A long-term resident of North Kensington recalls the area’s social history as representative of momentous Black British community struggles. Beyond memorialising the lynch-murder of Kelso Cochrane on 17 May 1959, we have to look at the history that surrounds it. New arrivants to fashionable twenty-first-century Notting Hill, along with new generations of long-standing residents, will
Geography: London
Why we should we wary of the modern slavery agenda
A new book on forced labour, trafficking and other forms of extreme exploitation encourages reflection on the duplicities and contradictions in the current debate. What is ‘modern slavery’? What is being done to combat it, and with what results? As home secretary, Theresa May oversaw the passage of the Modern Slavery Act of 2015. Her
‘Violence by design’ – the PPT delivers its verdict on the hostile environment
Public tribunal finds hostile environment policies foster racism, institutional cruelty and violence by design. As the scandal over the treatment of the Windrush generation and the failure to offer adequate compensation continues, the Home Office’s immigration and asylum policies are under scrutiny like never before. The Department of Health and Social Care are under fire
Right definition for the right fight
If we don’t name Islamophobia as a form of racism, how can we combat it? Islamophobia may not be an all-embracing term – literally it means a fear of a religion – which is why some of us have, over the last two decades, preferred the term anti-Muslim racism to describe what has been happening
The Scruton affair: picking on a harmless old fogey?
Playwright David Edgar takes the long view on conservative philosopher Roger Scruton, recently sacked from a government post – particularly his promotion of ‘unthinkable’ views on race and immigration as editor of Salisbury Review. I last saw Roger Scruton in the flesh in 2018, at a theatre conference to which he had been invited to
Calendar of Racism and Resistance (23 April – 7 May)
A fortnightly resource for anti-racist and social justice campaigns, highlighting key events in the UK and Europe. ASYLUM, MIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP REFUGEES AND THE LIBYAN CONFLICT 25 April: The Guardian releases footage of militias believed to be linked to the warlord Khalifa Haftar opening fire on refugees at the Qasr bin Ghashir detention centre, 12
This is ‘Grenfell Britain’, where if a fire does not get you, demolition will
With regeneration looming large over Tottenham, north London, IRR interviews young activist Tash Bonner who is fighting back. Tottenham in many respects has been unable to heal from both the murder of Mark Duggan and the uprisings of 2011 because rather than the state dealing with both of these matters and investing in the community,
Swiss Priest prosecuted for helping a destitute man
Pastor Norbert Valley is the latest citizen to be charged with ‘facilitating illegal entry’ for giving assistance to a rejected asylum seeker. Norbert Valley is the pastor of an Evangelical church in the town of Le Locle, eastern Switzerland, a small picturesque place nestling in the Jura mountains, with a population barely over 10,000. As
Support an appeal for ‘I am Judah’
Ras Judah Adunbi, a grandfather living in Bristol, was tasered in the jaw by the police in January 2017. Support a crowdfunder to create a documentary about his story, for all other victims of these injustices. Support the crowdfunder here View a trailer here
Tamils of Lanka: a timeless heritage
An exhibition organised by The Tamil Information Centre, centred around the theme of resilience. The exhibition aims to explore the history of the Tamil-speaking people in Ilankai through art, culture, history, human rights and politics. Exhibition 11am – 6pm (Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 May) – Free for all Location: Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fullers Way North, Surbiton, KT6