On 16 July, the streets of Birmingham were the scene of a coordinated clampdown on migrant workers, as police and immigration enforcement launched a joint operation targeting delivery riders.
Under the guise of a routine traffic stop, West Midlands Police began intercepting delivery cyclists on New Street during the busy lunchtime rush.
Officers claimed to be checking whether e-bikes had been modified to exceed speed limits – a supposed safety concern. But this was merely a smokescreen.
Given the brutal pay-per-delivery regime imposed by the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats, riders are often forced to make modifications just to survive.
Yet those whose bikes were judged non-compliant were hit with traffic offences and had their vehicles seized – cutting them off from their only means of income.
But the repression didn’t stop there.
Immigration enforcement officers, conveniently “passing by”, then proceeded to check the immigration status of those stopped.
Several workers were promptly handcuffed and detained by the Home Office. What was presented as a random safety check was in fact a premeditated sting.
When questioned, police claimed this was all a coincidence. But no one was fooled. The real purpose of the operation was clear: an attack on some of the most vulnerable sections of the working class – migrant workers struggling to make ends meet.
Crowds gathered in outrage as the arrests unfolded. Comrades from the Revolutionary Communist Party were present, and gave speeches exposing the real criminals: Starmer, his racist Labour government, and the capitalists they represent.
One comrade also gave an interview to Sky News about the attack, although this hasn’t been aired yet as far as we know.
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This shameful episode is no accident. Starmer’s government is deporting record numbers of illegal migrants – and is openly bragging about it!
Back in January, the Home Office arrested more than 600 migrant workers in 800 raids, deliberately targeting workplaces like restaurants, takeaways, and shops.
This is the deliberate result of Labour’s strategy to sow division, scapegoat migrants, and appear tough on ‘law and order’ – all in a cynical attempt to stem their collapsing support and outflank Reform UK.
Starmer’s intended message is clear: migrants are to blame for Britain’s problems, not the capitalists who profit from our exploitation and plunge society into crisis.
But working people must not be deceived. Whether it’s Starmer, Badenoch, or Farage, the ruling class offers us nothing but austerity, scapegoating, and repression. The only real difference between them is the colour of their tie.
A united working-class movement can mobilise to defeat all of these racist attacks, and bring an end to this exploitative, oppressive system.
- Down with racist immigration raids!
- Defend all migrant workers!
- No trust in Starmer’s Labour!
