Solidarity with the people of Greece

Join the rally in Trafalgar Square, Tuesday 23 June, 6.30pm.

17186_10152802727820706_1239419720731865945_nAs Greece faces the latest round of attacks from the international financial institutions, support for the Greek people’s struggle has been building across Europe. Solidarity demonstrations in many countries gave a powerful message this weekend and London will add its voice in Trafalgar Square on Tuesday.

The Greek people are being held to ransom by international creditors for an enormous and unpayable debt that they don’t owe and can’t pay. Greece is on the frontline of Europe’s debt crisis and, with €10 billion in debt repayments due between now and the end of August, the solidarity of citizens across Europe is needed more than ever.

Britain faces its own struggle against austerity – but this is rightly understood as part of the same fight against neo-liberalism – whether in Greece, Spain, Ireland or elsewhere. As hundreds of thousands took to the streets of London on Saturday calling for an end to austerity, we were part of a huge wave of protest across Europe. Marina Prentoulis from Syriza addressed the rally in Parliament Square, and here – linking our struggles – she calls for support for tomorrow’s protest in Trafalgar Square:

‘June 20th was a great day for true democracy, solidarity and social justice. The people of Europe took the streets sending a clear message to all national governments and European institutions: we will not pay the price of a financial system that has spiralled out of control, a system that is supporting the interests of a tiny minority. In London, a quarter of a million people marched against the austerity measures that will condemn millions to poverty. At the same time, the Tory government has announced its plans to destroy the welfare state showing a total disregard of the demands of the people. We have to go on until we force austerity out of our society, until the plans of the Tory government are binned.
 
‘After our marches across Britain, we have to show the Tory government that our true representatives are only those who put the interests of the people first. And right now, only one government in Europe has the strength to stand up to these powerful financial interests running our countries and destroying our lives, our societies: the Greek government, the Syriza government, is now the government for all the people of Europe, the only government which demands social justice, not only for Greece but for all of us.
 
‘The Greek government – with a democratic mandate from the Greek people – is the first government to stand up to neoliberal interests in Europe. It has been a long struggle, a difficult struggle but it is not over yet. As the negotiations approach a critical moment, we, the people of Europe, we, the people of Britain, cannot afford a moment’s rest. We have to go on showing our solidarity and our support for the Greek people. The victory of Greece, the victory of the Syriza government will be our victory, will be a victory for all those that have been suffering the devastating effects of austerity.

‘Let’s take the streets again and again, until we force those in power to listen to our voices, until we force them to see the catastrophic effects of their policies. Join us on June 23rd at Trafalgar Square and let’s all shout once again: We had enough of your austerity! A Greek victory is a victory for all of us!’



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