Press statement of the federal Blockupy coalition
Frankfurt am Main, May 15, 2013
This Wednesday is the second anniversary of the occupation of the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. May 15, 2011 (15M) marks the beginning of a European movement against the austerity policies of the troika and governments, against unemployment, housing emergencies and cuts in social welfare. The federal coalition Blockupy Frankfurt understands itself as part of this international movement. Many active persons from other countries are expected to join the action days on May 31 and June 1 in Frankfurt. Groups and organizations in Italy, Greece, France, Belgium, Austria and elsewhere are mobilizing to Frankfurt. Furthermore, demonstrations and protests are planned parallel to Blockupy in many European capitals and cities.
The call of the international preparation meeting for Blockupy states: “There is no possible compromise with the power that is shaping and driving the governance of crisis in Europe. The only way out we see is a direct, diffuse, widespread and autonomous social opposition that rises up from grassroots, that not only speaks up furiously against that governance but that also fiercely builds effective conflicts and shared and common alternatives at all levels – from the local to the European. [...] We want our life back, our dignity back. We want our future back, since life without a future is worth nothing. [...] So we’ll be in Frankfurt from May 30th to June 1st, taking part in the action days to block the ECB.”
The call from Lisbon for decentral protests on June 1 running with the motto “People United Against the Troika” also puts it in clear terms: “Each one of us, in each country, in each city, in each house, with our own specificities, feels directly the measures that annihilate the rights conquered throughout the decades, measures which aggravate unemployment, privatize everything that can make a profit and repel the countries’ sovereignties under the propaganda of “external help”. It is urgent that we join forces to fight-off this attack.It is extremely necessary to join our forces to fight against this attack. From the north to the south of Europe: To the streets against austerity!“
This past weekend demonstrations in 50 Spanish cities marked the 15M anniversary. Cristina Asensi from Attac Spain: “The continuing protests show that the austerity policies implemented by the troika and the Spanish government have caused a deep crisis of legitimacy. The people are not willing to accept the destruction of their democratic and social rights in the name of failed economic policies.”
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The Blockupy coalition is made up of activists of various emancipatory groups and organizations, including the Interventionist Left, Attac, Occupy Frankfurt, labor unions, youth and student organizations like Linksjugend Solid and the Green Youth, the Unemployment Forum of Germany, the party “Die.Linke”, the network Peace Cooperative, the coalition “Ums Ganze” and the regional coalition NoTroika.
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Further information:
* Call from Lisbon for June 1
* Website of People Against the Troika in Portugal
* List of 1 June events throughout Europe
