Marching Against Global Capitalism

AROUND 100,000 people demonstrated in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 21 June to show their opposition to the European Union summit.

Martin Powell-Davies, Thessaloniki

The march was delayed after fierce battles between several hundred anarchists and riot police. The news coverage concentrated on pictures of wrecked shops and police making arrests instead of showing tens of thousands of organised workers and youth on the march.

The demo itself went ahead peacefully - one of the liveliest, youngest contingents was from Xekinima, the Socialist Party's sister organisation in Greece. Chants, songs, drums and whistles continued all the way to the end of the march.

The Xekinima contingent swelled to well over 500 by the end. Other marchers were attracted to join us by the banners - including one showing Donald Duck and 'South Park' waging war on capitalism!

Xekinima was even more impressive on the anti-racist demo on 19 June. Around 700, including a large group of black and Asian immigrants organised by Xekinima, marched under that banner.

Joe Higgins, Socialist Party TD (MP) in the Irish Parliament, was a platform speaker at one of the main debates organised by the Greek Social Forum, who co-hosted the summit protests.

To applause, Joe said that when he speaks in the Dail (Ireland's parliament) to establishment Irish politicians, they're meant to be speaking the same language. However, he added, his condemnations of war and poverty might as well be in Greek to them, so little do they care or understand about the real problems facing working people!

Joe's speech shone a light through the fog of confused ideas from most other anti-globalisation speakers. His words could be summed up by one chant of the Xekinima contingent: "Yes, another world is possible but what kind of world should we fight for? Socialism!"

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.