“Squeezing a quart into a pint pot”: the current situation in Calais
After the destruction of people’s homes there was temporary reduction in the numbers of refugees living in Calais, but many are now returning. The only people who are profiting from this stalemate are the people traffickers.
After Byron Burgers: Everyone Who Is Here Is From Here
Joe Hayns looks at the context in which Byron Burgers collaborated in the deportation of its employees and the next steps for our movement. On Monday 1 August up to 400 people demonstrated outside the Holborn, central London, branch of Byron Burgers against management’s collaboration with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in the deportation of […]
These workers weren’t going anywhere: Hotel Workers statement on the Byron immigration raid
Hotel Workers Branch of Unite the union issued this statement following the detaining of a number of workers at the Byron burger chain by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). The workers were lured to a team meeting by management before being confronted by UKBA. They now face deportation. 70% of workers in London’s hospitality sector […]
‘End marginalization, treat us humanely’: Somalis protest in Wandsworth
This week, the Somali community in Wandsworth protested their treatment at the hands of Wandsworth social services. Kate Bradley reports. Around 200 protesters filled the street outside the offices of Wandsworth Council in south London on Monday to protest what they describe as the “heavy-handedness” of Wandsworth social services in their treatment of the local […]
Unite conference backs Corbyn and mandatory reselection of MPs
Ian Allinson gives a second update on Unite Policy Conference which took major decisions on migration, industrial strategy, backing Jeremy Corbyn and mandatory re-selection of MPs, fracking and climate change.
BLM Cincinnati Statement on Police Brutality and Recent Events in Dallas
This statement was originally shared by Black Lives Matter Cincinnati through social media. On July 7, five police officers were reportedly killed by a sniper in Dallas, Texas. Law enforcement, media outlets, and elected officials are sniffing for a link between these deaths and the women and men organizing actions across the country to condemn police […]
12 thoughts on racism and anti-racism after the referendum
The racism evident on both sides of the recent EU referendum campaigns, as well as the huge rise in racist attacks following the result, shows the need for a strong, united, radical and popular anti-racism. Jonas Liston offers 12 thoughts on where we are post-referendum and how to build the movement we need.
Post #Brexit vote: taking on the challenge of ‘acceptable racism’
Kat Burdon-Manley analyses reasons behind the vote in last week’s EU referendum and discusses where now Racism in Britain has been on the rise since the start of the recession. We have witnessed the increasing popularity of UKIP, the shift to the right and acceptance of racism by the Labour Party and the structural racism […]
After Brexit: Keeping our heads when all around are losing theirs
By Rob Owen June 24th was a dark morning. Colleagues at school arrived shell shocked at a result no one expected. Friend after friend asked in worried tones what the result would mean. Meshed with disbelief were two common fears: that Britain had crashed into economic chaos and that a previously hidden, racist and narrow […]
BMA votes against charges for migrants
On the day of the EU Referendum, doctors voted against borders. Report by Nick Evans The British Medical Association voted to denounce charges for migrants trying to access NHS services on Thursday. Delegates at the Annual Representatives Meeting voted on a motion, initially brought by medical students, to run training workshops, commission a report and […]
Over 1000 protest in London to show solidarity with migrants and refugees
Duncan Thomas reports On 23 June, Britain voted to leave the EU. The next day, we took the first steps in meeting the challenges ahead. Estimates vary, but between 1200 and 1500 people came out in solidarity with refugees and migrants, marching from Altab Ali Park in East London to Murdoch’s New Corp HQ. The […]
Demonstrate in London TODAY against racism and in solidarity with migrants
The EU referendum has unleashed a torrent of racism. Migration has been attacked and scapegoated by both campaigns – with Leave stoking up bigotry against immigrants and Remain responding by capitulating and echoing that bigotry. This tone of anti-immigrant politics has not been set by the far right. It comes from the mainstream parties […]
Why socialists should support a British exit
Building on arguments made in previous articles, Neil Davidson lays out why he believes socialists should vote to leave the EU.
French and British police block Calais Convoy
John Walker reports on the Convoy to Calais on Saturday, which say French and British police block activists from travelling to France to deliver aid On Saturday, several hundred of us confronted the police at the Dover ferry terminal then went to picket the French embassy in London, because the British and French authorities, acting […]
Join the demo on 24 June
Demonstrate against racism, for migrant rights, against fascist violence – on the day after the EU referendum.
From farce to tragedy: thoughts on Jo Cox, the referendum and the rise of racism
Duncan Thomas on Jo Cox’s murder, the rise of racism in mainstream political discourse, and the need to build a strong anti-racist movement after the referendum – whatever the result. Together with other groups and activists, rs21 are support marches of solidarity with migrants and refugees on Monday 20 and Friday 24 June. Join us if […]
In or Out, we must show solidarity with migrants and refugees. March with us on 20 June.
The EU referendum has dominated political debate, and the left is divided on which way – if at all – to vote. Yet it seems clear that, whatever the outcome, attacks on migrants and refugees will intensify; whatever the outcome, we need to unite and mobilise against these. We start on World Refugee Day on […]
Migrant workers: legislating for precarity
Mikhil Karnik, an immigration lawyer in Manchester, explains how changes in immigration law are driving migrant workers towards greater precarity One measure of the distinction made between EU nationals and other immigrants is the disproportionate use of detention in Britain. Despite making up less than half the migrant population, non-EU migrants constitute about 90% of those […]
Fortress Europe: rs21 interviews Matt Carr
rs21’s Kate B interviews Matt Carr, author of Fortress Europe: Inside the War on Immigration.
‘Refugees Welcome Here: Racism out of the Referendum’ rally report
While some of the pro-remain arguments about the EU itself are naive, the rally showed the importance and the possibility of uniting around a strong anti-racist position, whatever the referendum result. Charlie Hore reports.
Revisiting Frantz Fanon: memories and moments of a militant philosopher
A new book by Leo Zeilig focuses on one of Africa and the modern era’s most celebrated revolutionaries, whose views remain influential long after his death. Many people spoke well that day. Delegates had come from across the African continent to independent Ghana for the All-African Peoples’ Conference in 1958. Most spoke of the continuing […]
Antisemitism row – the real target is Jeremy Corbyn
The media is full of claims about antisemitism in the Labour Party. Jewish members of rs21 set out our view. Naz Shah and Ken Livingstone have been suspended from the Labour Party over accusations of antisemitism. Condemnation of Shah and Livingstone is part of a wider claim – that the Labour Party and the […]
EU referendum: for an internationalist leave position
Recently rs21 members met to discuss and debate our attitudes towards the EU referendum and related issues, in particular migrant solidarity. Migrant solidarity work is central to rs21. Initiatives like London2Calais have illustrated the possibility of combining organising practical solidarity with migrants with a strong anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist politics, as well as reaching out to new […]
TV Review: The Aliens
The Aliens is E4’s new drama with direct parallels to the situation for migrants and refugees today says Tazmin Aldis. Aliens creator Fintan Ryan uses the premise of a future where Aliens arrived on Earth nearly 40 years ago and, despite their uncanny resemblance to the human kind, they are ruthlessly discriminated against – banished […]
Fascists humiliated in Dover
Steve Eason, Kate Bradley and Ashmeet T report from the counter-demonstration against the far-right South East Alliance, who marched through Dover in very small numbers on 2 April ,2016.
Whose Europe? Theirs or Ours?
Socialists do not have the luxury of choosing the conditions in which we fight; however unfavourable the current balance of forces, our task it to argue for an exit from the un-reformable EU on left terms, write Jen Wilkinson and Paul O’Connell.
M19 -Thousands march against racism
21 March 2016 marks the fiftieth International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Saturday before (19 March) was the date for a national demonstration entitled ‘Refugees Welcome; Stand up to racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism and fascism’, called by Stand Up To Racism. – Ashmeet T reports The demonstration assembled at Portland Place where the […]
‘Shut down Yarlswood’: momentum grows at large demo
On Saturday 12 March, Movement for Justice by Any Means Necessary organised a demonstration calling for the closure of Yarlswood detention centre. Duncan Thomas reports.
Rumble in the “Jungle”
Mitch Mitchell reports on the French state’s destruction in the Calais refugee camp on February 29.