Germany 3. April 500.000 march against cuts

Matthew Heaney/ indycat | 06.04.2004 15:02

Half a million took to the streets in Germany on Saturday April 3rd, to protest at welfare cuts being pushed through by the Social Democrat-Green Party coalition government, known by the rather innocent-sounding name of "Agenda 2010".

trade unionit in Berlin

Brandenburg Gate

no subtitle

police attack "revolutionary" block

"revolutionary" block

police attack "revolutionary" block

dito

ATTAC anticap agit prop

The protests, held in Berlin, Cologne, and Stuttgart, were called by the German trade union confederation DGB, as part of a Europe-wide day of action called by the European TUC. John Monks, ETUC leader, called for "millions to be involved...[to] make an impact on the thinking of governments, businesses and all citizens". Sadly, most ETUC member organisations chose to sit back and do next-to-nothing. The British TUC, for example, chose to mark the "day of action" with press conferences with Labour MEPs or a booklet aimed at union reps on the advantages of the "European social model" - that's the one currently being abolished - but the TUC doesn't seem to have noticed that. Among trade unionists, ATTAC, pensioners, social forums, leftist parties and various small leftist groups there was also a "revolutionary block" of anarchists and antifascists on all three demos. In Berlin this resulted in clashes with the police and a sqatting of a house, which lasted for three hours. more info and audio:

http://www.de.indymedia.org/2004/04/79454.shtml

Matthew Heaney/ indycat

UK Indymedia

Germany 3. April 500.000 march against cuts