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Racism
Racism
Defend the Pimlico Academy students threatened with expulsion
Students who organised a protest against their schools racist policies have outrageously been threatened with expulsion, we cannot let this happen, argues Jamal Elaheebocus
Take it to the streets: Get ready for 26 June
Lucy Nichols on why we need to bring together all the strands of opposition to the Tories onto the streets at the
People’s Assembly national demonstration on 26 June
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
5 reasons the new racism report is bullshit
The Sewell Report’s denial of institutional racism is really just an exercise in whitewashing the actions of a racist Tory government, argues Yonas Makoni
Sewell report: racist government exonerates itself over racism - CounterBlast
The facts show the pro-Tory report is in wilful denial about structural racism in the UK, writes Sean Ledwith
Pimlico Academy protest: students rise up against racist school rules
Students at Pimlico Academy took action on Wednesday against their school's racist policies and are demanding the headmaster resigns, reports Jamal Elaheebocus
Jazz and Justice: Racism and the Political Economy of the Music - book review
Gerald Horne’s
Jazz and Justice
is an illuminating history of the material conditions of African-American Jazz musicians in its classic decades, finds Martin Hall
Priti Patel is addicted to attacking refugees - CounterBlast
The Home Secretary’s latest asylum proposals are characteristically racist, callous and devoid of compassion, writes Sean Ledwith
Atlanta murders: how US imperialism is driving anti-Chinese racism
On UN Anti-Racism Day, Jamal Elaheebocus looks at the anti-Chinese racism behind the recent Atlanta murders and the role of imperialism in fuelling it
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
Royal racism isn’t new, the whole monarchy’s got to go
More than Meghan Markle’s revelations, the monarchy is rotten to the core and it’s time it was abolished, argues Mona Kamal
Shamima Begum ruling: the racist product of Britain’s wars
Keeping Shamima Begum stateless and blocking her from re-entering the UK is setting a dangerous precedent, argues Lucy Nichols.
Racism, sexism and ‘Karens’
You can’t fight one oppression by doubling down on another, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Five reasons why Israel is an apartheid state
Following a recent report by Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem which called Israel an apartheid state, Sybil Cock explains why the label fits
Justifying institutional racism: Met Police defends targeting black people
The Metropolitan Police is now openly admitting its disproportionate use of stop and search against black people and that it has no intention to stop, writes Yonas Makoni
Stansted 15 not guilty: a victory for the whole movement
The victory for the Stansted 15 in overturning their convictions is a step forward against the attempts to criminalise protest, writes Shabbir Lakha
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
'The police have beat the shit out of me': justice for Mohamud Mohammed Hassan
The death of a 24 year old black man after being in South Wales Police custody and their refusal to release bodycam footage has caused outrage, reports 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
Why Trumpism must be defeated: reactions to the Capitol chaos
Some immediate thoughts on the scenes of armed Trump supporters taking over the Capitol building on Wednesday
The Dawning of the Apocalypse: The Roots of Slavery, White Supremacy, Settler Colonialism, and Capitalism in the Long Sixteenth Century - book review
Horne’s history of early colonialism in the Americas reveals how structures of racism were constructed to support the development of capitalism, finds Jamal Elaheebocus
Small Axe: a history of racism in 5 episodes
Steve McQueen's
Small Axe
is essential viewing; it provides a powerful history of racism and the black struggle in Britain, argues Unjum Mirza
How To Read Donald Duck: Imperialist Ideology in the Disney Comic - book review
The first-UK specific edition of the classic deconstruction of the imperialism and racism that underpinned Disney’s comics remains eye-opening, finds Dominic Alexander
Not guilty: defend the Bristol activists who tore down Colston
The prosecution against the four Black Lives Matter activists who pulled down Edward Colston's statue must be stopped, argues Shabbir Lakha
Black Lives Matter and the terraces: the defenders take the lead
Opposition to taking the knee, an anti-racist action popularised by a global movement, shows how far there's still to go in tackling racism in football
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
Britain's shame: deportation flight goes ahead despite widespread opposition
The Tories pushed on with its racist deportation flight to Jamaica even after successful legal challenges, reports Jamal Elaheebocus
'Worse than prison': shocking treatment of refugees at Napier Barracks exposed
Asylum seekers who have survived horrific journeys are now being held in such inhumane conditions they're committing self harm and attempting suicide
Windrush continued: the government's mass deportations must be stopped
Government plans to deport another 50 black people on 2 December in a continuation of the racist hostile environment must be opposed urgently
Hostile environment: how the Tories broke the law to ramp up racism
A new report shows the hostile environment is unlawful, but it's more than a technical oversight - it's the deliberate racism of the state and it must be resisted
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
Starmer, Corbyn and the Labour whip: this is a war against the left
Withholding the whip from Corbyn is unjustifiable. The left must unite and fight back against Starmer's war on the left, argues Chris Nineham
Racism and football: Black Lives Matter, but not for long
Following the resignation of FA chairman Greg Clarke for racist comments, Tony Dowling looks at how football's governing bodies are letting black players down
Racists off campus: Manchester students protest against university security racism
After a black student was racially profiled by university security, students have taken to the streets of Fallowfield to demand justice
Steve McQueen’s Mangrove: anti-racist struggle takes to the stage of British history
The first instalment of Steve McQueen’s
Small Axe
shows the brutality faced by black community and how they organised a radical campaign for justice
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
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
Paul Robeson: fighter for liberation - video
A presentation on the revolutionary life of singer, actor and activist Paul Robeson by Tayo Aluko
Why Black History Month matters
Floyd Codlin responds to right wing attacks on Black History Month
Covid disparities: race is a factor but so is class
Structural racism is why ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to the virus, and it's a feature of class society not separate from it, argues Yonas Makoni
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
Black Power Afterlives: The Enduring Significance of the Black Panther Party - book review
Black Power Afterlives
provides a range of views on the Black Panther Party, some of which hint at what a revival of the radical core of the Party could mean, argues Yonas Makoni
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
Theatre and the struggle against apartheid
Jacqueline Mulhallen on theatre and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and Britain
Confronting boxing's segregation history
Imperialist and racist tactics were used to attempt to ensure both literal and symbolic white dominance of the sport, argues Gavin Lewis
Justice for Joyce: Canada’s racist healthcare system
The racist abuse faced by dying Indegenous woman Joyce Echaquan is symptomatic of systemic racism in Canada, writes John Clarke
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
Racist America: forced sterilisations of refugee women
Refugee women in detention being given forced hysterectomies without consent is yet another reason why Ice must be abolished, argues Eleftheria Kousta
'It isn’t only guns that kill': racism in Britain’s criminal justice system
Attempts to minimise racism in the UK because British police aren’t armed like their US counterparts don’t stack up, argues Luna Williams
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
'Greatness' In A Time Of Covid
A poem by Tayo Aluko
Serbia and the 'refugee crisis': from good Samaritan to guard of 'Fortress Europe'
Obedience to European diktat and fierce competition in national politics has helped to harden Serbia's policy towards refugees and migrants, argues Anja Ilić
No to the exam factory: what kind of education do we want? - video
Lindsey German discusses the state of education and what the alternatives could look like
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
Business as usual for police brutality
Black Lives Matter has put racist police brutality in the spotlight, but the police continue to operate with impunity, writes John Clarke
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
Jacob Blake and Kenosha: the chickens are still coming home to roost
Kate O’Neil reflects on the US empire’s latest eruption of racism and violence
The 'drowned and the saved': why migrant and refugee lives matter
As racist politicians attempt to fan the flames of prejudice and hatred, refugees need our complete solidarity, argues Floyd Codlin.
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
Is a society without oppression possible? - explainer
In the seventh part of a series of socialist explainers, Elaine Graham-Leigh analyses where oppression comes from and if it can be overcome
Why the government is to blame, not the people - CounterBlast
Boris Johnson’s Tory government should be held responsible for the scale of the coronavirus crisis, not ordinary people, argues Alex Snowdon
Immigration Nation and the brutality of America’s borders
Immigration Nation gives a damning overview of America’s cruel immigration system and the power of the American State, writes Lucy Nichols
The Met Police is using software that racially profiles ethnic groups
The new 'Origins' programme being implemented by the Met takes their policy of racial profiling and abuse one step further, reports Shabbir Lakha
The Labour leadership isn’t serious about anti-racism - CounterBlast
Starmer isn't fighting racism, he's fighting the left, writes Lucy Nichols
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
UK police: racist to the core - CounterBlast
Institutional racism is not just a concept that applies to the US but a very real fact for people of colour in the UK, argues Shabbir Lakha
Far-right nationalism in Poland: persecution and resistance
Poland's right-wing populists owe their success to liberal capitalism's failure, writes Reece Goscinski
Five films on the black struggle
As Black Lives Matter continues to make gains, Counterfire writers discuss a personal selection of films concerning race and class in the US and UK
Olive Morris: British Black Panther, squatter and radical activist
In the week Olive Morris would have turned 68, Julie Al-Hinai remembers the radical black activist and her contribution to the movement
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
The UK is systemically racist: the fight has just begun
Luna Williams, a political correspondent for the Immigration Advice Service, writes for Counterfire on racism in the UK
Erasing empire has to end: why schools need to decolonise the curriculum
Decolonising the curriculum and supporting BAME children at school is a critical step towards tackling systemic racism, argues Jamal Elaheebocus
Reconstruction in the USA: Black freedom denied - part 2
In the second of a two-part analysis, John Westmoreland explores the successes of Reconstruction, and the subsequent attempt to airbrush them from history
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
Reconstruction in the USA: Black freedom denied - part 1
In the first of a two-part analysis, John Westmoreland examines the contradictions of American society which laid the basis for black oppression to persist after the Civil War
Blowing open the past: Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods reviewed
Spike Lee's latest is a powerful and deeply political triumph, finds Chris Nineham
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.
Don’t let the dust settle on Cecil Rhodes
The agreement to remove Cecil Rhodes’s statue is a big win for the movement and shows that protest works, argues David Jordan
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
When Alabama revolutionaries took on the KKK
Despite powerful and brutal opposition, black and white communist workers battled bravely against injustice in Alabama, writes Sean Ledwith
The coming culture war - CounterBlast 15 June
No amount of Westminster window-dressing can dampen this global revolt against racism, writes Lucy Nichols
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
London: BLM protesters keep up the pressure
Protesters march to Trafalgar Square after inspiring rally in Hyde Park to continue the renewed fight against systemic racism, reports Harry Welch
Boris Johnson, statues and staying in the streets
As Johnson launches lazy attacks on the movement, now is no time to retreat, argues Lindsey German
The uprising on Trump's doorstep: Black Lives Matter in DC
The Black Lives Matter protests in Washington DC are taking the fight straight to Trump, reports Shabbir Lakha based on an interview with Sarah Govan
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
Black people protesting racism are not thugs - CounterBlast 8 June
Johnson’s attempt to demonise protesters in Bristol reveals his true colours, argues Lucy Nichols
#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
#BLM: reports from a day of protest
Thousands take to streets across the country in uncompromising stand against systemic racism
The message from London is clear: Black Lives Matter
For the third time this week, tens of thousands of people gathered in London to demand an end to police racism, reports Lucy Nichols
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
Why I'm angry: People's Assembly Youth Takeover
Shabbir Lakha speaks on a People's Assembly platform on Black Lives Matter protests, racism and the pandemic in Britain and how we fight back
Ten days that shook America
The brave defiance of the protesters in America has the ruling class in retreat, argues Chris Nineham
Noughts + Crosses: a reverse reality that illustrates systemic racism - review
Despite some dubious changes, this BBC adaptation of Malorie Blackman's exploration of race and class is well worth watching, says Shabbir Lakha
London on the march: Black Lives Matter
At a second mass demonstration in London, thousands of protesters gathered in Hyde Park to racist police violence in the US and here, reports Jamal Elaheebocus
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
Coronavirus: death rate higher if you’re poor and BAME
The report into disproportionate BAME deaths from Covid-19 confirms that structural racism is at the heart of the problem, writes Lucy Nichols
Justice for George Floyd: model resolution and window poster
Counterfire has produced a model resolution you can pass in your organisation and a poster you can download to put on your window or in your area
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
The Battle of the Beanfield: an important anniversary in the history of state brutality
Cathy Augustine, Co-vice Chair of the Labour Representation Committee, remembers the Battle of the Beanfield, 35 years after the largest mass arrest of civilians in English legal history
Black lives matter: Brixton takes to the streets
A young angry crowd marched to oppose the murder of George Floyd and highlight racism and police brutality in the UK, reports Dave Randall
This government wants to follow the money, not the science – weekly briefing
Lindsey German on the Covid-19 lockdown, Tory mendacity and the US revolts
Minneapolis: a popular revolt against racism
The current unrest in Minneapolis is an explosive response to endemic police racism, writes Sean Ledwith
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
It’s a big deal that the outrage expressed over George Floyd’s death was massive and multiracial
Class struggle doesn’t go away in a pandemic, writes August Nimtz
Justice for George Floyd: Minneapolis rebels against racist police
Mass protests in Minneapolis continue for a third day in active defiance to the police after the racist murder of George Floyd, writes Shabbir Lakha
The revolutionary life and legacy of Malcolm X
On the 95th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth, Alyssa Cassata looks at his radical life and ideas which continues to inspire millions today
Why are the police racist?
Racism is an indispensable tool in the police’s mission to protect a deliberately exploitative system, argues Lucy Nichols
The Jackson State massacre: the savagery of state-led racist violence
50 years on from the massacre of black students at Jackson State College, systemic racism and police brutality remain prevalent in the United States, writes Alyssa Cassata
Coronavirus statistics lay bare the dire racial inequalities of our society
We don't need another review of evidence, covid-19 has showed we need concrete action to tackle racial health inequality, argues Mona Kamal
Winston Churchill: he fought for his class, never ours
We repost Dominic Alexander's 2019 article documenting Churchill’s record which tells a very different story to the heroic legacy of popular myth
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
White Riot - film review
Rubika Shah's White Riot excellently documents the building of a movement, finds David Randall
The history of May Day: an unfinished struggle
Out of the Chartist movement, the struggle against slavery and for international socialism, why the demands of May Day remain as vital as ever today
Disproportionate BAME coronavirus deaths highlight Britain's systemic racism
The impact of Covid-19 on BAME groups is magnifying the pre-existing structural inequalities in society, argues Alyssa Cassata
(B)ordering Britain: Law, Race and Empire - book review
(B)ordering Britain presents a powerful case that immigration law is rooted in the racism of Empire, and that migrant solidarity must be anti-imperialist, finds Alyssa Cassata
Coronavirus and anti-racism: no scapegoating, no excuses
This UN Anti-Racism Day, we must make sure that Coronavirus doesn't make any space for racism, writes Lucy Nichols
Budget blues – weekly briefing
Alex Snowdon on Tory weaknesses, challenging racism and the Sanders campaign
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
Modi, Trump and the defilement of Delhi
Hope for Delhi's ravaged communities lies in practical solidarity irrespective of faith, writes Susan Ram
Notes on the political economy of the imminent Covid-19 pandemic: Conspiracies
Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis addresses the conspiracies surrounding China's response to the spread of Covid-19
Dear Extinction Rebellion, the police are not your friends
The police are an institutionally racist, anti-working class organisation and no amount of love-bombing will change that, argues Shabbir Lakha
Chinese are not a virus; racism is
Solidarity, not stigma or division, is the key to beating this coronavirus, argues Lawrence Wong
France: Macron stokes up Islamophobia to deflect from the movement to defend pensions
Strikes and elections are redrawing the political landscape, argues John Mullen
Patel's new immigration system: racist and anti-working class
The government's attacks on immigration and the public sector are an attack on us all, writes Alia Butt
The socialist argument against the Tory anti-immigrant offensive
The labour movement cannot give any credence to the Tories' arguments and must ferociously oppose this anti-immigration clampdown says Kevin Ovenden
James Baldwin: Living in Fire - book review
Living in Fire
is a pithy yet powerful introduction to James Baldwin’s political life as a street fighting intellectual, raging against the world’s racist and reactionary forces, finds Adam Tomes
Windrush all over again: Johnson's racist society takes shape
Boris Johnson's hard-right government have shown their authoritarian hand in defying the courts to deport dozens of British-Jamaicans with spurious justifications, reports Mona Kamal
Coronavirus: an effect of global agribusiness
Growing profit first and food second is the reason for the virus. Look to modern industrial farming for the culprit, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
The Tories and the directions of travel
Martin Hall assesses which way Boris Johnson's government is heading and the contradictions he faces
Ten books to shake 2020
Want to turn the world upside down in 2020? Philosophy Football’s
Mark Perryman
has found ten books to help us on the way
The Canary and The Crow at Arcola Theatre - review
Alia Butt reviews The Canary and The Crow, on at the Arcola Theatre until 8 February
Meghan and Harry: the royal descent of an archaic institution
The monarchy serves only to normalise inequality, so let Harry and Meghan go forth and shake it up, writes Sofie Mason
1860s: the red thread of working class internationalism
Rebecca Long-Bailey’s appeal to ‘progressive patriotism’ is misguided but the working class internationalism of the 1860s is inspiring, argues Alex Snowdon
Black British History: New Perspectives - book review
Black British History
reveals neglected and hidden histories of the African diaspora in Britain from the Romans to the twentieth century, finds Paul Fredericks
Jewish activists speak out: why we’re campaigning for Corbyn
Counterfire’s Kate O’Neil caught up with three Jewish activists campaigning for Jeremy Corbyn this week to hear what they had to say
Why we will not be silent on Palestine
The fight for a free Palestine will not stop until there is justice and equality for all, writes Gabriel Polley
Who knew: 52% of the population matter? - election briefing 29 November
Lindsey German on Labour’s privileging of Remain, Trump’s arrival, and double-standards
Antisemitism: real news, old news and fake news - election briefing 27 November
Lindsey German on racism and witch-hunting
Oxford Union violently ejects blind, black student from debate
The Oxford Union demonstrates that it remains at heart a racist, conservative institution, argues Josh Newman
Immigration: it’s not about statistics, it’s about racism – election briefing 15 November
Lindsey German on the manipulation of social division and Boris’ common touch
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
Lessons from the remarkable life of Paul Robeson – part 2
Paul Robeson's extraordinary life is a lesson to us today, writes Tayo Aluko
7 black heroes that changed the world
For Black History Month, Counterfire asked activists today to tell us about their black hero and how they provide inspiration in our struggles today
The hostile environment and Fortress Europe are responsible for the 39 dead
The shameful Tory and EU policies stopping safe passage for refugees are the cause of the tragic deaths of 39 people in the back of a lorry, argues Mona Kamal
Lessons from the remarkable life of Paul Robeson - part 1
Paul Robeson's extraordinary life holds many lessons for the present day, writes Tayo Aluko
Navigating the Zeitgeist: A Story of the Cold War, the New Left, Irish Republicanism, and International Communism - book review
The story of an active life during momentous times from the Cold War to the 1980s turns out to be more personal than resonating with the political, finds Jacqueline Mulhallen
Why join Counterfire?
We need a bigger, stronger extra-parliamentary left.
The Centenary of the 1919 Race Riots
For Black History Month, we are reposting Madeline Heneghan's piece on the race riots of 1919
Ibsen in Calcutta: A Doll's House reimagined through the lens of British colonialism
Tanika Gupta's reimagined Ibsen shines a light on the class-based oppression inherent to colonialism, finds Ellen Graubart
Blackface scandal threatens Trudeau's progressive act
The blackface scandal Justin Trudeau is embroiled in threatens to tear apart his thin veneer of progressivism, argues John Clarke
Israel vs human rights: IDF raids Ramallah NGO
Attacking a human rights organisation is a brazen attempt to hide the brutal reality of the occupation, writes Richard Pratt
Border chaos: why Priti Patel's plans can be stopped
Boris Johnson and Priti Patel want to create a new hostile environment, but they can be stopped, argues Eleftheria Kousta
The poisonous politics of Priti Patel
The disgraced former minister Priti Patel is back in government with her own brand of toxic politics that must be opposed by the left, argues David McAllister
How far will he go? Trump and the limits of populism - book review
Chris Nineham assesses the varied interpretations of Trump in this year’s
Socialist Register
, pointing out the opportunities for the left
Britain's Trump: why we must bring down Boris Johnson's alt-right government
Boris Johnson is 'turbo-charging' racism and inequality in Britain with his alt-right cabinet committed to austerity, argues Sean Ledwith
The Centenary of the 1919 Race Riots
One hundred years after the race riots of 1919, author, activist and co-director of Writing on the Wall, Madeline Heneghan reflects on racism then and now
Attack on Palestine solidarity turned back in Vancouver
When the left steps up and organises against the attacks, it can win, as shown in Vancouver, reports John Clarke
Trump hates the Squad’s politics as much as their colour
Trump's appalling racist attacks on the four Congresswomen is just as much about their radical left wing politics, argues Kate O'Neil
Nasty but vulnerable: why we can get rid of Boris
Boris Johnson is dangerous and it is imperative we build a movement to stop him, argues Katherine Connelly
Boris Johnson is a racist, sexist, warmonger who must be stopped - video
"If you try to have a war with Iran... you will create a mass movement against war in this country of the sort that you haven’t seen in more than a decade"
Not my Prime Minister - People's Assembly kicks off week of protest
On the eve of Boris Johnson's coronation as Prime Minister, Londoners gathered outside Downing Street to show their opposition, reports Chrissy Brand
The Storming of the Panthéon!
Through their occupation of an iconic Paris monument, the Gilets Noirs have placed before the world the atrocious situation of France’s vast hidden ranks of undocumented workers, writes Susan Ram
Football as resistance: women kicking back against bigotry
Shadia Edwards-Dashti, journalist and Actonians football player, highlights the significance of women's football beyond the pitch
BBC Panorama hatchet job on Labour antisemitism is a farce
The BBC's Panorama on antisemitism in the Labour Party provides no real evidence and shows how cynical the smear campaign is, argues David McAllister
Adopting the IHRA definition didn't end the attacks, it accelerated them
Apologising for an epidemic of antisemitism in Labour that isn't there and giving in to the right's demands has only accelerated the attacks, argues Lindsey German
Canada joins campaign to stifle criticism of Israel
Canada becomes the next major player in the international drive to weaponise false allegations of antisemitism to protect Israel, writes John Clarke
A Canadian genocide
Challenging Canadian colonialism means challenging Canadian capitalism, argues John Clarke
The Common Wind charts the black resistance movement that won - book review
Scott’s classic
The Common Wind
shows the world-historic impact of the Haitian Revolution of 1791, the first successful slave revolt in history, finds Dominic Alexander
Trump and Farage: gruesome twosome of the resurgent right
Trump is feeding a toxic resurgence of the pinstriped populist right, argues Sean Ledwith
Britain refuses to withdraw from the Chagos Islands
Despite a decisive UN vote, Britain still has no intention of giving up the Chagos Islands, reports Jacqueline Mulhallen
Milkshakes, moralism, and the rationalist error
Some on the left are crying when they should be laughing, argues John Rees
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
City of Segregation, One Hundred Years of Struggle for Housing in Los Angeles - book review
Andrea Gibbons’ history of the battle for equal housing in LA uncovers the intensity and injustice of segregation, which remains a highly visible aspect of US cities, finds Adam Tomes
Israeli elections: apartheid or apartheid-lite
Israelis have voted for their preferred version of apartheid - we must stand with the Palestians, writes Sybil Cock
What's to blame for knife crime?
As more young lives are being tragically lost to knife crime, we must demand an end to austerity and investment in our communities, the very opposite of the Tories response of racism and repression, argues Julie Al-Hinai
Brexit chaos and the far right: the racists must be stopped in their tracks
Broad anti-fascist mobilisation is needed to smash the racists empowered by the government's Brexit mess, writes Chris Nineham
Keep fighting for Corbyn: Stop the attacks - Counterfire freesheet March 2019
The soft coup against Corbyn and the weaponisation of antisemitism, Tory Brexit crisis, Winston Churchill, Venezuela, climate change, Palestine and more in this month's Counterfire Freesheet
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
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
The Making of a Two Tone Nation
40 years on, Mark Perryman celebrates the debut release from The Specials
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
Deportation flights: Tories have learned nothing from Windrush
Despite the furore over the Windrush scandal last year the Tories show no signs of scaling back their racist deportation policies, argues Sean Ledwith
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 Rhyming Guide to the Stansted 15
From error to terror, Potent Whisper rhymes in solidarity with the Stansted 15
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
Explo Nani-Kofi: fighting back against the hostile environment
A leading anti-war activist and UK resident of 29 years speaks about the machinations of the Home Office and the
campaign
to reinstate his indefinite leave to remain
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
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