In observations made at a side-meeting of the 87th session of the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD),[1] the IRR’s director warned that Europe’s mishandling of the refugee crisis is fuelling racism. I want to talk about the immediate institutional crisis in the EU, as hostility grows towards a modest plan by the European
IRR News 17 – 30 July 2015
Dear IRR News subscriber, Earlier this week, Lord Justice Pitchford opened an inquiry into undercover policing and the infiltration of groups and campaigns, including the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence and other grieving families. The inquiry ‘provides a unique opportunity to right the wrongs and to develop new thinking on police accountability’, says Suresh
Asylum seeker death toll rising
In the last two months, at least thirteen people, two of whom were teenagers, have died trying to reach the UK, and countless others have been injured. The media have concentrated on the chaos at strike-torn Calais and the stress on lorry drivers there, as well as the hardships for holiday-makers as traffic builds up.
Calendar of racism and resistance (17 – 30 July 2015)
A fortnightly resource for anti-racist and social justice campaigns, highlighting key events in the UK and Europe. Violence and harassment 17 July: Nearly 100 refugees are evacuated from Quinto di Treviso, Italy, after two days of protests that saw local residents and members of the far-right Casa Pound storm the refugees’ accommodation and set fire to
Deaths in custody news round-up
The last month has seen a number of developments in relation to deaths in custody: a misconduct hearing, the ten-year anniversary of the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, an inquest, new deaths in custody and a new government ‘review’ of deaths in police custody. Jean Charles de Menezes remembered On 22 July, the family of
Justice for Sheku Bayoh campaign launch
On 25 July, the campaign for justice for Sheku Bayoh, who died after an incident with police, was launched in Glasgow. At the event organised by Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC), a press conference was held, followed by a conference with the families of those who have also lost loved ones through a death in police
Charlie Hebdo backlash – the unredacted story
A new report by Le Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en France (CCIF) documents the intensification of violence against Muslims following the Paris attacks in January 2015. After the terrorist attacks earlier this year in France – in which eleven staff at the magazine Charlie Hebdo were gunned down, a police officer outside was killed, another police officer killed
Burgenland’s ‘red-blue’ coalition of shame
The Labour Party is debating how to win back votes from UKIP. Meanwhile, in Austria, the Burgenland Social Democrats have set a worrying precedent, entering into a coalition with the extreme Right in the provincial legislative assembly. The Burgenland Social Democrats have entered into a coalition with the extreme-right Freedom Party (FPÖ). The shocking news
Preserving Britain’s Black heroes
Below we reproduce a review of a new exhibition, ‘No Colour Bar’, which was previously published in The Voice. A new exhibition breathes life into a story of struggle and activism that is truly home-grown. We often view Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X as having ascended the mountain-top of black achievement and activism.
Inquiring into police accountability and spying on family campaigns
On 16 July, the Home Office announced an inquiry into undercover police spies and their activities monitoring family campaigns and spying on protestors. Below we produce a statement by The Monitoring Group[1] which has been supporting some of the families whose campaigns were infiltrated by the police. The Monitoring Group welcomes the spirit and substance