanAndSpit Action Round Up

Group of people standing in front of a graffiti-covered brick wall at night holding a large black banner with white text reading "REMEMBER SPIT & DAN" across the top, the years "1998 - 2018" on either side of a white fist graphic in the center, and "MARTYRS NEVER DIE" at the bottom. The image is in black and white with orange flame emoji overlays placed over the heads of multiple individuals obscuring their faces. Graffiti including the words "MAZE" and "ZONCO" is visible on the brick wall behind them, with smoke or lighting effects creating contrast in the scene.

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Torch Antifa Network

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We put out the call, and you responded! Below is a round up of actions that took place across the country and the world in solidarity with Dan and Spit, the two Las Vegas Anti-Racist Action members murdered 20 years ago by neo-Nazis.

Flat bronze grave marker set in a bed of gravel and bare earth engraved with the name "LIN 'SPIT' NEWBORN" across the top, the phrases "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR" and "TEACH THY ENEMY" beneath it, the letters "ARA" centered above a small circular emblem, and the dates "1974" and "1998" flanking the emblem at the bottom corners.
Spit’s headstone, ARA in life and death!

Charlottesville, Virginia

Comrades in Charlottesville started things off with a release of contact information exposing organizers of Unite The Right 2.0, scheduled to take place August 12, 2018 in Washington D.C.

Twitter post by @stopthenexttrut dated July 3, 2018 at 21:00 with header "Stop the Next 'Unite the Right'" and a "Volgen" button, containing text that reads "On the 20th anniversary of the murders of Dan & Spit by Nazi scum, anti-fascists continue exposing Nazis to ensure their ideology doesn't creep on us. #DefendCVille & all communities from fascism and the horror that it brings. tinyurl.com/yay6kxwe #NeverForget #DanandSpit" with an embedded graphic below showing the text "CALL TO ACTION! JULY 4, 2018 DAY OF ACTION IN MEMORY OF DAN AND SPIT" alongside black-and-white portraits of two men and a megaphone icon on the left side.

Richmond, Virginia

Antifa Seven Hills handed out memorial flyers and sparklers to spread the word about Dan and Spit in their local community. Later that night they unveiled a solidarity banner complete with fireworks to celebrate the day of action.Tweet by @ash_antifa (AntifaSevenHills) posted at 01:00 on July 5, 2018 from Richmond, VA with text reading "Today we honored the lives of #DanAndSpit by handing out memorial fliers and sparklers to families. The we played together while holding this beautiful banner and setting off fireworks! Remember to love your people. ✨🖤#FuckTheFourth." Below the text is an embedded black and white photograph showing a group of people with flame emoji overlays covering their faces holding a large black banner with white text that reads "REMEMBER SPIT & DAN" at the top, "1998 - 2018" on either side of a white fist graphic in the center, and "MARTYRS NEVER DIE" at the bottom, standing in front of a graffiti-covered brick wall with spray-painted tags including "MAZE" and "ZONCO" visible.

And of course an obligatory flag burn from some other friends 😉

Tweet by @burningrichmond (display name "richmond is burning") posted at 21:10 on July 4, 2018 with a "Followen" button in the upper right, reading "Sent to us in commemoration of the anniversary of the murders of #danandspit and because #fuckthefourth" followed by "This summer we remember our dead." Below the text is an embedded image showing a dark scene with an American flag hanging on the right side and a shadowy human figure silhouetted in the foreground, with an "InShot" watermark in the lower right corner of the embedded image.

Portland, Oregon

Anti-fascists in Portland honored Dan and Spit with an impressive banner drop and messages of solidarity across the city.

Banner commemorating July 4th, 1998 with the text "Gone, but not Forgotten" prominently displayed in dark lettering on a light background, featuring illustrated portraits of two men—one with short dark hair and one Black man smiling—and hashtags "#NeverForget" and "#DanAndSpit" at the bottom alongside a stylized black and red graphic resembling a raised fist or flame design on the right side. Banner commemorating July 4th, 1998 with the text "Gone, but not Forgotten" prominently displayed in dark lettering on a light background, featuring illustrated portraits of two men—one with short dark hair and one Black man smiling—and hashtags "#NeverForget" and "#DanAndSpit" at the bottom alongside a stylized black and red graphic resembling a raised fist or flame design on the right side.

Tweet by @PNWAWC (PNWAWC logo with American flag motif) posted at 13:16 on July 4, 2018 with text reading "Looks like some Portland Activists were out putting up posters for #Danandspit today. #NeverForget #NeverForgetNeverForgive" Above a five-panel photo grid showing hand-written protest signs posted on street poles. The left panel shows a large poster on a pole reading "SAY THEIR NAMES DAN SHERTSY JR 'SPIT' NEWBORN MURDERED BY WHITE SUPREMACY EXECUTED IN A LV. DESERT SUN JUNE 1998 NEVERFORGET #DANANDSPIT" attached below a green parking sign reading "PAY METER Blue-Hour WORKER" with storefront windows reflected in glass behind it. Four smaller images on the right show additional posters with varying legibility including text referencing "MAY 27 1998," "DAN SHERTSY JR," "SPIT NEWBORN," "WHITE SUPERMAN," and "RESIST WITH PRECISION AGAINST WHITE FASCISTS AND ITS SET #DANANDSPIT" posted on poles at street corners with buildings and pavement visible in the backgrounds.

New York City, New York

Comrades from the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement in NYC put up graffiti in solidarity with the call to action.

Tweet by @RevAbolitionNYC posted at 15:06 on July 4, 2018 reading "On this 20th anniversary of the murders of ARA comrades #DanAndSpit by fascists, we want to tribute these fallen fighters. Honor the dead and fight like hell for the living. #NeverForget #SupportOurTroops #Antifa #SmashTheFash" with an embedded photograph below showing three people in a concrete stairwell in front of a cinderblock wall spray-painted with large black letters reading "RIP DAN & SPIT." Two figures crouch on the left holding a black banner bearing a large red star with crossed hammer and sickle and red text along the bottom edge reading "REVOLUTIONARY ABOLITIONISM," while a third person kneels on the right wearing a black New York Yankees cap and a dark bandana over the lower face, holding up a framed black-and-white portrait of a person. All three individuals have their faces obscured by masks, balaclavas, and goggles, and the image carries a watermark reading "RevAbolitionNYC" in the lower left corner.

Sydney, Australia

Comrades in Sydney brought the day of action down under with a powerful mural commemorating Dan and Spit.

Tweet by @IGD_News (It's Going Down) posted at 12:59 on July 4, 2018 reading "Check out this beautiful mural painted by comrades in #Sydney that was submitted to IGD in memory of #DanandSpit, two members of Anti-Racist Action who were murdered in Las Vegas 20 years ago by neo-Nazis. itsgoingdown.org/memorial-graff..." with an embedded photograph below showing a graffiti mural on a brick wall painted in large bubble letters reading "REST IN POWER DAN & SPIT" in gray and white with black outlines, flanked by red and black antifascist flag motifs, while three people in black hoodies with their faces obscured crouch in front of the wall holding a black banner displaying a circular logo with red and black sections and the text "ANTIFASCIST ACTION."

Sacramento, California

Antifa Sacramento put up a banner in honor of Dan and Spit, and anti-racist activists lifted up their names while taking to the streets for an anti-4th of July party that included an action at the local ICE building and a noise demo at the county jail.

Tweet by @berkeleyantifa (Berkeley Antifa) posted at 17:03 on July 4, 2018 reading "In remembrance of #DanandSpit a banner was hung in #Sacramento today. Check out Antifa Sacramento for more information: facebook.com/12073469793595..." with an embedded photograph below showing a large white banner hanging on a chain-link fence outdoors against a clear blue sky, with trees and foliage visible behind the fence. The banner bears hand-painted black text reading "WE REMEMBER SPIT & DAN RESIST WHITE TERROR" with the ampersand symbol highlighted in red paint.

Hand-painted white sign propped on a concrete sidewalk reads "REMEMBER DAN & SPIT" in thick black marker lettering with "SMASH WHITE SUPREMACY" written below in red marker, leaning against a black Magnavox boombox whose twin speakers glow purple and whose digital display shows red numbers, with a light wooden stick resting across the top left of the stereo, a green plastic bag and a tan canvas tote bag behind it, and the legs of a person in black pants and black sneakers visible in the upper left corner against cracked paving stones.

Nighttime photograph of a fountain-style firework erupting in a parking lot, sending golden and white sparks shooting upward in multiple directions with smoke billowing around it. A person wearing a yellow shirt stands to the left near a white sedan, while a modern building with illuminated windows through large glass panels forms the background. The asphalt ground shows white painted parking space lines and some scattered debris in the foreground.

San Diego, California

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington ARA created a write up for the day of action.

Seattle, Washington

Comrades in Seattle showed up with an anti-fascist graffiti mural celebrating Dan and Spit.

https://twitter.com/NAmirite/status/1014688899170369536

Bloomington, Indiana

Friends in Indiana are gearing up for their memorial dance party tonight!

Flyer with a gray and white sunburst ray background announcing a "DAN AND SPIT DANCE PARTY," topped by a circular "ROCK AGAINST RACISM" logo reading "YOUR MUSIC, YOUR SCENE, YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR NATION" around a star, with two black-and-white portraits below the title showing a young man with short dark hair on the left and a smiling young man with short hair wearing a shirt bearing a circled-A anarchy symbol on the right, above a black band reading "JULY 5, 10PM-3AM @ THE BACK DOOR" followed by "FT. LUTHER BLISSETT & DJ RICK3Y • SUGGESTED DONATION $5-7" and a paragraph of small white text stating that the year marks 20 years since comrades Daniel Shertsy and Lin "Spit" Newborn, fondly remembered as Dan & Spit, lost their lives in the fight against white supremacy in conjunction with Torch Network's Day of Remembrance/Call to Action, and that organizers wish to continue building solidarity within their community, honor their legacy, dance, and continue their fight.

Remembrance in History

Tweet by @uadh_x (Mr Red X) posted at 7:26 on July 4, 2018 reading "20 years ago. Anti-racist skinheads Lin 'Spit' Newborn and Dan Shersty were kidnapped, tortured and murdered by Nazis in Las Vegas. Anti Racist Action groups from Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Portland, LA, San Diego, Toronto all converged in LV against the Nazi's." Below the text is an embedded color photograph showing three people at an outdoor Anti-Racist Action event in Las Vegas on June 27-29, 1994, with one person on the left holding up a document while wearing a white t-shirt with a black graphic and dark shorts and speaking into a megaphone mounted on a stand in front of them, another person seated in the center wearing a black cap, and a third person standing on the right in a white t-shirt, with a large ARA sign reading "ANTI-RACIST ACTION LAS VEGAS 6-27-29-94" on a checkered background, a black and red flag on a pole behind the sign, and a partly cloudy blue sky above with utility poles and wires visible in the distance.

Anti-Racist News newspaper page from December 1998 published by the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism, featuring a masthead with radio tower illustration and contact information listing po box 82097, columbus, ohio 43202, 614.424.9074, and ara@coil.com. A table of contents on the left lists articles including Leaving Las Vegas on Page 2, Matthew Shepard 1977-1998 on pages 4-5, Ska Against Racism on Page 7, Radio Sucks! on pages 8-9, Do Something on Pages 12-13, and Isn't Prejudice Weird? on Pages 14-15. The main headline reads "Death in the Desert" above an article about Lin "Spit" Newborn and Dan Shersty being kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in Las Vegas, with two grainy black-and-white portraits captioned "Lin 'Spit' Newborn" and "Dan Shersty." The multi-column article includes quotes from friends and family, mentions of the Unity Skins and Las Vegas chapter of Anti-Racist Action, references to local neo-nazi John Edward Butler being charged, and discussion of political assassinations by members of the modern U.S. fascist movement. Additional text covers the James Byrd killing in Jasper, Texas and David "Gypsy" Chain's death in northern California, with a notation "(continued, page 2)" at the bottom right indicating the article continues elsewhere.

A 1998 ARA News article on their killing

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the day of action in remembrance of Dan and Spit. Our comrades may be gone, but they will never be forgotten. We will keep up the fight against white supremacy and oppression with their memory in our hearts!

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