Europe protests against austerity

Tens of thousands of people joined protests in towns and cities across Europe yesterday. They were responding to a call from Portugal for a continent-wide protest against the actions and policies of the Troika – the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The three institutions are pushing European countries to cut government spending and implement the austerity policies that are devastating the lives of millions of people across Europe. Unemployment levels are rising rapidly, particularly among young people and far right – and even openly fascist – political groups, like Golden Dawn in Greece, are seeking to make political capital through attacks on immigrants.

Protests took place in a dozen European countries, particularly in Germany, Spain and Portugal, and cities included Barcelona, Brussels, London, Bilbao and Valencia. In Lisbon, 15,000 demonstrated outside the IMF HQ; in Madrid thousands called on the government to resign; and in Frankfurt, up to 20,000 supported a Blockupy protest outside the HQ of the European Central Bank where there was a heavy police presence.

Across Britain, many thousands engaged in demonstrations both against the presence of the EDL and the BNP on our streets, and against the Bedroom Tax.

In Turkey, up to 200,000 people mobilised in support of the Taksim Gezi protesters, who were attempting to defend a local park against building development but in the process faced excessive police brutality.

Here in Britain and across Europe, people are uniting in struggle against austerity and against the erosion of our democratic rights. Left Unity is part of that struggle.

2 June 2013

2 comments

2 responses to “Europe protests against austerity”

Bazza says:

June 2, 2013 at 4:38 pm

Would be interesting to have a simple 10 point or so European Citizen’s Charter.
Could call for an end to austerity and Neo-Liberalism.
Tax the rich, big business, curb the power of multi-nationals, WindFall Taxes, a 1-5% Financial Transaction Tax.
Close tax havens and offshore banking and similar tax avoidance scams by the wealthy plus end bankers bonuses.
A shorter EC working week say 35 hours or less without loss of pay to create jobs for the young plus ban zero hour contracts.
Earlier retirement to create jobs for the young and to free the Time Poor’ “By giving you no time instead of it all”- John Lennon, Working Class Hero.
Equality between black and white, male and female, Gay & Lesbian, disabled people and transgender.
Sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers plus trade unionise migrant workers to improve H&S and to prevent
unscrupulous employers using them to undercut wages.
Free EC public transport.
More public ownership of banks and utilities to be run democratically with communities having a say.
A EC wide consultation of citizens to rebuild the EC from the grassroots from below.
No EC military interventions and cut military spending including nuclear.
Through international partners champion a global minimum wage and earlier retirement plus H&S to free ‘Time Poor’ humanity.
It is the labour of he working billions which creates the wealth and makes societies work, “You better give them what they really own!” -John Lennon, Power to the People.
Just some food for thought!
Yours in solidarity!
alex papa says:

June 8, 2013 at 5:00 pm

I think that in order to make the youth working crises felt more uniformed throughout the European states, there should be set some precise meting or protesting dates in all the States, or in Bruxelles for the next Autumn or Winter. People should build the its own sense of EUROPE.