Islamophobia in Europe: fuel for the far right
As the encroachment of far right parties grows throughout Europe, with the deployment of overtly racist rhetoric creating those who are deemed ‘real’ Europeans and those deemed a threat, Seb Cooke argues an authentic movement against fascism can only come from working class resistance. The far right and fascists of Europe were celebrating on Sunday […]
Remembering Lewisham
Forty years ago, British fascism suffered a historic defeat, as several hundred members of the fascist National Front (NF) were successfully beaten back by thousands of socialists and local residents, despite a huge deployment of police in defence of the NF. The confrontation became known as the Battle of Lewisham. As racism and support for […]
Review: Soul of a Nation
Caliban’s Revenge finds the current exhibition at Tate Modern a great place for searching for answers in a time of crisis and opportunity. In 1968, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King was assassinated. In the immediate aftermath, a wave of riots broke across America. Known as the Holy Week Uprising, […]
The Political Power of Music: in conversation with Dave Randall
Colin Revolting speaks to musician and activist Dave Randall about his experience of ‘mixing pop and politics’ and the journey which led him to write Sound System – The Political Power of Music. Interview transcribed by William Cleary. What was the journey that led you to write Sound System? I felt, when I was a young musician, that […]
Review: Blacklisted
Brian Parkin reviews Blacklisted: the secret war between big business and union activists by Dave Smith and Phil Chamberlain When I was a young engineering draughtsman in the early 1970s I was involved in a shop stewards and union activist organisation in Leeds. The group comprised rank and file union members from factories across the city […]
revolutionary reflections | From the War on Drugs to Black Lives Matter: exposing the discourse on drugs in the history of US racism
The war on drugs has played a significant part in the creation of the prison-industrial complex that has condemned the lives of millions of Black Americans. In this article for Black History Month Laura Clark explores the history of the discourse around drugs in the creation and maintenance of racism in the US. You can […]
Review: 13th
Filmmaker Tony Aldis reviews the new Netflix documentary 13th, looking at the civil rights movement, Black Lives Matter and the industrial prison complex. 13th is a new film by Ava DuVernay, the director of the much acclaimed Selma. In this new work she again deals with the issue of black civil rights in the United […]
Everyone Who Is Here Is From Here
Saturday 5 November 2016, 10.00 – 16:30, Capstan House, 1 Clove Crescent, London E14 – near East India DLR The EU referendum campaign and its aftermath have brought to the surface the constant scapegoating of migrants and immigration by both the far right and ‘respectable’ politicians from all parties. Migrants and minorities are blamed for […]
Policing the Planet – charting changes to policing under neoliberalism
Sølvi Qorda reviews Policing the Planet: Why the Policing Crisis Led to Black Lives Matter, edited by Jordan T. Camp and Christina Heatherton Police killings have reached a shameful apex this week, the highest number in one week in an already-murderous year. How can we begin to comprehend a world where Americans will apparently express […]
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 […]
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 […]
“You can’t organise a riot”: racism, riots and arrests in 1981
In memory of John “Brad” Bradbury of the Specials who topped the charts with Ghost Town whilst Britain burst into flames of riots and racism in 1981 – Colin Revolting remembers how anti – racists danced to the Specials and fought against racism and unemployment. January A fire at a house party in New […]
Seventeen years of struggle – deaths in custody campaigners keep fighting for justice
The United Friends and Families Campaign fights for justice for those killed in police custody, prison, immigration centres or in psychiatric detention. Graham Campbell reports from their 17th annual remembrance demo. The United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC) Injustice Demo on Saturday in London was an amazing and inspiring show of strength and unity among victims’ families seeking justice. Sheku Bayoh’s […]
Syd Shelton Rock Against Racism exhibition highlights contrasts and conflicts of the 1970s
A collection of anti-racist activist and photographer Syd Shelton’s work from Rock Against Racism is currently on display at the Autograph ABP gallery in London. Is this exhibition, and book, a nostalgic trip to the bad old days of 1970s racial conflict or does it have something to offer a new generation fighting the changing […]
“You can’t organise a riot”: racism, riots and arrests in 1981
In memory of John “Brad” Bradbury of the Specials who topped the charts with Ghost Town whilst Britain burst into flames of riots and racism in 1981 – Colin Revolting remembers how anti – racists danced to the Specials and fought against racism and unemployment. January A fire at a house party in New Cross […]
Black leadership: New and old generations
Graham Campbell discusses the crisis of Black leadership, and the new generation that is emerging. After this year’s general election, a record number of Black Labour and Tory MPs will walk down Westminster’s corridors. Black faces have never been more visible in the establishment and in Parliament. Meanwhile Black working class people, who make up […]
rs21 magazine summer 2015 launches at People’s Assembly demonstration on Saturday
Issue 4 of rs21 magazine will be out on Saturday, and available to buy from stalls and individuals at the People’s Assembly demonstration against Austerity in Central London. The election of a majority Tory government in May was not the result that most of us expected when the UK went to the polls. It will […]
Ferguson Spring
Shanice McBean discusses how the protests in Ferguson have been driven by the racism and injustice that permeates everyday life for black people in the USA. This article originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of the rs21 magazine. “Because of the way this society is organized, because of the violence that exists on the […]
The toxic hate behind the Chapel Hill murders
Nicole Colson looks at the background of bigotry behind the killing of three Muslims. This article was originally posted on the US website socialistworker.org. On the evening of 10 February, Craig Stephen Hicks murdered three of his neighbours in Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and Yusor’s sister, Razan Mohammad […]
‘Shoot As Well As Cook’: the Black Panther Party, sexism and the struggle today
We need to remember the contributions of black women to past struggles if we’re to take forward the fight for justice today, writes Shanice McBean.
Ferguson solidarity protests across the US: Photos and videos
After the decision not to indite Darren Wilson, people across the US people have taken to the streets to demand justice for Michael Brown. Join the protest tonight in London, 7pm, outside the US Embassy, organised by London Black Revolutionaries, NUS Black Students campaign, BARAC and Defend the Right to Protest. Washington DC: The protest […]
Assata Shakur: the world’s most dangerous woman?
Estelle Cooch reports on a lively launch of Assata Shakur’s autobiography at the recently opened Black Cultural Archives in Brixton It may be forty years since Assata Shakur, still the FBI’s most wanted woman, went on the run and sought asylum in Cuba, but the debates and controversy that surrounds her arrest doesn’t look to […]
Video interview with Darcus Howe
Darcus Howe takes us through his life as a black activist and revolutionary, guiding us though a history of resistance to racism, imperialism and state oppression.
Racism, austerity and revolution: rs21 north London meeting
Watch the rs21 meeting in Tottenham featuring Estelle (rs21), Bianca (Left Unity), Jennifer (Justice for Mark Duggan) and Bat (rs21), including discussions and summary.
#m22: Thousands march again racism in Greece
The government’s racist policies that lead to the tragic deaths of immigrants trying to enter Greece hoping to build a better life make the building of a strong anti-racist movement extremely urgent.
London #m22 demo: Sunshine and strong turnout from newly organised migrant communities
The anti-racist movement has a lot of work to do if it is to get fit for purpose. We all have to play a part in that.
Racism: old, new and neoliberal
Anindya Bhattacharyya reflects on the changing nature of racism under neoliberal austerity, and its lessons for activists today, UN anti-racism day, 22 March 2014.
Subdued anger as hundreds gather at Mark Duggan vigil
Around 1,000 gathered today outside Tottenham police station in north London at 2pm for a vigil to remember Mark Duggan, who was shot dead by police on 4 August 2011.