Abolition Revolution

An introductory guide to the roots and contemporary context of, and resistance to carceral politics in Britain George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis triggered abolitionist shockwaves. Calls to defund the police found receptive ears around the world. But to abolish the interlocking systems of police, prison, and border power in Britain, we must confront the legacy of Empire.

Abolition Revolution is a historical, theoretical, and practical guide to revolutionary abolitionist politics in Britain. The authors trace the evolution of policing and criminalization from their colonial roots to their contemporary expression, as found in 'Prevent' and drug laws targeting Black communities. They also draw out a rich history of grassroots resistance, from the founding of Notting Hill Carnival in 1959 to transformative responses to repressive community policing today. With a forceful critique of carceral feminism, alongside an exposition of how these systems fail as a response to social dynamics such as crime, the book offers a compelling and grounded vision for abolition that takes us away from punitivity from above and into community-based forms of accountability from below.