Europe-wide against the neoliberal agenda
06 Oct 2004 03:06 GMT
Following 10 weeks of Monday demonstrations, the political temperature is being raised as the long-planned Autumn days of action begin. On Saturday about 50,000 Berliners took part in a big national demonstration against the dismantling of the welfare system (pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8), which also witnessed a heavy-handed police response. Trade unionists and journalists were amongst those beaten and arrested (reports: 1 | 2 | 3). On Sunday another demonstration was held with around 5,000 people taking part (pics). Protests were also held in Erfurt during the "Festival of Germany" (pics: 1 | 2).
During the build up to the protests the media turned on the movement claiming it was finished, by publishing false figures. Meanwhile, the Monday demos continue.
Hundreds of thousands also demonstrated in other European countries - more than 250,000 in Amsterdam alone (pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14), where a subsequent ESF organising meeting resolved to make the 2nd of October a European Day of Action. The implementation of the "Lisbon Agenda", formed in 2000, is not merely restricted to Germany's "Hartz Reforms".
Social movements in other European countries have been considerably stronger and more active compared to Germany (e.g. : Italy, Spain, France, Britain...), general strikes, blockades und mass protests are a frequent occurrence.
Indymedia.Netherlands | Indymedia.Paris
Monday Demonstrations - Figures | | Monday Demonstrations Feature
montagsdemo.info | Citizens' Portal | Labournet Germany
Police don't seem that bad in Berlin
R*S 08.Oct.2004 06:21
I am an American who has been living in Berlin for over a year now.
Perhaps I am just jaded from the violence of American police, but the Berlin police while they do use force do it in a very controlled manner, they video tape their own actions and the protesters (or soccer fans for that matter).
In the US I have been put at gun point multiple times by police. I have not seen that here.
I have been hit to create bruises, while doing nothing confrontational (I have not seen police do that here).
In Eugene, OR in the early '90s it was clear that the protestors understood the law better than the police, were better trained, and were intentionally attempting to aggrevate the police; and they did show off how mean spirited and untrained they were.
In Chicago we used to only half joke that the Police were the simply the biggest and best armed gang in town. I have been shown greater dipslays of force for sitting along a builidng than I saw at the Hartz 4 demo.
Even San Francisco police which do try to be demonstration aware get out of control as they did in some of the anti-war protests, seemed rougher than the Berlin police.
I geuss people here in Berlin just expect a more civil society.