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anti-racism
anti-racism
Fighting racism with solidarity
Anti-racism day saw a broad and vibrant march through London, reports Orlando Hill
All refugees should be welcome here
We cannot allow treatment of refugees to be dependent on which states the ruling class considers legitimate, argues Kevin Ovenden
Will racism always be with us? - explainer
Yonas Makoni explains the socialist perspective on where racism comes from and how we can eradicate it
PCS challenges Priti Patel’s ‘pushbacks’: how trade unions can resist racism
The PCS union has threatened legal action over Home Office plans to make border agents carry out international-law-violating attacks on refugees, reports Floyd Codlin
Race, class, and the limits of identity
Neither liberal-conservative ideas of equal opportunity, nor identity politics, understand the interrelationships of race, class and capitalism, argues Yonas Makoni
Batting away complaints – Azeem Rafiq and racism in cricket
Repeated failures to address the racial abuse suffered by cricketer Azeem Rafiq illustrates the endemic racism which plagues the game, argues Jamal Elaheebocus
Kill the Bill: movements continue to converge on the streets of London – report
Activists from different causes remain on the streets to defend the right to protest, reports Jamal Elaheebocus
Tory culture wars vs anti-racist good sense
The events of the last week following the Euro 2020 final present an opportunity for anti-racists to take our arguments into every corner of the country, argues Martin Hall
Taking the knee and taking on the racists - CounterBlast
England footballers displaying solidarity with the Black Lives Matter campaign deserve the unequivocal support of the anti-racist movement, writes Sean Ledwith
The Cornish clearances are under way – weekly briefing
Lindsey German on the G7, the old normal and anti-racism today
Soundtrack to the Brixton Uprising 40 years on
Marking the 40th anniversary of the uprising in Brixton, Dave Randall looks at the music that accompanied the struggle
Starmer's flag fetish: win the middle ground, don’t chase it
Rather than Starmer’s bland patriotic appeal, Kevin Ovenden argues for the revolutionary tradition of winning broad support for socialists through building mass movements
One Night in Miami: civil rights at the crossroads - review
One Night in Miami
provides a vivid depiction of segregated America and an exploration of the meaning of Black liberation, finds Yonas Makoni
How to take on the fascists: New York protest forces Proud Boys retreat
Protesters in New York City have shown how to effectively combat Trumpism: on the streets, argues Jamal Elaheebocus
The government’s war on the left and anti-racism
The Tory ban on ‘anti-capitalist teaching materials’ in schools is a clear attempt to stifle dissent, writes Holly Barrow
The limits of identity politics - video
Elaine Graham-Leigh explains the origins and limitations of identity politics and what a Marxist understanding of oppression and how to overcome it offers
Letter to the left: gloves off, time to fight!
Natalie Strecker describes her political journey, why she joined Labour under Corbyn and has since left, and what she thinks are the next steps for the left
Crossing red lines: why the establishment wants to destroy Corbyn
Corbyn's anti-war principles and their popular appeal are the biggest threat to the establishment, says Chris Nineham
CLR James: a revolutionary life - video
Unjum Mirza gives an introduction to the revolutionary life of CLR James, a Marxist, historian, novelist, playwright, and cricket lover
From Golden Dawn to the AfD, the far right is being beaten back by a fighting left
The far right are not unstoppable, but neither is their decline inevitable; the radical left is key to the anti-fascist movements halting their march, argues Kevin Ovenden
Theatre and the struggle against apartheid
Jacqueline Mulhallen on theatre and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and Britain
How the left drove the trial that found Golden Dawn guilty - video
Speaking on a live broadcast from Athens, Kevin Ovenden tells us about the fascist organisation Golden Dawn, and the centrality of the anti-racist movement in the trial which returned a historic guilty verdict
Penally camp: Pembrokeshire unites to boot the fascists out
The far-right have been mobilising at Penally camp where refugees are being housed, but anti-racists have have stepped up their organisation in response, reports Jim Scott
Danièle Obono interview: racism, the movement and the virus in France
Susan Ram interviews Danièle Obono, an MP with La France Insoumise on the anti-racist movement after she was racially attacked by a French magazine
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
Where does racism come from? - video
As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Shabbir Lakha looks at the roots of racism and what that means for the struggle against it
This country is non-functioning: Black Lives Matter resets itself after Kenosha
As Trump and the far right try to capitalise on urban unrest, pro athletes take the movement to new heights, reports Kate O’Neil
Why we need to defund the police and disarm the state
As part of a series on what next for Black Lives Matter, we repost this article exploring the demand to defund the police
Jazz and the anti-war movement
Chris Nineham reflects on the history of jazz music and the anti-war movement ahead of
Stop the War's event with Shabaka Hutchings
marking the 75th anniversary of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Black Lives Matter in a time of pandemic
Nearly two months on from George Floyd’s brutal killing, the struggle against racist police violence is contending with a catastrophic resurgence of Covid-19, writes Susan Ram
London demands justice for Breonna Taylor in seventh week of BLM protests
Saturday's march for Breonna Taylor underlines the continuing determination of the movement seven weeks on, reports Jamal Elaheebocus
Racism is systemic, so why are we still talking about privilege?
Locating racism as rooted in capitalism is key to building the kind of movement that can end it, argues Shabbir Lakha
Staying in the streets: Black Lives Matter protests continue across the UK
Black Lives Matter protests continued in cities and towns all over the country for a fourth week
I Am Not Your Negro - film of the week
I Am Not Your Negro is an unforgettably powerful film that you must not miss, writes Dragan Plavšić.
Black history you can’t be without: Nine books on the struggle
A reading list of nine essential books on black history and the struggle against racism
The racist brutality of Canada’s police
Police brutality and wider societal marginalisation of people will be challenged as the BLM movement gathers pace, says John Clarke
The good, the bad and the ugly – weekly briefing
Lindsey German on the Black Lives Matter movement and its impact
Black Lives Matter protest marches through South London
Hundreds marched from Burgess Park demanding justice for George Floyd and justice for Grenfell, reports Cici Washburn
Reclaiming our history
Behind the symbolism of statues lies a more fundamental battle over the reality of British racism, past and present, argues John Westmoreland
Black Lives Matter protests continue to spread across the UK
Around the country, thousands of people marched, knelt and shouted against racism on Saturday. We report on some of the local Black Lives Matter protests
Democratic history challenges imperialist and racist history
Dominic Alexander explains how black history is intrinsically connected to the history of the working class
Don’t let cynical ploys derail BLM - CounterBlast 13 June
The Black Lives Matter movement in the UK is coming under pressure from a number of directions, writes Alex Snowdon
Prestwich takes the knee for George Floyd
Activists in North Manchester gathered for a local socially-distanced Black Lives Matter protest, reports Penny Hicks
Statues come tumbling down - CounterBlast 10 June
The growing campaign to remove racist iconography takes us nearer a progressive and decolonised curriculum for future generations argues Sean Ledwith
Black Lives Matter, the sixties and socialist organisation - video
Lindsey German interviews Tariq Ali on the Black Lives Matter protests, their significance and the struggles ahead
Boot the Wellington: The growing resistance to Glasgow's colonial monuments
Christine Whyte reports on the growing movement of resistance to the slave traders and colonialists commemorated on Glasgow's streets
#BLM: Doncaster steps up
This weekend's protest in Doncaster was an important action in the battle against those who would misrepresent the town, argues Mick Wattam
A turning point against racism – weekly briefing
Lindsey German on fighting oppression and the continuing Covid crisis
From BLM to decolonising Bristol
Black Lives Matter protests in Bristol brought its citizens face-to-face with its ugly past, a ground report by Susan Newman and Jeni Van Heerden
Why pulling down Colston's statue was right
Bristol's Tom Whittaker on the impact of kicking over a symbol of oppression
Même police, memo racisme! (Same police, same racism!)
In Paris and across France, thousands of protestors are defying bans to express their outrage at police racism and violence, reports Susan Ram
White supremacist in the White House: Trump’s rotten record of racism
Trump’s predictably divisive response to the killing of George Floyd has only served to fan the flames of US anti-racist resistance
Where are the US protests going? - interview with Chris Smalls
Counterfire's Shabbir Lakha interviewed Chris Smalls, former Amazon employee and now an organiser, about the protests sweeping across the US against racist police violence
London demands justice for George Floyd
"No justice, no peace" rang out on the streets of London as protesters marched in solidarity with Minneapolis, reports Lucy Nichols
Raining accusations: Ken Loach under attack
Britain's best known socialist filmmaker has been under attack for weeks as part of the continued assault on our ability to organise for Palestinian rights, argues Sybil Cock
Budget blues – weekly briefing
Alex Snowdon on Tory weaknesses, challenging racism and the Sanders campaign
Chinese are not a virus; racism is
Solidarity, not stigma or division, is the key to beating this coronavirus, argues Lawrence Wong
The setbacks for Palestine solidarity and the need to fight back
The setbacks in the movement for solidarity with Palestine and the failure of militant anti-racism is a catastrophe for the left, and one that must be quickly rectified, argues David Jamieson
Antifa: the anti-fascist handbook - book review
The long history of anti-fascist mobilisation, outlined in Bray’s
Antifa
, underlines the importance of broad alliances for mass mobilisations, argues Richard Pratt
Murad Qureshi - Standing up for Londoners
Murad Qureshi is standing to be a Labour candidate for the London Assembly. He sent Counterfire his campaign statement and we are happy to share his reasons for standing.
Tommy Robinson not welcome in Salford, say anti-racist protesters
A counter-protest against Tommy Robinson's rally outside the BBC in Salford brought hundreds out on the streets against racism and fascism, reports Brian Madden
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
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
Our ten most popular articles of 2018
The most popular articles on Counterfire this year
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
The far right can be stopped
The UK far right, complete with distinct Nazi elements, is a clear and present danger, asserts Sofie Mason
Equating fascism with Brexit is disastrous, irresponsible and gives a hand up to Tommy Robinson
Arguments tying opposition to fascism with opposition to Brexit makes out half the country as Tommy Robinson supporters. This is idiotic in the extreme, argues Kevin Ovenden
The Unity demo: towards a united front against fascism
Today saw the biggest response yet to the emergent far right. Jack Sherwood reports on a hopeful day of protest and the tasks ahead for the left
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
No platform for Alice Weidel in Oxford
The cancellation of Alice Weidel's visit to the Oxford Union is a victory and should help to push for a mass, anti-racist movement, argues Josh Newman
Germany after Merkel: how the right can be beaten
With the departure of Angela Merkel, centrist hopes for maintaining the status quo are withering, while the left is at a strategic cross roads, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
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
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
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
Anti-fascist demonstrators outnumber the DFLA in London
Thousands joined forces to oppose the racist Democratic Football Lads Alliance - a violent crew of Islamophobes, fascists and Tommy Robinson fans. Now we need to build an indivisible mass movement against the far right
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
Football Lads and Lasses against Fascism
We speak to Ray from Football Lads and Lasses Against Fascism about their goal of keeping the Nazis off the terraces
Is Israel a racist endeavour?
Supporting Palestine is an anti-racist, anti-colonial struggle; Israel is and always has been a racist state, argues Shabbir Lakha
Fight for Corbyn, Freedom for Palestine - Counterfire Freesheet September 2018
Corbyn's leadership in danger, solidarity with Palestine, People's Vote vs People's Brexit, UK wage stagnation, Yemen and fighting the far right
The Palestinians deserve better than this – weekly briefing
Any concessions on anti-imperialism will not only weaken Jeremy Corbyn but the whole of the radical left, argues Lindsey German
When the lying has to stop – weekly briefing
Calling out the smear merchants for what they are is step one in ending this appalling and unprecedented witch-hunt, argues Lindsey German
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
Solidarity with Bookmarks shows a united left can take on the far right
The huge show of solidarity with Bookmarks bookshop on Saturday shows that the left can unite to defeat the far right argues Isabel Carr
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
The attack on Bookmarks was an attack on us all
The attack on Bookmarks shows how emboldened the far right are and why the debate on how to stop them is so urgent argues Pete Morgan
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
Steve Bannon: international orchestrator of the alt-right
Steve Bannon has gained international notoriety for his role as Trump's chief strategist. Sean Ledwith examines his role in organising the transatlantic alt-right
The far right can be defeated, and mass organisation is the key – weekly briefing
Solidarity with Muslims and maximum unity are the watchwords for confronting today’s street racists, argues Lindsey German
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
This rudderless government deserves a hostile environment – weekly briefing
It’s up to us to make sure the nasty party pays for its crimes, argues Lindsey German
Amber Rudd Must Go
The entire left must stand united in its condemnation of the Windrush scandal, and demand the immediate resignation of Amber Rudd.
So called 'moderates' are the enablers of the far right
Kevin Ovenden on why the anti-racist radical left must give the ideological battle
Islamophobia: human chain response to 'punish a Muslim day'
A city responds to 'Punish a Muslim Day'. Newcastle unites against Islamophobia
Jeremy Corbyn isn't antisemitic: we should stop being defensive about it
The antisemitism smear campaign against Jeremy Corbyn is cynical political point scoring and the left must tackle the arguments head on argues Shabbir Lakha
Organised workers in Germany massively reject AfD
It is unity amongst the working class that can keep the far right at bay
Black Panther: from Huey Newton to Wakanda - film review
Black Panther
is a landmark film for representation and presentation, but the politics ignores structural issues of class and race, argues Shabbir Lakha
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
Brexit: the need for independent working-class, anti-capitalist politics
We build on the schism in capitalist politics resulting from Brexit divisions by putting anti-racism grounded in working class politics front and centre argues Kevin Ovenden
Fighting fascism in the 1930s: Trotsky and the United Front - video
The strategy of the united front was central to Trotsky's politics and has been used many times since to fight fascism. Katherine Connelly discusses the history, what we can learn from it, and what it means for politics today.
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
'Intolerants, you are not welcome here!' Remembering the Battle of Lewisham
Forty years after the confrontation between fascists and anti-racists in South London, protestors remembered the momentous event and pledged to continue the fight against racism
May Day in Gascony: ‘All for one and one for all’ in the fight against fascism
Hundreds take to the streets on May Day against fascism and Le Pen, Susan Ram reports from south-west France.
Livingstone and Labour: an attack on the left
Anti-racists should oppose the hysteria around allegations of antisemitism against Livingstone
Darcus Howe (1943 – 2017): the Mighty Lion remembered
A trailbreaking activist, writer and broadcaster is remembered by Madeline Heneghan
March 18 anti-racist demos: broad and militant
Recent anti-racist mobilisations show the movement shifting up a gear, notes Kevin Ovenden
Brexit: new poll provides evidence for the left‘s strategy
There are good grounds for the left counterposing our Brexit to the Tories‘, writes Kevin Ovenden
The Battle of Cable Street with Chris Bambery - podcast
Author and broadcaster Chris Bambery tells the story of the Battle of Cable Street, to mark 80 years since
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
Refugees, solidarity and struggle for social change
Protesting is crucial to maintain pressure on Theresa May, both to reverse policy and end the wars that create refugees, reports Jonathan Maunders
Questions three months on from the murder of Jo Cox MP
Kevin Ovenden considers the aftermath of the brutal assassination that rocked domestic politics and identifies currents the mainstream is anxious to ignore
Race and Class: The Colour of Struggle 1950s-1980s
A special issue of the journal
Race and Class
vividly illustrates the history of black and anti-racist struggles for peace and equality in Britain, finds Dominic Alexander
BAME rally: Jeremy Corbyn offers powerful anti-racist alternative
Shabbir Lakha reports from Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership campaign rally for BAME communities
Black Lives Matter: getting organised
Shabbir Lakha reports on this week's London activist meeting of Black Lives Matter, as participants discuss the next steps for the movement
Plotters and bleaters: Corbyn, crisis and the coronation
Lindsey German looks beyond the Westminster bubble and spies vital signs of political upturn
UK after the rain
Shabbir Lakha looks beyond the media blizzard surrounding last week’s referendum result and identifies anti-racist work as a campaigning imperative
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
Labour Party activist rails against anti-Semitism slur
A personal statement from Graham Bash, editor of Labour Briefing, on antisemitism, Labour and Jeremy Corbyn
Racism killed my father
Today marks the third anniversary of Maz Saleem’s father Mohammed Saleem's brutal murder by neo-Nazi Pavlo Lapshyn
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
Left anti-EU campaign launched
Shabbir Lakha reports from the first anti-EU meeting organised by the left. This needs to be the start of a concerted campaign
Unite across borders against racism and Fascism
We must use every opportunity to build a united movement against racism
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
The left in France: a moment of decision
While Hollande is arguing for more war, the left needs to focus on building a broad, united movement against war, racism and Islamophobia
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
Rock against racism: when black and white united
Jim Aindow looks at the history and impact of an inspirational anti-racist movement told through the photos of Syd Shelton in an exhibition at the Rivington Place gallery
The Black Panthers: the hidden history
Director Stanley Nelson tells the story of one of the most influential radical movements to emerge from the United States, whose legacy is both enduring and politically misunderstood, writes Season Butler
Black History Month matters
Amandla Thomas Johnson on the importance of Black History Month