Islamophobia

The dangerous tide of Russophobia

Imperial rivalry has led to dangerous and absurd levels of xenophobia, writes John Clarke
Trojan Horse affair: Michael Gove's Islamophobic witch-hunt

New evidence shows how the Tories were blinded by Islamophobia during the investigation of Birmingham schools, writes Sean Ledwith
Quebec's Bill 21: Islamophobia dressed up as secularism

Following the removal of a teacher from her job for wearing a hijab, John Clarke dissects the overt Islamophobia of Quebec's Bill 21 and argues that it must be defeated
'The resistance is taking shape': Wakefield rallies against Islamophobia

Chris Nineham reports from an inspiring conference in Wakefield organised to take action against Islamophobia
Looking at the past and the future of anti-imperialism: 20 years of Stop the War

Cici Washburn reports from Saturday's rally commemorating 20 years of the Stop the War Coalition
9/11 and the legacy of endless war

John Clarke analyses US imperialism in the twenty years since the September 11th terrorist attacks
‘Blame the Muslims’ is the new cry from Labour – weekly briefing

Lindsey German on the Batley and Spen byelection and its fallout
Batley and Spen: hanging by a thread does not vindicate Starmer

Labour's narrow victory in Batley and Spen does not conceal Starmer's political bankruptcy, argues Shabbir Lakha
Ontario murders: another part of the pattern of Islamophobic hatred in Canada

The horrific murders of Muslims in Ontario are only the latest atrocity in an Islamophobic climate cultivated by the Canadian establishment, writes John Clarke
The French state couldn’t stop solidarity with Palestine

A protester in France describes how thousands defiantly took the streets of France in solidarity with Palestine despite the initial bans
How dangerous is Marine Le Pen?

John Mullen assesses the prospect of electoral success for Marine Le Pen and argues that she must be countered by national anti-fascist initiatives from the left
Swiss burqa ban: the racist right digs in deeper

The burqa ban in Switzerland represents the latest in a series of Islamophobic policies and must be resisted, argues Maddalena Dunscombe
From ‘bling-bling’ to Sing Sing: the calamitous fall of Nicolas Sarkozy

The conviction of a former president on corruption charges is a major humiliation for the French State, writes Susan Ram
Institutional racism laid bare: the fight for Justice for Shukri continues

As the Inquest into Shukri Abdi's death comes to a close, Attiq Malik, a lawyer for the family argues that this is not the end in the fight for justice
‘Islamo-leftism’: Macron ramps up attacks on Muslims and the left in France

In France, ‘Islamo-gauchisme’ is the watchword of a widening attack on basic freedoms, targeting anti-racists and the left writes Susan Ram
Failing black people, Muslims and women: the EHRC isn’t fit for purpose

A new Parliamentary report, David Goodhart’s appointment and the exoneration of the BBC show that the EHRC is incapable of dealing with institutional discrimination
The China question

Dragan Plavšić replies to criticisms of his recent article ‘China: a socialist force for good or an imperial superpower in the making? An historical evaluation’
This Is What America Looks Like - book review

Ilhan Omar has always been a fighter, and not just in the rhetorical sense. Kate O’Neil reviews the autobiography of the progressive Somali-American representative
France: build the movement against Islamophobia

Following on from the recent murder of a French schoolteacher and the exploitation of the event by Islamophobic forces, we repost Left Berlin’s interview with Paris activist John Mullen
Republic of Islamophobia: weaponising the tragedy in France for political ends

The horrific killing of a schoolteacher is being used as an opportunity for the state to renew a racist offensive against French Muslims, argues Susan Ram
Macron’s war on ‘Islamic separatism’

As a second wave of Covid-19 powers through France, a beleaguered president bent on re-election invokes a familiar Islamophobic trope, says Susan Ram
Paris protest supports Black MP against racist magazine

As demonstrators show solidarity with demonised Black MP Danièle Obono, the left in France should continue to step up the fight against racism, argues John Mullen
London marches for Shukri Abdi

A march for justice for Shukri Abdi advances another important campaign in the battle against systemic racism, reports Lucy Nichols
Keir Starmer, don’t pander to Modi's fascist regime and its allies in Britain - SASG statement

A statement from Indians for Labour and South Asia Solidarity Group
Modi is driving Islamophobia in India, the world is watching

Protesters gathered in London to oppose the horrific violence perpetrated against Muslims in Delhi, reports Ben Tunstall
France: Macron stokes up Islamophobia to deflect from the movement to defend pensions

Strikes and elections are redrawing the political landscape, argues John Mullen
India rises against Modi

A popular uprising is spreading across India confronting the fascism of the Modi regime, reports Amrit Wilson
At last a large-scale fightback against Islamophobia in France?

John Mullen reports from Paris on a major breakthrough for Muslims fighting oppression in France
The world turned upside down - election briefing 11 November

Lindsey German on topsy-turvy economics, media duplicity and Tory Islamophobia
Sri Lanka: manipulating a terrorist outrage

From draconian emergency powers to a ban on Muslim women’s face coverings, a delinquent government seeks to mask its own catastrophic failures, writes Susan Ram
Far-right terrorists and the meaning of the Battle of Tours

Interpretations of history elaborating and glorifying religious struggle have fed far-right narratives, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Who's to blame for the rise of Islamophobic terrorist attacks?

After the terrorist attack in Christchurch and now the attacks on Birmingham mosques, Shabbir Lakha finds that it's leading politicians and the media fuelling Islamophobia
Call it by its name: Islamophobia, and it comes from the top – weekly briefing

Capitalism always has a pre-eminent form of racism; it’s our task to identify, locate and defeat it, argues Lindsey German
We must stand up to Islamophobia - video

Speaking at the Stand up to Racism march in London, Chris Nineham says we need a campaign that takes on Islamophobia and the politicians and media that fuel it
Christchurch terrorist attack: Stop the War statement

Islamophobia has been fuelled by the 'War on Terror' - Stop the War Coalition's statement on the terrorist attack in New Zealand
Islamophobia is the dominant form of racism: why is it being ignored?

Attacks on Islam and Muslims are the central organising principles of far-right movements across Europe, argues Chris Nineham
Is Sajid Javid's deprivation of Shamima Begum's citizenship legal?

Looking at the law, it's clear that the Home Office decision to strip Shamima Begum of her citizenship is incorrect, argues Attiq Malik
Revoking Shamima Begum’s citizenship is unjustifiable

Removing Shamima Begum's citizenship is a violation of international and human rights law and would set a dangerous precedent, argues Shabbir Lakha
No to hate in our beautiful city

An Islamophobic attack on a school in Newcastle has been met with a 'human chain' anti-racist protest and community meeting addressed by MP Chi Onwurah, reports David McAllister
Saying never again means resisting in the present

Remembering the Holocaust means remembering the horrific slaughter of Jewish people, but also the resistance and solidarity, and resolving to put 'never again' into practice, writes Dana Mills
Why I won't speak at the Oxford Union

I was recently asked to debate at the Oxford Union. Here is my letter to the officers of the Oxford Union refusing to do so.
Why does the Oxford Union insist on inviting fascist speakers?

As Marion Maréchal-Le Pen speaks at the Oxford Union, the latest far-right figure to be invited, Dana Mills argues that it is an abuse of free speech and minorities pay the price
The streets belong to us: Tommy Robinson supporters outnumbered

Thousands of antifascists on a united demonstration marched in London, outnumbering Tommy Robinson and his supporters, reports Julie Al-Hinai
Counterfire's books of the year - part one

We asked a few leading campaigners and performers from the left what books have inspired them over the last twelve months
Deport, Deprive, Extradite: 21st Century State Extremism - book review

Deport, Deprive, Extradite exposes the systematic racism lurking behind our supposedly liberal system of civil rights, finds Sean Ledwith
Informer review: more Islamophobia, or a complex study of the modern-day East End underworld?

Despite its virtues, the BBC's Informer still resorts to lazy Islamophobic stereotypes, argues Sofie Mason
Stop Tommy Robinson: leaflets for National Unity Demonstration Against Fascism and Racism

On 17 November, we will be out marching against racism and the fascist thug that is Tommy Robinson - we provide leaflets for you to print and distribute
Be clear: Tommy Robinson is a violent, fascist thug

Don't be fooled by Tommy Robinson's attempts to come across as a man of the people. He is the very opposite of that
The far right, grooming gangs and racist lies

New far right movements claim that Muslim men are a threat to white girls but this old racist trick should not fool us, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Tommy Robinson and the British army: time to fight back

As the far right continues to mobilise, it's crucial the left pushes them back, writes David McAllister
Cricklewood attack: it’s not terrorism if it’s Islamophobic

Media reports and the police response to the Islamophobic attack in Cricklewood shows that it's only terrorism if the perpetrators are Muslim argues Shabbir Lakha
Sweden’s elections and the mounting far right threat in Europe

The far right Sweden Democrats didn't do as well as commentators anticipated, but the fascist threat must be confronted across Europe, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Beyond the veil: some context in the controversy over the burqa

The right instrumentalise Islamophobia but use the liberal trope of universal values to cover up a variety of political contexts, argues Floyd Codlin
Boris and the burqa: taking a cue from the EU

Islamophobic dress decrees have become as much a feature of contemporary Europe as fine wines, ancient patrimony and al fresco dining, writes Susan Ram
Boris Robinson and Tommy Johnson: two sides of the same racist coin – weekly briefing

When the mainstream starts playing with fire like this it means action stations for our side, writes Lindsey German
Far right celebrate Tommy Robinson's release from prison

Tommy Robinson's release pending a retrial has been received with jubilation by the far right. Anti-racists need to be prepared to take them on, argues Steph Pike
Call to oppose racist rally in Stockton-on-Tees

Teeside People's Assembly is calling on people to support an anti-fascist counter-protest in Stockton this Saturday
The new forces behind the fascist right

A changed threat has emerged in Tommy Robinson's street movement, supported by the international populist right. John Rees looks at how we meet it
The far right threat is real and we can't be complacent

After the big Free Tommy Robinson rally in London, the entire left need to get serious about organising against the far right argues Shabbir Lakha
They shall not pass: all out on 9th June

The Democratic Football Lads Alliance is a plainly racist organisation; anti-racists need to make sure they stop them marching on 9th June argues Josh Newman
Countering Extremism in British schools? - book review

Countering Extremism, an account of the Birmingham schools ‘Trojan Horse affair’, is a devastating critique of government and media Islamophobia, finds Judy Cox
Hundreds stand up to the FLA in Manchester

The Football Lads Alliance had a rally in Manchester, but there were more anti-racist activists that mobilised against them reports Karen Buckley
Systemic Islamophobia in Britain has deadly consequences

The political mainstream's cynical use of Islamophobia leads directly to death and heartbreak, argues Maz Saleem
What Is Islamophobia? - book review

The contributions in What is Islamophobia? show it as a form of racism driven in the first instance by the state and the war on terror, finds Shabbir Lakha
Resisting the republic of fear: protesters take on Modi

Over a thousand people protested outside Downing Street last week as India's Prime Minister Modi visited Theresa May, Amrit Wilson explains why
Republic of Islamophobia - book review

Republic of Islamophobiaeffectively analyses the nature and rise of the vindictive Islamophobia that has come to grip French politics and society, finds Susan Ram
Islamophobia: human chain response to 'punish a Muslim day'

A city responds to 'Punish a Muslim Day'. Newcastle unites against Islamophobia
From Jewdas to Skripal: media attacks on Corbyn are out of touch with reality

The British media tells a partial story on racism and its claims against the Labour leader run contrary to the evidence, writes Lindsey German
France also: a cynical attempt to divide anti-racism in the service of the government right

Unite the left and anti-racist movements in a fight back against cynical right-wing disruption, argues Kevin Ovenden
Rotherham: Islamophobia, structural racism and the far right

The Rotherham 12 Defence Campaign shows how media sensationalism and dangerous political rhetoric can lead to injustice
Institutional racism encouraged the murder of Bijan Ebrahimi

The actions of the authorities showed not only gross neglect, discrimination and injustice but in fact exacerbated hostility towards Ebrahimi, writes Naz Massoumi
The prevalence of Islamophobia: a Europe-wide phenomenon

Prejudice against Muslims is high across Europe, but in Britain there are grounds for optimism thanks to a mass movement against Islamophobia
Theresa The Appeaser: Trump tweets and Britain First

Trump's tweets have dangerously promoted fascists and Theresa May's weak response exposes the nature of the special relationship with the US argues Shabbir Lakha
Terror in Egypt, Islamophobia in Britain

The media coverage of the deadly terrorist attack in Egypt that killed 305 people exposes how mainstream Islamophobia is in the UK argues Tony Dowling
Trump: one year of waking hell

Donald Trump was elected just over a year ago. In that time, he has wreaked havoc
The truth about the Football Lads Alliance

The demonstrations of the organisation are dominated by Islamophobia and far-right extremism
Racist Trump will never be welcome here

From the repeated attempts to pass the Muslim Ban to attacking NFL players, Trump is racist and is not welcome here argues Maz Saleem
Night Thoughts - book review

Night Thoughts is the subversive musings that Wallace Shawn cannot admit during the day; witty and involving, the book should be spread widely, finds Dominic Alexander
Striking while the iron is hot is the only way to win back some of what’s been taken from working people - weekly briefing

As wages continue to fall and workers rights are attacked further, McDonald's and other workers have begun to strike. Lindsey German explains why they are so important.
Can we stop Trump tweeting his way to war? - weekly briefing

Trump tweets his way to nuclear confrontation with North Korea and military action in Venezuela while fascists wreak carnage in Charlottesville
India’s Hindu supremacist lynching epidemic: Trump, the Tories and the legacies of colonialism

Hindu nationalism and Islamophobia is running rampant in India. Ananya Wilson-Bhattacharya argues its relevance in contemporary politics because of Britain's colonial history.
Islamophobic placards have no place at Pride

With Islamophobic attacks at unprecedented levels, we need unity not division
Finsbury Park attack: Stop the War Coalition statement

The atmosphere of Islamophobia in which attacks on Muslims are becoming all too familiar has been whipped up throughout the 'War on Terror'.
Our fight against the Tories is a fight against racism

The Conservatives are scapegoating Muslims, ethnic minorities and migrants to justify their unpopular policies
The Dutch dog that didn't bark

The election in the Netherlands didn‘t bear out the media‘s prediction of a right-wing surge, writes Alastair Stephens
EU headscarf ruling ‘opens back door to prejudice’

The ruling states that workplaces banning the wearing of a 'political, philosophical or religious sign' are not discriminatory
Uniting the fight-back against Trump

We must step up the fight against hatred and division, writes Shabbir Lakha
Join the movement against Trump

The rising resistance against the US president represents a huge opportunity for those on the left to make the case for a different kind of world
Standing up to Trump

Campaigners from across the country gathered together to discuss and plan for Stand up to Trump, a coalition with a plan to take on the US president
Sound system solidarity: Bristol marches against ‘Muslim Ban’

On Saturday Bristolians marched against Trump's 'Muslim Ban' and 'Theresa the Appeaser'. Owen Lloyd-Jones reports on the sound system powered demonstration
The Pumpkinführer’s war on Muslims

The Orange one’s disastrous 10 days in office, reviewed by Kara Bryan
Starting as you mean to go on: Trump and the movement

Recent protests contain the seeds of future victories but nothing is automatic, notes Lindsey German
Quebec Mosque shooting: terrorist attack leaves multiple dead

Six people have been killed and a number more injured in an Islamophobic attack on a local Mosque in Quebec city.
French Elections 2017: Islamophobia, austerity and the left

A thorough analysis by John Mullen of the role of austerity and Islamophobia in the upcoming French elections and what the prospects for a radical left alternative are.
Trump's Muslim Ban, Theresa May's silence

Trump's Muslim Ban is appalling and Theresa May's refusal to condemn it is outrageous. Organising against both is critical.
The Casey Review: Islamophobia and integration

The Casey report will only add to the level of hostility and suspicion that Muslims face daily argues Chris Nineham
Jo Cox murder: terrorism and double standards

Why Thomas Mair, the white supremacist terrorist who murdered Jo Cox MP, should have been prosecuted for terrorism
Rotherham 12: victory against injustice

Landmark victory as 'Rotherham 12' found not guilty, but questions need to be answered about South Yorkshire Police's failings, argues Maz Saleem
Press regulation: we must condemn the Sun’s racist abuse

Connecting terrorism with Islam, as Sun columnist Kelvin MacKenzie did, is not intellectually respectable - no matter what Ipso says
Islamophobia: green and pleasant land in crisis

A brutal attack in the heart of Middle England highlights the reality of everyday racism, reports Maz Saleem
Playing games in the face of barbarism - the rising fascism across Europe

While Owen Smith and the Labour right play political football with antisemitism, Kevin Ovenden looks at the serious rise in fascism across Europe
Burkini ban: the Islamophobia that lies beneath the beach secularism

Is France's left doing enough to challenge the new wave of state Islamophobia, asks John Mullen
Burkini ban: taking the anger back to the French state

Friday night’s central London emergency protest shows how Islamophobia must be countered, reports Katherine Connelly
Burkini ban: we must oppose this blatant Islamophobia

As France imposes this draconian ban, Lindsey German states why we must say no - clearly and unequivocally
BAME rally: Jeremy Corbyn offers powerful anti-racist alternative

Shabbir Lakha reports from Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership campaign rally for BAME communities
A beacon of hope in dark times

Shabbir Lakha reports on the Convoy to Calais, which the French police shamefully turned back at the border
The Orlando massacre was a homophobic act

We cannot let the massacre in Orlando be used to stoke up homophobia and Islamophobia, argues Lindsey German
Immigration, racism and class

While mainstream ideology repackages its old myths and lies, Kevin Ovenden argues for a radical re-assertion of class-based anti-racism
Orlando: solidarity with the victims, no to Islamophobia

We must not let this attack on the LGBT community divide us, write Clare Solomon and Steph Pike
Farage: sex, lies and Islamophobia

Nigel Farage's latest outburst is part of a growing sexualisation of racism, argues Lindsey German
'Left-wing antisemitism': anatomy of an accusation

Leo Fischer argues the best response to accusations of antisemitism is to educate, organise and emphasise the continuing human rights abuses committed in Palestine
NUS: against antisemitism and for freedom for Palestine

Defending Malia Bouattia's record as an anti-racist campaigner, Shelly Asquith argues that the NUS has the right to criticse Israeli politics
Stop the War: official statement on anti-Semitism and Palestine

In response to claims of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party, Stop the War condemns the double standards applied to those who oppose Israeli oppression
The media attacks on Malia Bouattia are sadly predicatable

The media's reporting of the election of Malia Bouttia has ignored the woman and her policies
Lindsey German speaks at Refugees Welcome demonstration

Watch Lindsey German's speech from the ‪#‎RefugeesWelcome‬ demonstration in London in solidarity with those fleeing war
Borough unites against Britain First

London's East End showed solidarity with its Muslim population as Nazis tried to stir up hate, reports Chris Nineham
The return of an old evil

The racist scapegoating of refugees recalls the darkest moments in Europe's history, writes Lindsey German
Did you hear? Another Muslim murdered in the USA

With Islamophobia rising across the world, why do the media continue to ignore the fact that #MuslimLivesMatter asks Maz Saleem?
Sexual assault allegations exacerbate German racism

Sexism and racism have to be challenged without bowing to the far right, who are using sexual assaults to attack refugees, argues Kaveh Yazdani
Solidarity against racism at Bristol Mosque

We need to understand the sources of Islamophobia and stand with Muslims when they are under attack, argues Zara Nelson
Cameron fans the flames of Islamophobia

David Cameron's attacks on Muslim women come within the context of rising Islamophobia across the world, writes Lindsey German
Insulting Muslims won't help integration

David Cameron has further stigmatised the Muslim community - suggesting that those who do not learn English may have to leave the country - Rabina Khan responds
Le Pen's defeat offers only cold comfort

Defeat without having to face a decent opposition may be more useful than success for the continued growth of Le Pen's Front National, argues Alistair Stephens
Marine Le Pen: the demon child of war and austerity

Not since the 1930s has a far right, indeed a fascist party done so well in an election in Western Europe, writes Alastair Stephens
Preventing Prevent: Students are not suspects

Students need to unite against the Prevent strategy, which is only meant to spread division, argues Shelly Asquith
Paris attacks: fight the racist backlash

In the wake of the atrocities in the French capital, building an anti-war movement is more necessary than ever, writes Kevin Ovenden
Who is Charlie?

Emmanuel Todd’s Who is Charlie? reveals connections between Islamophobia and moves to the right in France, finds Lindsey German
No talking in class: Prevent in schools

Nick O'Brien on how the Prevent strategy has already started to make our schools places where students are afraid to discuss important and topical issues
The establishment campaign against Cage - smeared for defending human rights

The attack on Cage is part of the more general assault on politically active Muslims and an attempt to push Muslim organisations to the margins of public life
Cameron speech: demonising Muslims, escalating war

It's no surprise that David Cameron's five year plan to deal with Islamic extremism at home pins all the blame on the Muslim community
Cameron's response to radicalism: we need cooperation not McCarthyism says Rabina Khan

The government must accept that military intervention in foreign lands is not part of the solution
Cameron turns up the war rhetoric at home and abroad

Cameron plans to extend UK involvement in the wars raging in Iraq and Syria, while mounting an hysterical attack on British Muslims
David Cameron is making political capital out of carnage

David Cameron describes the threat of terrorism in Britain as an ‘existential threat’. This is preposterous, and he knows it
Counter-extremism or full spectrum idiocy?

The government’s ‘counter-extremism’ crackdown won't reduce the threat, and is more likely to increase marginalization of British Muslims and the alienation that groups like Isis attempt to feed on argues Matt Carr
David Cameron: scapegoating Muslims to hide failure at home and abroad

Western governments try to justify their failure to secure the Middle East militarily by blaming the Muslim community as a whole
The force may be with you

Theresa May’s proposed new anti-terror laws further demonise Muslims and threaten the rights of everyone who opposes the government argues Elly Badcock
Video: CAGE take on the Charity Commission

Human Rights advocacy group CAGE are to take the Charity Commission to court for unlawful use of powers against them. CAGE spokesperson, Cerie Bullivant joins presenter John Rees in the studio
Will another electoral coup take place in Tower Hamlets?

With the Tower Hamlets mayoral election round the corner, Dilly Hussain questions whether another ‘coup’ awaits Lutfur Rahman’s successor
When is a minority not a minority? When they're Bangladeshis living in Tower Hamlets

Judge Mawrey's comments offer a disturbing insight into the mindset with which he approached the Lutfur Rahman case and which prevails amongst Britain's ruling elite
Tower Hamlets: the real electoral fraud is about to begin

John Rees on the outrageous dismissal of Tower Hamlet's first elected Muslim Mayor
Working together, winning together

Tony Dowling reports from this week's NUT conference
May's extremism - targeting Muslims in the name of 'British values'

Attacked for their faith, their dress, their schools, their university societies and their politics, UK Muslims are scapegoated on a daily basis
Muslim opinion and the myth of 'tacit support' for terrorism

Attempts to smear the entire Muslim population on the basis of dubious opinion polls should be seen for what they are – unfounded and dangerous bigotry
Confronting Islamophobia – why everyone should demonstrate against racism on Saturday

Islamophobia has become an institutional norm - we need to stand shoulder to shoulder with Muslim communites and oppose military interventions and wars argues Chris Nineham
Democracy threatened by 'counter extremism'

The government's new 'counter extremism' strategy is an attack on the very democratic values it claims to defend argues Tower Hamlets Deputy Mayor Oliur Rahman
Ten reasons to stand up to Islamophobia and the 'war on terror'

As anti-Muslim racism spreads and intensifies, here's ten reasons why we must stand up to Islamophobia and break the cycle of endless war
Love Newcastle, Hate Racism: 6 observations on the Newcastle Unites demonstration

Pegida's attempt to launch an anti-muslim movement in the UK by holding a protest in Newcastle was massively outnumbered by a counter-mobilisation by Newcastle Unites. Alex Snowdon reflects on the lessons
No to Islamophobia: Newcastle unites to oppose Pegida

German group Pegida is set to hold its first UK demonstration on Saturday, but will face concerted opposition. Alex Snowdon explains
'Blame the Muslims' - Islamophobia is fuelled by the elite

Muslims are caught in a 'clash of civilisations' narrative in which they are seen as backward while Western civilisation is portrayed as the saviour
Debunking the 'clash of civilisations'

We need to refute the idea that we're living through a 'Clash of Civilisations' between the West and Islam - it's dangerous bunkum argues Chris Bambery
Lutfur Rahman Election Petition is an insult to democracy

An 'Election Petition' - a legal challenge to Lutfur Rahman's mayoral election victory - begins this week. It's an attack on democracy
The crisis of British politics

A resolution on the crisis of British politics passed at Counterfire National Conference 2015. Submitted by the Steering Committee
Charlie Hebdo: 5 problems with the Media picture

Everyone agrees the Muslim community must make amends for Charlie Hebdo, right? Well, no, not really. Here’s five facts the media tends to overlook.
Danièle Obono: the French left after the Charlie Hebdo attacks

Danièle Obono, a leading member of the French Left, speaks about the impact of the recent attacks and the dangers of Islamophobia
Graphic: large increase in anti-Muslim hate crime in London

Figures obtained by a Freedom of Information request to the Metropolitan Police show a 60% increase in the monthly average compared to period prior to Lee Rigby murder
The Government is blaming Muslims and attacking civil liberties

Opposition to war, Islamophobia and attacks on civil liberties are all connected, says Lindsey German, and we have to campaign against all three
15 recommended articles on the aftermath of the Paris attacks

Alex Snowdon compiles a selection of commentary and analysis about the contentious issues arising from the recent attacks in Paris
'Charlie Hebdo, not racist? If you say so…' Former employee lambasts magazine's racist trajectory

Written by Olivier Cyran and originally published in December 2013 as 'Charlie Hebdo, not racist? If you say so…' this article attacks the magazine's 'crude racism'. Translated by Daphne Lawless
BBC Panorama: establishment islamophobia at its worst

Not for the first time, the BBC's Panorama has been an outrider for the Islamophobia that is now so ingrained in the British establishment argues Chris Nineham
Charlie Hebdo murders: what's missing from the media narrative?

If you read the western media reporting on the Paris attack, says Lindsey German, it is as if the wars waged by the western powers in Muslim countries aren't happening
The limits of liberalism

Liberal responses to the Paris killings are fuelling a cycle from which both the right and the terrorists will gain, argues John Rees
Paris massacre: backlash and blowback

The latest attack will lead to a greater backlash and greater levels of Islamophobia. But it is not Muslims who are the problem but the foreign policies that have helped create terrorism
Why the double standards on terrorism?

There’s a double standard where Islamist terror is met with hysteria, while far-right terror is met with indifference, writes Lindsey German
A graphic account of terrorism

John Rees takes a look behind the propaganda at the facts about terrorism
The British establishment: demonising Muslims, attacking civil liberties

Lindsey German: Muslims in Britain could be forgiven for thinking that even when they do the right thing, it’s wrong
A history of struggle: race and class in the East End

Kevin Ovenden looks at the history of race and class in London's East End and the current battle to beat back the Tory attack on Tower Hamlets
Lutfur Rahman: 'not under attack for what he's done wrong, but for what he's done right'

The community turned out to defend Lutfur Rahman and democracy at a packed multilingual meeting in the borough of Tower Hamlets on Wednesday night
Canada: after Ottawa shooting, dissent is more critical than ever

Since Wednesday’s shooting, the notion that 'Canada will never be the same again' has picked up steam. This cliche carries with it potentially dangerous implications argues Derrick O'Keefe
Hate preacher: Theresa May and the demonisation of British Muslims

Theresa May’s address to the Conservative Party conference typified this government’s Islamophobia says Conan Doyle
Blaming the muslims: blowback and islamophobia

Lindsey German: Muslims have been subjected to racist accusations and demands that they desist from extremism - but most Muslims in this country do not support Isis or anything like it
Talha Ahsan: a celebration of survival

A welcome home rally in front of the Home Office celebrated Talha Ahsan's recent release, reports Peter Stäuber
Rally: Now it is time to say #WelcomeHomeTalha - 17 August

A rally to celebrate the homecoming of Talha Ahsan and the resilience of his family-led campaign and the ongoing struggle against unjust extradition laws
Talha Ahsan: justice, jihad and the war on terror

Talha Ahsan is to be released and returned to the UK after a US judge ruled that 'Jihad' does not mean terrorism reports Peter Stauber
Talha Ahsan: disabled British citizen jailed without trial may be extradited to US

Talha Ahsan is a disabled British citizen who has been jailed for 12 years without trial and faces extradition to the US and possible life imprisonment in solitary confinement
Tariq Ramadan: what makes the French left's approach to Islam different?

Tariq Ramadan and John Rees discuss the attitude of the French left to islam
Child abuse: Jack Straw’s racism won’t help vulnerable kids

Jack Straw’s comments scapegoat the Pakistani community for the actions of two sexual predators who preyed on vulnerable children.

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Islamophobia

Islamophobia

Imperial rivalry has led to dangerous and absurd levels of xenophobia, writes John Clarke

New evidence shows how the Tories were blinded by Islamophobia during the investigation of Birmingham schools, writes Sean Ledwith

Following the removal of a teacher from her job for wearing a hijab, John Clarke dissects the overt Islamophobia of Quebec's Bill 21 and argues that it must be defeated

Chris Nineham reports from an inspiring conference in Wakefield organised to take action against Islamophobia

Cici Washburn reports from Saturday's rally commemorating 20 years of the Stop the War Coalition

John Clarke analyses US imperialism in the twenty years since the September 11th terrorist attacks

Lindsey German on the Batley and Spen byelection and its fallout

Labour's narrow victory in Batley and Spen does not conceal Starmer's political bankruptcy, argues Shabbir Lakha

The horrific murders of Muslims in Ontario are only the latest atrocity in an Islamophobic climate cultivated by the Canadian establishment, writes John Clarke

A protester in France describes how thousands defiantly took the streets of France in solidarity with Palestine despite the initial bans

John Mullen assesses the prospect of electoral success for Marine Le Pen and argues that she must be countered by national anti-fascist initiatives from the left

The burqa ban in Switzerland represents the latest in a series of Islamophobic policies and must be resisted, argues Maddalena Dunscombe

The conviction of a former president on corruption charges is a major humiliation for the French State, writes Susan Ram

As the Inquest into Shukri Abdi's death comes to a close, Attiq Malik, a lawyer for the family argues that this is not the end in the fight for justice

In France, ‘Islamo-gauchisme’ is the watchword of a widening attack on basic freedoms, targeting anti-racists and the left writes Susan Ram

A new Parliamentary report, David Goodhart’s appointment and the exoneration of the BBC show that the EHRC is incapable of dealing with institutional discrimination

Dragan Plavšić replies to criticisms of his recent article ‘China: a socialist force for good or an imperial superpower in the making? An historical evaluation’

Ilhan Omar has always been a fighter, and not just in the rhetorical sense. Kate O’Neil reviews the autobiography of the progressive Somali-American representative

Following on from the recent murder of a French schoolteacher and the exploitation of the event by Islamophobic forces, we repost Left Berlin’s interview with Paris activist John Mullen

The horrific killing of a schoolteacher is being used as an opportunity for the state to renew a racist offensive against French Muslims, argues Susan Ram

As a second wave of Covid-19 powers through France, a beleaguered president bent on re-election invokes a familiar Islamophobic trope, says Susan Ram

As demonstrators show solidarity with demonised Black MP Danièle Obono, the left in France should continue to step up the fight against racism, argues John Mullen

A march for justice for Shukri Abdi advances another important campaign in the battle against systemic racism, reports Lucy Nichols

A statement from Indians for Labour and South Asia Solidarity Group

Protesters gathered in London to oppose the horrific violence perpetrated against Muslims in Delhi, reports Ben Tunstall

Strikes and elections are redrawing the political landscape, argues John Mullen

A popular uprising is spreading across India confronting the fascism of the Modi regime, reports Amrit Wilson

John Mullen reports from Paris on a major breakthrough for Muslims fighting oppression in France

Lindsey German on topsy-turvy economics, media duplicity and Tory Islamophobia

From draconian emergency powers to a ban on Muslim women’s face coverings, a delinquent government seeks to mask its own catastrophic failures, writes Susan Ram

Interpretations of history elaborating and glorifying religious struggle have fed far-right narratives, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh

After the terrorist attack in Christchurch and now the attacks on Birmingham mosques, Shabbir Lakha finds that it's leading politicians and the media fuelling Islamophobia

Capitalism always has a pre-eminent form of racism; it’s our task to identify, locate and defeat it, argues Lindsey German

Speaking at the Stand up to Racism march in London, Chris Nineham says we need a campaign that takes on Islamophobia and the politicians and media that fuel it

Islamophobia has been fuelled by the 'War on Terror' - Stop the War Coalition's statement on the terrorist attack in New Zealand

Attacks on Islam and Muslims are the central organising principles of far-right movements across Europe, argues Chris Nineham

Looking at the law, it's clear that the Home Office decision to strip Shamima Begum of her citizenship is incorrect, argues Attiq Malik

Removing Shamima Begum's citizenship is a violation of international and human rights law and would set a dangerous precedent, argues Shabbir Lakha

An Islamophobic attack on a school in Newcastle has been met with a 'human chain' anti-racist protest and community meeting addressed by MP Chi Onwurah, reports David McAllister

Remembering the Holocaust means remembering the horrific slaughter of Jewish people, but also the resistance and solidarity, and resolving to put 'never again' into practice, writes Dana Mills

I was recently asked to debate at the Oxford Union. Here is my letter to the officers of the Oxford Union refusing to do so.

As Marion Maréchal-Le Pen speaks at the Oxford Union, the latest far-right figure to be invited, Dana Mills argues that it is an abuse of free speech and minorities pay the price

Thousands of antifascists on a united demonstration marched in London, outnumbering Tommy Robinson and his supporters, reports Julie Al-Hinai

We asked a few leading campaigners and performers from the left what books have inspired them over the last twelve months

Deport, Deprive, Extradite exposes the systematic racism lurking behind our supposedly liberal system of civil rights, finds Sean Ledwith

Despite its virtues, the BBC's Informer still resorts to lazy Islamophobic stereotypes, argues Sofie Mason

On 17 November, we will be out marching against racism and the fascist thug that is Tommy Robinson - we provide leaflets for you to print and distribute

Don't be fooled by Tommy Robinson's attempts to come across as a man of the people. He is the very opposite of that

New far right movements claim that Muslim men are a threat to white girls but this old racist trick should not fool us, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh

As the far right continues to mobilise, it's crucial the left pushes them back, writes David McAllister

Media reports and the police response to the Islamophobic attack in Cricklewood shows that it's only terrorism if the perpetrators are Muslim argues Shabbir Lakha

The far right Sweden Democrats didn't do as well as commentators anticipated, but the fascist threat must be confronted across Europe, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

The right instrumentalise Islamophobia but use the liberal trope of universal values to cover up a variety of political contexts, argues Floyd Codlin

Islamophobic dress decrees have become as much a feature of contemporary Europe as fine wines, ancient patrimony and al fresco dining, writes Susan Ram

When the mainstream starts playing with fire like this it means action stations for our side, writes Lindsey German

Tommy Robinson's release pending a retrial has been received with jubilation by the far right. Anti-racists need to be prepared to take them on, argues Steph Pike

Teeside People's Assembly is calling on people to support an anti-fascist counter-protest in Stockton this Saturday

A changed threat has emerged in Tommy Robinson's street movement, supported by the international populist right. John Rees looks at how we meet it

After the big Free Tommy Robinson rally in London, the entire left need to get serious about organising against the far right argues Shabbir Lakha

The Democratic Football Lads Alliance is a plainly racist organisation; anti-racists need to make sure they stop them marching on 9th June argues Josh Newman

Countering Extremism, an account of the Birmingham schools ‘Trojan Horse affair’, is a devastating critique of government and media Islamophobia, finds Judy Cox

The Football Lads Alliance had a rally in Manchester, but there were more anti-racist activists that mobilised against them reports Karen Buckley

The political mainstream's cynical use of Islamophobia leads directly to death and heartbreak, argues Maz Saleem

The contributions in What is Islamophobia? show it as a form of racism driven in the first instance by the state and the war on terror, finds Shabbir Lakha

Over a thousand people protested outside Downing Street last week as India's Prime Minister Modi visited Theresa May, Amrit Wilson explains why

Republic of Islamophobiaeffectively analyses the nature and rise of the vindictive Islamophobia that has come to grip French politics and society, finds Susan Ram

A city responds to 'Punish a Muslim Day'. Newcastle unites against Islamophobia

The British media tells a partial story on racism and its claims against the Labour leader run contrary to the evidence, writes Lindsey German

Unite the left and anti-racist movements in a fight back against cynical right-wing disruption, argues Kevin Ovenden

The Rotherham 12 Defence Campaign shows how media sensationalism and dangerous political rhetoric can lead to injustice

The actions of the authorities showed not only gross neglect, discrimination and injustice but in fact exacerbated hostility towards Ebrahimi, writes Naz Massoumi

Prejudice against Muslims is high across Europe, but in Britain there are grounds for optimism thanks to a mass movement against Islamophobia

Trump's tweets have dangerously promoted fascists and Theresa May's weak response exposes the nature of the special relationship with the US argues Shabbir Lakha