Brussels demos:
Marching Against Capitalism And War
ON 13, 14 and 15 December 2001, workers and young people
from all over Europe converged on Brussels in their thousands to
protest at the European Union (EU) summit. What happened over
that weekend shows the kind of struggles which could develop in
2002 and how support for socialist ideas could grow.
OVER 25,000 took to the streets of Brussels on 14 December in
the first major anti-capitalist demo since the attacks in the US
and the war in Afghanistan. Despite the bitter cold there was a
carnival atmosphere with music and speeches broadcast from
lorries at the head of each group.
International Socialist Resistance (ISR), International
Resistance and the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI)
which the Socialist Party is a member of, had the liveliest -
and best organised - contingent on the demo. We had 800-1,000
members and supporters from all over Europe and from the USA,
Canada, Australia, Russia and South Africa.
With speeches and chanting in Dutch, French, English and
German and all wearing our red CWI vests we made quite an
impression on the rest of the demo and the people who lined the
streets.
Many stayed with us not just because of our size but also
because of the very professional stewarding. At one stage, the
police had blocked off every exit and it not only looked as if
we were to be penned in but also soaked with water cannon and
worse. However they then allowed us through in small groups.
The CWI meetings after the demo were packed out. Many joined
the CWI and ISR on the spot and came to the conference the
following day.
By Rob Crowhurst
Angry Workers' Show Of Strength
THE 100,000-strong turnout on the trade union
demonstration will give a mighty impetus to European workers'
confidence in their own strength. Tens of thousands came from
all the countries of Europe as well as a massive presence from
the Belgian unions themselves.
By Bill Mullins
Decked out in their union colours they made a lasting
impression on those who attended. Car workers, engineering
workers, metal workers and public sector workers flocked to
Brussels.
They were there, whatever their leaders tried to say, to
protest at the threats to their jobs and living standards. Union
general secretaries from around Europe made speeches about
wanting a "social Europe", asking the capitalist
governments to include concessions to the unions in their
deliberations.
But the demonstrators themselves reflected a mounting wave of
anger at the growing list of companies declaring redundancies
and mass sackings.
Sabena airline workers, brutally thrown out on the stones by
the company's bankruptcy after 11 September, were demanding that
the Belgian government take over the company and protect their
jobs.
Tens of thousands of French metal workers demanded that the
EC stop the threat to their jobs. Thousands of German car
workers and engineering workers protested against wage cuts and
other concessions forced on them by the bosses.
Trade unionists from Lisbon to Stockholm, from Slovakia to
Poland and beyond marched together in a tremendous show of
solidarity.
If the union leaders had demonstrated one-tenth of the
confidence of their members then Europe's capitalist leaders
could not keep on with their programme of deregulation,
privatisation and job cuts. They would be forced into an
inglorious retreat by this show of strength.
If for example the workers' leaders had called a one-day
general strike in the city of Brussels alone to match up with
the demonstration, there is little doubt that workers in this
European capital would have answered the call.
Instead at the end of the demo (when workers were still
setting off from the main square when the front ranks had
reached the end three miles further on) the union leaders gave
speeches "saying nothing in 15 languages". It really
was a case of workers being led up the hill to be marched down
again.
Not one union leader said what should be done next. They
magnanimously thanked the demonstrators for coming and wished
them "bon voyage" on their way home. It will take an
earthquake to wake up the trade union leaders to do anything
else, but that is exactly what is coming.
ISR conference
Build International Socialist Resistance
ON
SATURDAY 15 December, over 500 young people attended the
founding conference of International Socialist Resistance (ISR),
including about 100 from England and Wales.
By Clare James
Following the brilliant demonstration the day before, the
conference took place in the French-speaking university in
Brussels, and the booked meeting room was too small for the huge
turnout.
The conference started with an inspiring rally including
reports from all over Europe on what the new ISR branches have
been doing. Members from the North and South of Ireland reported
on their work against low pay and campaigns they are running
with young people from schools and workplaces.
Members from Germany, Britain and Belgium gave examples of
campaigns against cuts in education, against racism and cuts in
youth services and explained how many young people in their
countries were becoming active against the war in Afghanistan.
Then the conference broke up into very successful workshops
on the environment, education, anti-capitalist campaigning work
and youth rights.
The conference ended with proposals for the name and platform
of ISR, which were overwhelmingly carried with only a few votes
against and one or two abstentions. Delegates' speeches
highlighted the misery that capitalism inflicts worldwide.
In South Africa pregnant women with HIV and AIDS have been
denied drugs to prevent infecting their unborn children as their
survival would be a burden on the state.
CWI member Joe Higgins, an Irish TD (MP) said just £40
billion would meet the additional cost of ensuring that every
man, woman and child on the planet had access to adequate food,
safe water, sanitation and basic healthcare and education. This
is less than 4% of the combined wealth of the 225 richest
people.
ISR will build international action to oppose capitalism and
raise socialist ideas. One proposal was to have an international
student action in May when education ministers are meeting in
Spain.
It was also decided to have follow-up meetings to build close
links in the International Resistance movement.
ISR was initiated by the CWI (Committee for a Workers
International), to which the Socialist Party in England and
Wales is affiliated.
ISR is an independent, broad and democratic organisation,
open to anyone who is against this capitalist system of poverty
and inequality. We fight for a democratic socialist society
based on need and not greed. If you are not already a member
please join - get active and help build International Socialist
Resistance.
Address: ISR, PO Box 858, London, E11 1YG
Tel: 020 8558 7947
email: againstcapitalism@hotmail.com
Website: www.notowar.org
International Website
www.resistance.eu.com
The Socialist 4 January 2002 [Top]
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|
"THIS WAS the first European demo I've been to
and it was really inspiring to find very like-minded
people, who were interested in the same issues as me. I
think we've done really well building up the movement that
we have done through organisations like the CWI and ISR.
I thought the demonstration was good. We had a great
contingent out there and on the whole it was very peaceful
and we definitely got our point across very well."
Duncan Torrance
"I THOUGHT the demo was absolutely massive, I
couldn't quite believe it. I think the conference was
really good and it's inspired me to go back and build ISR."
Nadine
"I WASN'T expecting the demonstration to be so
big. It went very well especially the CWI contingent - I
was at the front and I looked back and it was quite
impressive."
Sam Hunt
|
The following reports were from the multilingual website
of the sister party of the Socialist Party in Belgium, Linkse
Socialistische Partij (Left Socialist Party) - Mouvement pour
une Alternative Socialiste (Movement for a Socialist
Alternative).
They had daily
reports and photos in Dutch, French and English, updated after
midnight.
They are the
Belgian
section of the Committee
for a Workers' International (CWI - the international
organisation of which the Socialist Party is a part).
Saturday 15 December 2001
500 at Brussels ISR conference
Over 500 took part in the launch
conference of International Socialist Resistance (ISR) in
Brussels on Saturday 15 December 2001, following the Anti-EU
protests (see below).
Speakers included a South African member of
the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI), Ty Moore from
the US, Ilya from Russia and speakers from several European
countries including Joe Higgins, a Irish Socialist Party member
of parliament (TD).
The conference atmosphere was enthusiastic
and determined, and we decided to organise new international
meetings at future international demonstrations.
ISR
Banner on Brussels demo
Friday
14 December 2001 (D14)
25,000 demonstrate at anti-EU demo
- 25.000 demonstrated at the anti-EU demo today organised by
the NGO's, ATTAC and D14 (in which the CWI is represented).
The CWI and International Socialist Resistance formed a
strong contingent with several hundreds of members and
supporters. We probably had about 1000 present or even more.
Despite the cold there was a very combative mood. The demo
was peaceful.
- Two CWI (Committee for a Workers International) meetings
after the demo (today) had several hundreds present.
- Immediately after the demo dozens of demonstrators were
arrested. One ISR (International Socialist Resistance)
member was arrested and is still in custody at the Etterbeek
police station. This comrade from Germany should be released
before 4 a.m. on D15 (Saturday). After the demo police used
a water canon against a small group of demonstrators.
The CWI Banner on the Brussels demo
100,000 trade unionists demonstrate at Brussels EU Summit
13 December 2001
-
100.000 people
demonstrate on the trade union organised demonstration.
There were big contingents from France. After the demo there
was a CWI meeting with 200 present. Speaking at the meeting
were Silvio Marra (Forges de Clabecq), Roger Bannister
(NEC-member UNISON, the biggest public services union in
Britain), Ursel Beck (from a leftwing union network in
Germany) and Clare Daly (shopsteward Air Lingus in Dublin).
A collection to support the court case against the Clabecq
workers raised over 10.000 Belgian francs.
-
The daily paper
'De Morgen' has an article on the arrest of CWI-member Per
Johansson who was sent back to Sweden for flyposting. (See
below)
-
In Eastern
Flanders and a Limburg city the busses went on strike to
protest against a possible privatisation. In other areas
busses are carrying posters with a warning for the EU-summit
saying "this bus will never drive for a private
company".
A member of the
Socialist Party's sister party in Sweden, Per Johansson, was
sent back from Brussels to Sweden for flyposting.
Translation
of an article in the biggest Swedish morning paper Dagens
Nyheter (Daily News):
Swede sent back because of a poster.
On Sunday night Per Johansson, from Ornskoldsvik, was putting
up posters critical of the EU in Brussels. Now the Belgian
police have decided to send him back to Sweden - without giving
any indication of how long this decision (of him being denied
the right to entry Belgium again) is going to last.
Per Johansson has been asked to leave Belgium before
Wednesday (12 December). The decision by the Belgian police also
means that he is not allowed to enter any of the other 15
countries within the Schengen agreement apart from Sweden,
unless he has “appropriate documents”. The police in
Brussels do not mention when he will be allowed back into
Belgium.
It was on Sunday night that the unemployed welder Per
Johansson from Ornskoldsvik, together with three Belgian
comrades, went out fly-posting the streets of Brussels. The four
were captured and searched by the police and then taken for
questioning at a police station.
At the time of their release, early Monday morning, Per
Johansson was informed that he was no longer welcome, that he
had to leave Belgium.
Police gave two reasons for the decision: 1) he did not carry
his passport. 2) “He has caused serious problem to public
order”.
Per Johansson is aware of the fact that permission has to be
given for fly posters in Brussels as well as in Stockholm.
“You can put up posters in two ways. Either without any
sense (vandalism) or in a way that is appropriate, and we did
the latter”, commented Per.
The posters gave information about meetings and were critical
of the EU, “that’s was all”, according to Per, and there
were no reasons for the police to be upset.
Per Johansson is member of Rattvisepartiet Socialisterna (RS)
and was in Brussels to prepare for an anti-capitalist Conference
the coming Saturday. The three who fly-posted with him are
members of RS sister organisation in Belgium.
“We all did the same, but the police obviously singled me
out and that is why I was ordered to leave Belgium”, explains
Per.
Dagens Nyheter has been speaking to government officials who
question the decision that Per is not allowed to enter other
countries within the Schengen zone.
A spokesperson for the Swedish police, Leif Alabo, an expert
on Schengen claims that the decision by the Belgian police could
be seen as logical in the sense that other countries are
affected. But the Swedish police would not take a similar
decision (including the whole Schengen area). The same
spokesperson is surprised by the fact that Per was not given a
time limit.
“How long it the decision will last is important for anyone
expelled. I think the police, because of the Summit, in Brussels
have decided to take a tough stand. But despite this; the police
should have given him a time limit as we did in Gothenburg”,
says Leif Alabo.
Anders Solling
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