Today was the national conference of Unite Against Fascism. No Borders London distributed the following text at the event:
NO TO RACISM! NOT TO FASCISM! NO TO IMMIGRATION CONTROLS!
NO BORDERS! NO ONE IS ILLEGAL!
In Britain opposition to immigration has always been the central theme of fascism. At the turn of the 19th and 20th century, the proto-fascist organisation, the British Brothers League organised demonstrations calling for controls against Jewish immigration. In 1902, the BBL held a march finishing with a rally of 4,000 people in the Peoples Palace in Mile End, with 260 stewards - 'some isolated foreigners were unceremoniously ejected.' They played a key role in driving through the Aliens Act 1905, introducing modern immigration controls into this country.
In the 30s Mosley's British Union of Fascists blamed Jewish immigrant communities for the ills of society and agitated against accepting people fleeing from Nazi Germany. Mosley and other fascists orchestrated anti-Black riots in Notting Hill and Nottingham which created the climate for the introduction of the 1962 Immigration Act. Mosley described this law as the fascists “first success".
Every substantial strengthening of immigration controls followed a campaign by fascists. Today the BNP claims victory when immigrants are not sent to the towns where they have had electoral success. It is clear that the BNP are setting the agenda for New Labour in this regard.
The BNP feed on people's fears and use these for their own racist objectives. It's imperative that we sort out the asylum system and have a fair, robust process the public can have confidence in.Beverley Hughes, Immigration Minister (then), 2003 Labour Party Conference.
We are not saying that the fascists are the only factor in the introduction of immigration controls. The bosses have their reasons. And in the first half of the century the trade’s union movement played a dreadful role in pushing for controls. But the fascists have been the leading edge providing the excuse for the state who argue that immigration controls are necessary to ensure good race relations - i.e. to appease fascism.
Fascism can only be defeated if the legitimacy of immigration controls themselves are challenged. The anti-fascist movement needs to be broad as well as deep so we are not suggesting that opposition to all immigration controls should be a pre-condition for involvement in the UAF. But it is important that the UAF and the anti-fascist movement avoid giving legitimacy to such controls by attempting to argue for fair or 'non-racist' controls. No Borders & No One is Illegal has an important contribution to make to the struggle against racism & fascism.
The No Borders movement is dedicated to opposing all immigration controls. If we are to defeat fascism our movement needs to be strong - strong enough to make an impact in communities, the labour movement and encourage the self-organisation of migrants and refugees themselves. So help build our movement.