Statement from Revolutionary Communist Group/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! North East (a member of the Migration and Asylum Justice Forum)
On Saturday 25th June, the Migration and Asylum Justice Forum will march in Newcastle upon Tyne against the racist 2016 Immigration Act. We will assemble at 12pm at the top of Stanhope Street, NE4 (intersection with Dilston Road) and march to Grey’s Monument for a rally. There are anti-racist and migrant-led organisations and individuals travelling to Newcastle to march with us from Sheffield, Manchester, Edinburgh, Teesside, Sunderland and Gateshead.
The British state has the power to impoverish, incarcerate and murder migrants and black people on a daily basis. The Immigration Act intensifies this government repression in order to intensify the hostile environment for migrants. We are clear: state racism is the principle threat to migrants and black people in Britain. We urge all committed anti-racists to march with us on 25 June to oppose this racist Act.
The racist English Defence League (EDL) intends to march from the top of Northumberland Street to the Monument in order to oppose the Migration and Asylum Justice Forum. The threat that the EDL poses to black and migrant people is not significant compared to the reality of British state oppression. The EDL does not run the police force, the racist courts, the racist prison system; it does not run asylum detention camps. It does not run the Border Agency or organise daily raids on places where migrants work. It does not control migrant access to the NHS which the Immigration Act requires. On 25 June the EDL will be nothing but a distraction from the real fight against racism.
In May, the Migration and Asylum Justice Forum invited Newcastle Unites, which includes the Labour Party, to join the march against the Immigration Act. Its representatives never responded. Instead, three days before the march, it announced its intention to mobilise against the EDL on Northumberland Street. Its Facebook postings do not mention the march against the Immigration Act – a disgraceful act of sectarianism. It wants to reduce the fight against racism to a shouting match with the EDL, and distract attention from the racist policies of the Labour Party. Do not be deceived! Join the real fight against racism, join the march against the Immigration Act!
Fight the racist Immigration Act! Justice for immigrants! Freedom for refugees!
