[STATEMENT] Resist Anti-migrant Discrimination in Europe
IMA Global article/statement on the rise of anti-migrant discrimination in Europe
23 Aug 2024
European countries are becoming more and more dangerous for migrants and refugees every year. The last two years have seen the biggest surge in anti-migrant racism and discrimination; coming from powerful politicians, to large masses of civilians. Below are some statistics from the top 5 European countries with the highest cases of anti-migrant violence:
United Kingdom:
Between 30 July and 5 August 2024, far-right mobs took to the streets in their hundreds more than 40 times, chanting anti-migrant slurs. Homes and businesses were targeted for arson and vandalism. There were also several incidents of harassment and violent assault on migrant workers.
Germany:
2023 recorded the highest number of crimes against refugees and asylum seekers since 2016. German authorities recorded 2,378 attacks on refugees or their accommodation in 2023, including 313 violent crimes and 219 people injured - almost double that of the previous year.
Italy:
Hate speech and racist rhetoric are being publicly broadcasted by politicians against migrants. Physical and verbal attacks against professional athletes of African descent are being normalised without any accountability. Right-wing policies restrict search and rescue operations at sea, preventing migrants and refugees from being rescued.
France:
Cases of racism in France jumped 32% in 2023, particularly towards muslim and African migrants. Many migrants were harassed, assaulted and almost killed, within just three weeks leading up to their national elections - where a far-right nationalist party topped the votes.
Greece:
Attacks against migrants and refugees in Greece surged to their highest level in nearly a decade, since three ultra-nationalist parties won seats in parliament. Racist violence at Greece's borders are intensifying. Greek authorities are mistreating migrants and refugees and carrying out so-called pushbacks - or forced deportations of asylum seekers - at its borders. Attacks against migrants and refugees are being carried out both by individuals and organised groups.
Far-right parties across Europe have gained seats in June's European Parliament elections with pledges to toughen the bloc's approach to immigration. Despite local and city councils stating that their country would “fall apart” without migrants, right-wing politicians insist that they are better without them.
Below are some statistics of migrants’ occupations in Europe:
Up to 40% of staff in hospitals are migrants;
85% of carers and domestic workers are migrants;
75% of cleaners and food service workers are migrants;
75% of agriculture, forestry and fishery workers are migrants;
70% of mining, manufacturing and transport workers are migrants;
65% of administration and support workers are migrants, and;
60% of construction workers are migrants.
These sectors are just a few of the represented migrant workers across the whole of Europe. Many more remain unregistered and unrecorded.
What we are witnessing is how capitalist governments resort to racism, scapegoating and anti-migrant rhetoric to cover up the worsening economic crisis in the continent - massive unemployment, impoverishment and severe lack of social services, to name a few - caused by their adherence to neoliberal policies. They bring back centuries-old colonial, white-supremacy mindset and muscle-flex yet continuing to miserably fail in repairing the damages of a faulty global economic system that exploits and oppresses both migrant and host peoples while destroying the environment.
The current international migration trend is forced, exploitative and a picture of modern slavery. It is reminiscent of The Great Depression where migrants and people of color are ostracised, maligned and easily discarded. It is only by challenging and changing this system of economic oppression, where profit is placed over the interests of the people, that migrants, refugees and displaced peoples can free themselves of racism and all forms of discrimination.
The International Migrants Alliance condemns these attacks against migrants and refugees in Europe or anywhere else. Migrants and refugees need to resist these attacks through organising themselves, campaigning together, and linking up arms with host peoples. There is a need to continue to expose right-wing governments and their ilk and thwart any efforts to demean and violate migrants and minorities, divide the society and run scot-free with their criminal posturing and actions. History has proven that in collective struggle we can triumph over racist violence, fascist regimes and exploitative policies.
Sources:
Gurcov, N. (2024, August 9). Anti-migrant rioting and anti-racist response in the UK | ACLED Insight. ACLED. https://acleddata.com/2024/08/09/anti-migrant-rioting-and-anti-racist-response-in-the-uk-acled-insight/
“Attacks on Refugees Doubled in Germany Last Year: Report.” Aa.com.tr, 2024, www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/attacks-on-refugees-doubled-in-germany-last-year-report/3143642#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20attacks%20targeting. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.
“UN Racism Experts Concerned by Growing “Hate Speech” in Italy.” InfoMigrants, 4 Sept. 2023, www.infomigrants.net/en/post/51548/un-racism-experts-concerned-by-growing-hate-speech-in-italy.
“Racism Cases in France Jumped 32% in 2023: Human Rights Commission.” Aa.com.tr, 2023, www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/racism-cases-in-france-jumped-32-in-2023-human-rights-commission/3261330. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.
Racist violence surges in Greece, report finds | Reuters. (n.d.). https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/racist-violence-surges-greece-report-finds-2024-04-23/
European Commission. “Statistics on Migration to Europe.” Commission.europa.eu, 2022, commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en.
