Britain has long been a meeting point for exiled communities fleeing persecution, where people have connected, broadened their understanding of the structures oppressing them, and built coalitions to advance their respective causes. From the 19th century onwards, these connections have been central to anti-colonial movements, most notably in the Third Worldist tradition of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, with echoes still present in today’s anti-war and anti-racist organising.
However, since the 1980s, a range of state policies and global shifts have weakened these internationalist movements. The rise of fragmented approaches to organising has emphasised national and religious identities over shared struggles. Communities are often divided into categories of “good migrants” and “bad migrants,” weakening collective power and undermining efforts to challenge global imperialism and state violence.
The Alliance focuses on addressing these challenges by building spaces where cross-community organising can thrive. We concentrate on two core areas:
Criminalisation of Communities: Migrant community organisations and solidarity activists have faced targeted harassment, surveillance, and infiltration aimed at disrupting their work. Politically active migrant groups often encounter systemic barriers that curtail their democratic freedoms. This criminalisation is compounded by racial capitalism, which limits communities’ time, space, and capacity to unite and organise.
Anti-Colonial Demands and Strategies: Migrant communities in Britain have long demanded justice for the crimes of colonialism, seeking public recognition, apologies, reparations, and changes to imperialist state policies. Campaigns have focused on historical injustices, such as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the expulsion of the Chagos Islanders, and the Balfour Declaration. While some demands have gained traction, there is no unified project coordinating these efforts across different communities.
Our work aims to create spaces for shared organising, build collective strategies, and revive the internationalist traditions that have historically strengthened migrant communities in Britain.
Organising Across Communities Against Colonialism
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