Protest

School's out for the Tories – weekly briefing

Students have put politics back on the streets again: this is an object lesson for everyone who wants a better world, argues Lindsey German
Sudan's uprisings have removed governments before, can they do it again?

Sudan has twice removed authoritarian regimes through popular protests. How does today’s uprising compare?
Youth Strike 4 Climate: we're fighting for our future

A video report from the YouthStrike4Climate in London
Learn to conform or learn to transform?

School students have common ground with teachers in finding this government their main enemy, whether it comes to the value of their learning or climate chaos, argues Dean McAndrew
The Yellow Vests at three months: achievements and prospects

Three months on from its birth, the Yellow Vest movement continues to build support and make gains, argues Susan Ram
National school students' climate strike in pictures

The hugely inspiring national school students' strike against climate change should be the start of a coordinated, international campaign, reports Jago Corry
Student strikes and climate change: demanding action not words

National walkouts from schools, colleges and universities on Friday are taking the fight to the government over climate change, writes Elaine Graham-Leigh
Sudan: the struggle continues

The people of Sudan remain on the streets despite the brutal crackdown from the government. What they need now is solidarity, not Western-backed regime change, argues Explo Nani-Kofi
Essex got SOLE: library campaigners launch 'book raids' and protests against closures

A vibrant campaign to save Essex libraries is gaining traction. Jean Quinn, teacher and National Education Union member, reports on how they are organising to stop the mass closures
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
The Yellow Vests movement and its implications - Counterfire Media Podcast

Tom Lock Griffiths talks to Susan Ram, an activist based in France, about the Gilet Jaunes movement in France, its different elements, key demands and the implications for the British left in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast
Yellow Vests join unions to agitate for a general strike in France

Repudiating Macron’s ‘great national debate’, Yellow Vests join hands with trade unions and the radical left to build for a general strike, reports Susan Ram
Left advances in Serbia: news from the protest frontlines

The left has to engage with mass movements but to maintain an independent profile, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Israeli Eurovision boycott: let the battle begin

With the contest taking place in Tel Aviv this year, we must supercharge campaigners’ demands for a full boycott, argues Dave Randall
Europe in revolt

As protests across Europe are generalising, UK activists must seize the time, writes Dragan Plavšić
The meaning of the Yellow Vests

Out on the streets of France, hard-hit working people are furiously repudiating austerity, sham democracy, and the neoliberal programme of President Emmanuel Macron, reports Susan Ram
They've got to go! General election now - Counterfire freesheet January 2019

Tory Brexit crisis, the fightback against austerity, Eurovision boycott campaign, Trump and Syria, remembering Rosa Luxemburg, Yellow Vests and protests across Europe in this month's Counterfire Freesheet
France 2019: Macron, Yellow Vests and class struggle

Saturday saw the Gilets Jaunes revolt continue on a grand scale, as the President scrambles to repress the movement and cajole the public. John Mullen reports from Paris
Bigger than Brexit - weekly briefing

EU monomania shouldn’t blind us to the starker realities of global economic crisis and ever increasing class tensions, argues Lindsey German
12 reasons to protest on Saturday for a General Election Now

The Tories have fashioned a Britain of destitution and booming social injustice. We need to mobilise to force a general election, writes William Hendy
Europe in turmoil: what to expect in 2019

Chris Bambery explores European political economy and what developments of the last twelve months can lead us to expect about the year ahead
‘No Christmas for the bourgeoisie’: Protests erupt across Europe at the close of 2018

Mass protests across Europe show that a new politics is on the horizon, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
France's streets flooded with protest three days before Christmas

The Yellow Vests outwitted Macron's repressive state forces to stage a surprise mobilisation in Paris and storm towns and roundabouts across France, reports Susan Ram
Student protests in France and Albania: could Britain be next?

Dragan Plavšić looks at spreading student protest and where it could go next
The Tories want a national government because they want to break Corbyn - weekly briefing

The only way forward for our side is an emboldened working class and a radical set of politics stage centre in the mainstream, argues Lindsey German
Macron must go: Yellow Vests Act V

The movement brought anger to the streets again across France in defiance of state efforts to divide and disrupt it this week, reports Susan Ram
Rage at the Home Office - solidarity with the Stansted 15

The courage of the Stansted 15 in stopping this cruel deportation flight is an inspiration, not a crime, argues Ellen Graubart, reporting on the protest outside the Home Office
French high school students rise against Macron in 'Black Tuesday' protests

Opposing Macron's neoliberal education reforms and police repression, tens of thousands of students are out on strike, vowing to join up the struggles, reports Jack Sherwood
There's only one way out of this mess, and that’s a general election – weekly briefing

The Tories shan’t topple on their own, we need to build and maintain the pressure against them, argues Lindsey German
France: stay on the streets until Macron falls

Danièle Obono, a deputy of La France Insoumise, speaks to Feyzi Ismail about the Yellow Vest movement, the police and the origins of Macron's crisis
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
France: unsubmissive and on the streets

Feyzi Ismail reports from Paris, where the Gilets Jaunes have been demonstrating for the fourth weekend consecutively, and with more protests planned
Yellow Vests, Act Four: where is France going?

Saturday's huge Gilets Jaunes mobilisation across France defied Macron's Project Fear, as high school students facing state repression join a movement that continues to rise. John Mullen reports from Paris
Why you should be on the protest that could bring down the government

John Rees on why the coming demonstration on the night of the Brexit vote could be the beginning of the end for the Tory government
Revolt in France: could Macron be under threat?

Yellow Vests mass protests enjoyed a third weekend of militant action across France, with trades unionists and other groups supporting. John Mullen reports from Paris
Yellow Jackets: a high-vis uprising sweeps France

At roadblocks, barricades and on the march, the Gilets Jaunes embody nationwide fury towards Project Macron, reports Susan Ram
Students protest in Albania: internationalist alternatives in the Balkans

Students in Albania are protesting, and the solidarity pouring in from across the Balkans shows the possibility for internationalist alternatives, argues Kevin Ovenden
Paris demonstration: 'Trump means war'

The November 11 anti-Trump mobilisation in Paris is a real advance for the anti-war movement in France, reports Susan Ram
The public supports urgent action on climate chaos: it's government that is failing

There's just 12 years left to keep our environmental inhabitable. Campaigning from below is crucial; we can't depend on the climate dealmakers, writes Nathan Street
Protest: Stories of Resistance - book review

A historically rich collection of stories on episodes of resistance across British history is evocative of experiences of protest, finds Ralph Graham-Leigh
Stop Tommy Robinson, All out for 17 November - Counterfire Freesheet November 2018

Opposing the far right, people's vote, police racism, precarious workers, climate chaos, universal credit and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Peterloo: an 'anti-period drama'

Peterloo presents our history vividly, finds David McAllister - the result is a film that is both timely and historically accurate
Glasgow refuse workers respect picket lines in solidarity with women’s pay strike

Strike action in Glasgow spreads, showing the power of solidarity of men and women workers, reports Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
A march more about attacking Labour than challenging the Tories – weekly briefing

The Extreme Centre are never to be trusted especially when they mobilise under the banner of democracy, argues Lindsey German
Brexit breaking point: it May be the end of this government - weekly briefing

The crisis for Theresa May and the Tories continues to deepen, their only lifeline would be a second referendum, argues Lindsey German
Uber strike: precarious workers fight back

Uber drivers organised a 24 hour strike and rallied at Uber offices against precarious working conditions and unfair pay, Shabbir Lakha reports
North West London come out in voice against police violence in Harlesden and racism in wider society

Protestors came out in support of a man who was violently attacked by police in Harlesden, and called for a fightback against racism in society
Banksy: the shredding on the wall

Banksy shredding his painting moments after it sold for over £1m at auction showed up the out-of-touch super-rich and everything wrong with modern art culture
Tories out! Birmingham marches against austerity

The response to the Tory conference in Birmingham was suitably angry and clear in its demands, reports Ellen Graubert
Bristol residents join the battle to save Hamilton House

Opposing landlords’ plans to turn a community hub into luxury flats, workers and local residents held a vibrant protest in the streets and marched on City Hall, reports Ross Maidment
The left is growing: why the setbacks at Labour conference?

The left has seen a number of defeats at Labour Conference, but on the ground, there is burgeoning resistance, writes Chris Nineham
Palestinians resist home demolitions by Israeli military - video

Israeli armed forces attacked Palestinian demonstrators as they demolished four homes, continuing a programme of hundreds this year. Jamie Naylor reports from the West Bank
Toronto rally confronts Zionist slanders

As the Toronto community stands firm against Zionist attacks, John Clarke reminds us that our solidarity with the Palestinian cause mustn't be apologised for
Turkey police attack Saturday Mothers vigil

A statement from Solidarity with the People of Turkey on the recent attack against the Saturday Mothers
We’ve seen the largest rise in poverty since Thatcher: resistance is a necessity

The latest figures on living standards tell us austerity’s class warfare is more dangerous than ever. Mass struggle is an urgent requirement, argues John Clarke
The UN has condemned Britain 16 times in the last decade and here’s why

As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70, T.J. Coles documents recent examples of the UK falling short
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
Zimbabwe after Mugabe: his successor struggles to maintain grip on power

What we are seeing in the first elections after Mugabe is the deep state clutching to power, but can it hold on? Asks Shabbir Lakha
Antisemitism: what the left should say – weekly briefing

We should not apologise for things we haven’t done and we do not shut down a witch-hunt by agreeing with it, argues Lindsey German
Together against Trump: a mass show of opposition

Looking back at the quarter of a million strong demonstration against Trump, Daniel Jakopovich argues that it was a mass display of people power
We stopped Trump

Over 250,000 people marched through central London on a Friday, and Pete Morgan argues that together we stopped Trump
The meaning of Trump

Is Trump a symptom or a cause of the rot at the heart of the US empire, asks Des Freedman
Together we can defeat Trump, and the Tories too

Opposing Donald Trump can play a role in bringing down our own vicious government
The Rhyming Guide to Donald Trump

Potent Whisper makes the case for protesting against Donald Trump
Only a united movement can defeat the far right

Saturday's far right demonstration in support of Tommy Robinson must be opposed directly on the streets
Why we should all be out protesting against Trump's visit to the UK

We must be united in our opposition to Trump and everything he represents
May Day, May Day: this ship is sinking – weekly briefing

This latest Tory crisis is an opportunity the left must seize and the week’s protests are all the means to do so, argues Lindsey German
Why Trump won't forget his visit

Chris Nineham argues why it is important that the movements go on to the offensive against Donald Trump in the next few days
Best images from the #OurNHS70 demo - live updates

Tens of thousands march in London, joined by Jeremy Corbyn, from across the UK to defend the NHS on its 70^th birthday and demand it is #Free4AllForever
All roads lead to the Trump protest on 13 July – weekly briefing

Trump is scared of the UK protest movement; let’s make sure that his fear is confirmed, writes Lindsey German
Justice for Grenfell: breaking the silence

A year on from the Grenfell disaster, Julie Al-Hinai reminds us that whilst our grief can be silent, our anger must be clearly audible
The collapse of everything, and what to do about it - weekly briefing

Two major demos in the next four weeks is a fantastic opportunity to hardwire our politics to the street, argues Lindsey German
What, you thought we just forgot about Grenfell?

Thousands of people marched in silence on the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire in a powerful show of solidarity, reports Shabbir Lakha
Tear Gas: From the Battlefields of World War I to the Streets of Today - book review

Tear Gas shows that, historically, the use of tear gas escalates violence against protest, but movements can overcome such repressive force, argues Tom Whittaker
Now it’s serious: why taking on Trump matters

Let's give Trump a reception he won't forget
Populism and polarisation in Ontario: election analysis

The Tory victory shows a missed opportunity for Ontario's labour party, but the left must organise now and fight en masse against Doug Ford's ugly party of the bosses, write activists Doug Nesbitt, Gerard Di Trolio and David Bush ('Fight for $15' campaign)
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
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
London says end the massacre in Gaza, freedom for Palestine

Thousands of people poured into Whitehall on Tuesday to oppose the killing of unarmed protesters in Gaza, reports Richard Pratt
The first twelve months of Project Macron: a provisional audit

One year on from Macron taking office, Susan Ram analyses what he stands for and what he's achieved
Palestine: remembrance and resistance

As the resistance of Palestinians in Gaza continues despite horrific violence against them, we must continue to show solidarity and protest, argues Shabbir Lakha
50 years after 1968: Storms raging in Macron’s France

Neither Macron and the bosses, nor France's working class have made a decisive breakthrough in recent weeks. But the movement is solid and imaginative, writes John Mullen in Paris
Marx matters more than ever - weekly briefing

There’s still only one thinker who not only explains the horrors of capitalism but also offers an escape route, writes Lindsey German
Spanish women take to the streets to demand justice for women and an end to male violence

The acquittal in Pamplona is not an isolated case. Women are taking to the streets and demanding justice, reports Steph Pike
Racism starts at the top in Britain, and we’re seeing the result with Windrush - weekly briefing

The fight against ruling class divide-and-rule has never been more urgent and the Tory leadership are a sitting target, argues Lindsey German
Justin Trudeau's dirty deeds for dirty oil

He reps for poisonous pipelines whilst claiming climate piety; Trudeau’s slick cynicism springs protest from London to British Colombia, reports John Clarke
Nationwide opposition to Syria airstrikes

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in over 40 towns and cities across the country to voice their opposition to Theresa May's bombing of Syria
Kentucky school teachers: why we're walking out on strike

As school teachers walk out across the US, in Kentucky they're storming the state Capitol and making big demands, reports striking teacher James H. Miller
More Palestinian protesters killed on ‘Friday of Tires’ by the Israeli military

Israeli soldiers fired live rounds and teargas into thousands of Palestinians rallying for a second week for the right to return to occupied lands
Bloody Friday in Gaza: a great return massacre

An unarmed, civilian protest from a people who have been oppressed for decades, results in bloodshed and massacre.
Palestine 'Great Return March' in images: mass protest met with 16 killings by Israeli military

Tens of thousands marched peacefully for the right to return to the occupied territories, but IDF soldiers shot to kill, reports Jack Sherwood, with 6 weeks of protest ahead
Catalonia kicks off - in images - street revolt meets police attacks

Major revolt is underway after the Spanish state imprisoned a further 5 ex-ministers (total = 9) and issued European Arrest Warrants on 6 others in exile, inc. the ex-President
'If women stop, the world stops': a view from the mass women’s strike in Spain

After huge strikes and protests in Spain, the message on the ground is to stay in the streets
Lecturers' strike update: together we can win

As the lecturers' stike enters its final week, a lecturer explains what we have achieved and what we still need to do
Saudi Prince not welcome: demonstrate against his visit

Statement from organisations opposing the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to the UK and urging people to join the demonstration tomorrow
Poll Tax 1990: the revolt that sank Thatcher - video

Tom Whittaker gives a sharp introduction on how Thatcher was toppled and what lessons activists today can learn in kicking the Tories out
15 years on from the biggest protest in British history

Lindsey German looks back at the day in 2003 that millions took to the streets to protest the Iraq war
Recession, Riots and Regeneration

Protesters gathered at the Brixton Arches to mark three years of the campaign to save it from regeneration. Julie Al-Hinai reports
Why we protest

Look at what we have achieved with protest and what we can achieve again. All out for the NHS this Saturday
An anti-war government: a formation whose time has come

Jeremy Corbyn’s roots in the global anti-war movement offer an unprecedented opportunity to marginalise the warmongers, asserts Chris Nineham
Carillion collapse: why we need to end privatisation of the NHS

The merry go round of rewarding private sector companies for profiting from our NHS must end along with the hand-in-glove approach it has with big business
Look who isn't coming to dinner - weekly briefing

Trump deflected is an object lesson in the power of protest but it is only a beginning, writes Lindsey German
NHS Emergency Demonstration - model resolution

The People's Assembly have drafted a model motion to submit to trade union branches, Trades Councils, CLPs and other campaign groups to support the NHS Emergency demonstration on Saturday 3 February
The antidote to a very weak but very nasty government - weekly briefing

Now is not the time for wait-and-see, even a small victory could break the back of this wretched regime, writes Lindsey German
Why are people in Iran protesting?

Since Thursday last week, Iran has been gripped by a new social unrest across a number of cities. Naz Massoumi gives some context to the unfolding crisis.
A Scrooge Christmas on the cards - weekly briefing

Now is the time to turn the tables on the Victorian values embedded in our society, argues Lindsey German
The student fightback against cuts is just beginning

Those who claim protesting doesn't work don't understand what protest is for. We are building a movement for change, argues Clare Solomon
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
Theresa May's government is busy doing nothing, but we're still suffering - weekly briefing

The ruling party of the ruling class may be in limbo but our side has no time to lose, argues Lindsey German
Why I took on Jacob Rees-Mogg and his despicable views on austerity

Shabbir Lakha explains why the People's Assembly protested Jacob Rees-Mogg and takes on some of the myths around austerity
Catalonia: why paper won against rock

A report on the grassroot organising of the referendum for Catalan independence
A festival of resistance in Manchester as a united movement protests at the Tory conference

As the Tories demonstrated their cluelessness, people from across the country demonstrated that another world is possible
The most stunning pictures from the protest at the Tory party conference

As the Tories held their conference in Manchester, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in opposition to a government that is hanging on by a thread
Mehmet Aksoy remembered: Peace in Kurdistan salutes the activist and film-maker

It is with deep sadness and horror that we learn of the death of Mehmet Aksoy who has been killed in the fight against Islamic State on 26 September 2017
Crisis in France: the view from the left

As her organisation mobilised a huge anti-government demonstration, deputy Danièle Obono spoke to Chris Nineham about Macron's meltdown, the far right's problems, and the movement
The clock is ticking

As the Tories prepare to meet in Manchester, our side needs to keep its eyes on the prize
Tories out! May must go

We must build an organised opposition to the Tories
France: All out on September 12!

Workers and political activists prepare to battle Macron’s ‘XXL’ assault on French labour laws, reports Susan Ram
Bristol: a city prepared to fight

Called by its mayor, Bristol saw its largest march in many years, setting the scene for civic protest across the country, reports Tom Whittaker
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust: Joe Strummer remembered

The punk pioneer and agitprop legend would have been 65 this week, this is what John Rees wrote when he died in 2002
Don’t be blindsided: the threat of nuclear war is real

Recent rhetorical grandstanding should not obscure a clear and present danger, writes Lindsey German
Charlottesville: Trump has made America hate again

US Nazis on manoeuvres is a wake-up call for everyone, argues Sean Ledwith
Six weeks after Grenfell, East London tenants demand national action

The anger is not subsiding and people are beginning to organise, reports Chris Nineham
No justice, no peace: Hackney residents demand justice for Rashan Charles

Two days after the death of Rashan Charles in Hackney, protestors took to the streets to express their anger and show solidarity
We will not be silenced: Palestine will be free

The demand for change is growing
Into battle: Manchester prepares for the upcoming Tory Party Conference

Mancunian activists are already laying the groundwork for October’s crucial demonstration, reports Martin Hall
Brazil: protestors reject biased judicial system

In major cities, citizens have taken to the streets to protest against the judicial farce that led to the sentencing of former president Lula da Silva
Eyewitness account: G20 protests in Hamburg

Hamburg's G20 protests can provide immense inspiration, argues Marta Music
Hamburg showed the emperor really doesn't have new clothes - weekly briefing

After a weekend of numerous mass mobilisations, Lindsey German analyses the growing mood to fight
The election which showed that class is back - Final Election briefing (for now)

All change - and things are shifting in our direction at last, writes Lindsey German
High school students across France mobilise to reject the pseudo-choice between Macron and Le Pen

Just before the final round of France’s presidential election, lycéens (high school students) are continuing to provide the sharpest and most combative opposition to the two contenders
Value us: the Lions of Durham keep roaring

Saturday March 25 saw a County Durham Teaching Assistants national march and rally, Dawn Warcup was there to report
Durham teaching assistants: an open letter to a Labour councillor

Dear Labour Councillor, don’t blame me if you are now being held to account for your decisions…
March 18 anti-racist demos: broad and militant

Recent anti-racist mobilisations show the movement shifting up a gear, notes Kevin Ovenden
Get your rosaries off my ovaries: thousands march in Dublin for #Strike4Repeal

A new generation of female activists is refuelling Ireland’s reproductive struggles, observes Kara Bryan
Strike 4 Repeal: International Women's Day in Ireland

On International Women's Day, thousands of women in Ireland went on strike and took to the streets reports Amy O'Donoghue
NHS: the fight of our lives is on

The NHS remains our prime battle in the war against austerity, asserts Cameron Panting
Fantastic march for our NHS

A huge 'Our NHS' demonstration was passionately addressed by Jeremy Corbyn. He must be a part of the movement for change, argues Lindsey German
Unity and organisation: our weapons against Trump

The Stand Up to Trump organising summit is exactly the kind of rallying cry our international movement needs, asserts Chris Nineham
Trump and May: a special kind of relationship

What does Theresa May's and Donald Trump's 'special relationship' really mean?
Scotland marches against Trump

Thousands braved the cold and rain in Edinburgh on Saturday 11 February to march against Donald Trump, reports Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
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
We are not just protesting, but aiming to win

We need to unite people from all walks of life in the battles of the coming weeks, writes Kevin Ovenden
Refugees are welcome here: Newcastle trumps racism

Trumpism’s first clash with the North East’s rich anti-racist tradition shall not be the last, reports Dawn Warcup
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
Socialists and mass protest: thoughts on the Women's Marches

How should socialists orient to mass protests?
Not my pussy: protest trumps pessimism

The weekend’s magnificent demonstrations are a cue to reinvigorate left politics as a whole, suggests Ellen Graubart
The right in power, resistance and transformation

The die is cast, but socialists must fight for their outcomes, argues Jack Sherwood
The new balance of forces: lessons from Saturday

As the old order stumbles, our side must embrace the internationalism that underpins anti-Trumpism, asserts Kevin Ovenden
Women's March: this is what democracy looks like - photos

5 million people. 670 protests. 75 countries. The Women's March was the biggest global protest event since the 2003 protests against the Iraq War.
Anti-Trump protesters surround Bristol police station after local black man tasered

Furious chorus of 'No justice, no peace - No to racist police!' as over 400 people block a main road in rush hour - Jack Sherwood reports
No to Trump: standing up against hate

Trump’s inauguration will be marked by worldwide protest, Shabbir Lakha explains why we should be organised and united against the new US President
Jeremy Hunt must go: the fightback can’t wait

The health secretary’s lies are part of a strategy to undermine and destroy the NHS, and we must all take a stand now
NHS Day of Action: Corbyn takes the lead

The battle for the future of our healthcare is being taken to the street, reports David Bailey
Brazil: students and workers fight back against austerity

On Sunday, Brazilians will protest against cuts in health, education and social policy budgets, which will affect the lives of the poorest
Anarchy in the UK: iconoclasm’s greatest hit

Forty years ago The Sex Pistols’ debut single was released. Philosophy Football’s Mark Perryman remembers it well
The assault on universities: the 2016 version

Ahead of the education protest called by the NUS and UCU on 19 November, Des Freedman and Feyzi Ismail explain why staff and students should join it
Taking back control: the movement hits the streets of Birmingham

We took back Birmingham from the Tories and were resolute in our opposition to austerity, demanding a new deal for working people, reports Cameron Panting
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
The Tories are not abandoning austerity: why we need the People's Assembly

The People's Assembly and the movement are crucial because the people on the streets can affect change in a way that party politics can't, argues Tom Griffiths
Corbyn: after the victory - keep left and keep your placard

In anticipation of a Jeremy Corbyn victory, Chris Nineham highlights some strategic goalposts for both the Labour Party and the wider movement
Make austerity history: keeping our eyes on the prize

In the run-up to to next month’s crucial standoff against the Tories in Birmingham, Mick Wattam assesses the balance of forces
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
Gig economy meets the real world: the Deliveroo strike

Deliveroo workers across London are taking part in strike action, Joe Odell reports from the picket line
Politics is hotting up, not just in Westminster

The Tories and Labour are tearing themselves apart, but looking beyond Westminster, various movements are growing in strength, reports Lindsey German
The fearless people of Brazil resisting the coup

The movement wants Dilma back in office, but to carry out the progressive, anti-austerity policies with which she was elected, writes Orlando Hill
May Day: protesters in Turkey take to the streets

Protestors in Istanbul denounce the draconian laws imposed on the people by the authoritarian regime of the AKP, reports Shabbir Lakha
Brazil: Rousseff, the left and the coup

As the right attempts a coup, the workers and their allies are determined to fight back, reports Orlando Hill
Parliament and people power: the left and the movements after the demonstration

As the Tories' trauma continues, Chris Nineham sketches out a strategy for radical change
Keeping it on the streets

Jack Sherwood looks at the focus and purpose of the People’s Assembly national demonstration on 16 April
Donny calling!

Activist Mick Wattam takes us through the ins and outs of making a mobilisation happen
Sheffield shines a light on Tory lies and hype

A 'Northern Powerhouse or Northern Poorhouse' demonstration converged on Sheffield last Saturday, Jon Moorcroft reports
Tynesiders take to the streets to defend NHS

Newcastle says unite and fight as doctors and teachers march together to 'Save Our NHS' saying, 'Hunt Out! Cameron Must Go!'
'We love books': Brixton brought to a standstill

There was a carnival atmosphere outside the occupation of Carnegie Library today, reports Dave Randall
Thousands march calling for Cameron to resign

In response to the largest exposé of tax evasion in history, the British public have taken to the streets calling for David Cameron's resignation
Greece: a crucible of reaction and resistance

As fascists and racists seek to exploit the refugee crisis, our embedded reporter Maz Saleem witnesses how our side fights back
Where have all the flowers gone?

Mark Perryman of Philosophy Football reviews the new wave of rebel music
France: protest is changing the rules

France has been convulsed by massive protests opposing the government's plan to scrap the 35-hour week. We reproduce here a speech by economist Frédéric Lordon at the Paris rally on 31 March
Refugees welcome here demo in photographs

Demonstration in support of refugees on Saturday 19th March captured in photographs by Jim Aindow
Government to blame for nurse shortage

Student nurse Anthony Johnson responds to the Migrant Advisory Committee's advice on migrant nurses in the UK
Always in the front line

Women workers have been at the forefront of every new wave of struggle
Easy as ABC: teachers resist academies

Is the Tories’ forced academisation programme the final straw in their assault on public education?
Brazil: Ford workers promise to resist the coup

Workers at the Ford factory in São Paulo Brazil have pledged to resist the coup and to fight in defence of labour rights
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
Keep Lukács' work alive

Hungarian writer and revolutionary Georg Lukács contribution to Marxist philosophy was unparalleled. His archives must be kept open and his work remembered
Lula and the chronicle of an arrest foretold

Alexandre Lemos and Orlando Hill report on the recent street protests in Brazil after ex-president Lula’s unconstitutional arrest last weekend
Why theory matters if you want to change the world

Chris Nineham argues that theory is too important to be left in the hands of the enemies of change
Students block Westminster Bridge

Hundreds of students took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking traffic and causing severe disruption over Westminster Bridge
NHS staff march against plans to scrap bursary

Callum Thomas reports on today's demonstration by student nurses, midwives and allied health professionals against the government's proposed scrapping of NHS bursaries
How the left can move forward in 2016

As a tumultuous year in British politics comes to an end, Alex Snowdon takes a look at the implications for the year ahead
After the Paris climate talks: stay in the streets

A turning point in human history? Elaine Graham-Leigh takes a closer and more critical look at what the Paris talks really mean for our planet
Japanese protest movements signal new political energy

William Andrews outlines the character of the new protest movements in Japan, as the government attempts to adopt new security legislation
Failing the planet: UN climate talks from Kyoto to Paris

In the run-up to the climate change demonstrations in London and Paris, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at what's at stake in the UN climate talks
Why we should support the SOAS occupation

In defiance of SOAS management's proposed budget cuts, course closures and job losses, students occupied their university. Alex Bewley reports
Protesters show solidarity with Palestinians

Palestinians, with their incredible courage and hope, will fight for their survival. Ellen Graubert reports from the demonstration on Saturday
‘No to fear’ - report from Athens as No supporters flood the streets

A selection of Kevin Ovenden’s live posts from the massive No protest in Athens, 3 July 2015
Radical: what’s in a word?

No solution can be really radical that attempts to avoid, diminish or circumvent the direct participation of the masses argues John Rees
On Saturday we became a movement - now we must organise to defeat the government

Saturday's march demonstrated that the People's Assembly is now a genuine mass movement, now we have to take it to a higher stage writes Lindsey German
Counterfire Freesheet June 2015

Counterfire's new free sheet edition 002, June 2015
This is only the beginning

The massive End Austerity Now demonstration must be a springboard for more activity, locally and nationally

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Protest

Protest

Students have put politics back on the streets again: this is an object lesson for everyone who wants a better world, argues Lindsey German

Sudan has twice removed authoritarian regimes through popular protests. How does today’s uprising compare?

A video report from the YouthStrike4Climate in London

School students have common ground with teachers in finding this government their main enemy, whether it comes to the value of their learning or climate chaos, argues Dean McAndrew

Three months on from its birth, the Yellow Vest movement continues to build support and make gains, argues Susan Ram

The hugely inspiring national school students' strike against climate change should be the start of a coordinated, international campaign, reports Jago Corry

National walkouts from schools, colleges and universities on Friday are taking the fight to the government over climate change, writes Elaine Graham-Leigh

The people of Sudan remain on the streets despite the brutal crackdown from the government. What they need now is solidarity, not Western-backed regime change, argues Explo Nani-Kofi

A vibrant campaign to save Essex libraries is gaining traction. Jean Quinn, teacher and National Education Union member, reports on how they are organising to stop the mass closures

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

Tom Lock Griffiths talks to Susan Ram, an activist based in France, about the Gilet Jaunes movement in France, its different elements, key demands and the implications for the British left in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast

Repudiating Macron’s ‘great national debate’, Yellow Vests join hands with trade unions and the radical left to build for a general strike, reports Susan Ram

The left has to engage with mass movements but to maintain an independent profile, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

With the contest taking place in Tel Aviv this year, we must supercharge campaigners’ demands for a full boycott, argues Dave Randall

As protests across Europe are generalising, UK activists must seize the time, writes Dragan Plavšić

Out on the streets of France, hard-hit working people are furiously repudiating austerity, sham democracy, and the neoliberal programme of President Emmanuel Macron, reports Susan Ram

Tory Brexit crisis, the fightback against austerity, Eurovision boycott campaign, Trump and Syria, remembering Rosa Luxemburg, Yellow Vests and protests across Europe in this month's Counterfire Freesheet

Saturday saw the Gilets Jaunes revolt continue on a grand scale, as the President scrambles to repress the movement and cajole the public. John Mullen reports from Paris

EU monomania shouldn’t blind us to the starker realities of global economic crisis and ever increasing class tensions, argues Lindsey German

The Tories have fashioned a Britain of destitution and booming social injustice. We need to mobilise to force a general election, writes William Hendy

Chris Bambery explores European political economy and what developments of the last twelve months can lead us to expect about the year ahead

Mass protests across Europe show that a new politics is on the horizon, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

The Yellow Vests outwitted Macron's repressive state forces to stage a surprise mobilisation in Paris and storm towns and roundabouts across France, reports Susan Ram

Dragan Plavšić looks at spreading student protest and where it could go next

The only way forward for our side is an emboldened working class and a radical set of politics stage centre in the mainstream, argues Lindsey German

The movement brought anger to the streets again across France in defiance of state efforts to divide and disrupt it this week, reports Susan Ram

The courage of the Stansted 15 in stopping this cruel deportation flight is an inspiration, not a crime, argues Ellen Graubart, reporting on the protest outside the Home Office

Opposing Macron's neoliberal education reforms and police repression, tens of thousands of students are out on strike, vowing to join up the struggles, reports Jack Sherwood

The Tories shan’t topple on their own, we need to build and maintain the pressure against them, argues Lindsey German

Danièle Obono, a deputy of La France Insoumise, speaks to Feyzi Ismail about the Yellow Vest movement, the police and the origins of Macron's crisis

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

Feyzi Ismail reports from Paris, where the Gilets Jaunes have been demonstrating for the fourth weekend consecutively, and with more protests planned

Saturday's huge Gilets Jaunes mobilisation across France defied Macron's Project Fear, as high school students facing state repression join a movement that continues to rise. John Mullen reports from Paris

John Rees on why the coming demonstration on the night of the Brexit vote could be the beginning of the end for the Tory government

Yellow Vests mass protests enjoyed a third weekend of militant action across France, with trades unionists and other groups supporting. John Mullen reports from Paris

At roadblocks, barricades and on the march, the Gilets Jaunes embody nationwide fury towards Project Macron, reports Susan Ram

Students in Albania are protesting, and the solidarity pouring in from across the Balkans shows the possibility for internationalist alternatives, argues Kevin Ovenden

The November 11 anti-Trump mobilisation in Paris is a real advance for the anti-war movement in France, reports Susan Ram

There's just 12 years left to keep our environmental inhabitable. Campaigning from below is crucial; we can't depend on the climate dealmakers, writes Nathan Street

A historically rich collection of stories on episodes of resistance across British history is evocative of experiences of protest, finds Ralph Graham-Leigh

Opposing the far right, people's vote, police racism, precarious workers, climate chaos, universal credit and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet

Peterloo presents our history vividly, finds David McAllister - the result is a film that is both timely and historically accurate

Strike action in Glasgow spreads, showing the power of solidarity of men and women workers, reports Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

The Extreme Centre are never to be trusted especially when they mobilise under the banner of democracy, argues Lindsey German

The crisis for Theresa May and the Tories continues to deepen, their only lifeline would be a second referendum, argues Lindsey German

Uber drivers organised a 24 hour strike and rallied at Uber offices against precarious working conditions and unfair pay, Shabbir Lakha reports

Protestors came out in support of a man who was violently attacked by police in Harlesden, and called for a fightback against racism in society

Banksy shredding his painting moments after it sold for over £1m at auction showed up the out-of-touch super-rich and everything wrong with modern art culture

The response to the Tory conference in Birmingham was suitably angry and clear in its demands, reports Ellen Graubert

Opposing landlords’ plans to turn a community hub into luxury flats, workers and local residents held a vibrant protest in the streets and marched on City Hall, reports Ross Maidment

The left has seen a number of defeats at Labour Conference, but on the ground, there is burgeoning resistance, writes Chris Nineham

Israeli armed forces attacked Palestinian demonstrators as they demolished four homes, continuing a programme of hundreds this year. Jamie Naylor reports from the West Bank

As the Toronto community stands firm against Zionist attacks, John Clarke reminds us that our solidarity with the Palestinian cause mustn't be apologised for

A statement from Solidarity with the People of Turkey on the recent attack against the Saturday Mothers

The latest figures on living standards tell us austerity’s class warfare is more dangerous than ever. Mass struggle is an urgent requirement, argues John Clarke

As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70, T.J. Coles documents recent examples of the UK falling short

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

What we are seeing in the first elections after Mugabe is the deep state clutching to power, but can it hold on? Asks Shabbir Lakha

We should not apologise for things we haven’t done and we do not shut down a witch-hunt by agreeing with it, argues Lindsey German

Looking back at the quarter of a million strong demonstration against Trump, Daniel Jakopovich argues that it was a mass display of people power

Over 250,000 people marched through central London on a Friday, and Pete Morgan argues that together we stopped Trump

Is Trump a symptom or a cause of the rot at the heart of the US empire, asks Des Freedman

Opposing Donald Trump can play a role in bringing down our own vicious government

Potent Whisper makes the case for protesting against Donald Trump

Saturday's far right demonstration in support of Tommy Robinson must be opposed directly on the streets

We must be united in our opposition to Trump and everything he represents

This latest Tory crisis is an opportunity the left must seize and the week’s protests are all the means to do so, argues Lindsey German

Chris Nineham argues why it is important that the movements go on to the offensive against Donald Trump in the next few days

Tens of thousands march in London, joined by Jeremy Corbyn, from across the UK to defend the NHS on its 70th birthday and demand it is #Free4AllForever

Trump is scared of the UK protest movement; let’s make sure that his fear is confirmed, writes Lindsey German

A year on from the Grenfell disaster, Julie Al-Hinai reminds us that whilst our grief can be silent, our anger must be clearly audible

Two major demos in the next four weeks is a fantastic opportunity to hardwire our politics to the street, argues Lindsey German

Thousands of people marched in silence on the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire in a powerful show of solidarity, reports Shabbir Lakha

Tens of thousands march in London, joined by Jeremy Corbyn, from across the UK to defend the NHS on its 70^th birthday and demand it is #Free4AllForever