Recent Wave of Italian Protests? Any news?
MR | 21.10.2008 22:57 | Social Struggles | World
Anyone got any useful info on the recent wave of protests by students and union members in Italy in the last month? 'Last week university students and lecturers joined for the first time in a growing wave of protests against cuts and reforms imposed by Berlusconi's young education minister, Mariastella Gelmini. Following sit-ins and marches, the main trade union federations have called for a one-day general education strike on October 30' (The Guardian).
Big demos all over.
There's a repot in Italian of many of the regional demos and pictures of riot cops attacking students in Milan:
http://www.corriere.it/cronache/08_ottobre_21/scuola_occupazioni_cortei_6873de68-9f54-11dd-b0d4-00144f02aabc.shtml
And another Italian report here (with videos and pictures):
http://www.globalproject.info/art-17374.html
In lieu of any other source, here is an excerpt from Socialist Worker (Im afraid)
Mass protests in Italy to stop cuts:
Cries of “Berlusconi, now you know what people think of you!” rang through the streets of Rome last Friday as half a million people demonstrated against the right wing government. Milan and Turin each saw marches of 50,000 too.
Half of the country’s schools closed down, with students and teachers walking out over government plans to sack 87,000 teachers.
Transport ground to a halt as bus and train workers joined a strike called by the three small independent unions for improved wages and conditions, security and pensions. The major union confederations did not back the strike call.
Tens of thousands of school and university students joined protests demonstrating against attacks on migrants and the growth of precarious employment.
There's a repot in Italian of many of the regional demos and pictures of riot cops attacking students in Milan:
http://www.corriere.it/cronache/08_ottobre_21/scuola_occupazioni_cortei_6873de68-9f54-11dd-b0d4-00144f02aabc.shtml And another Italian report here (with videos and pictures):
http://www.globalproject.info/art-17374.html In lieu of any other source, here is an excerpt from Socialist Worker (Im afraid)
Mass protests in Italy to stop cuts:
Cries of “Berlusconi, now you know what people think of you!” rang through the streets of Rome last Friday as half a million people demonstrated against the right wing government. Milan and Turin each saw marches of 50,000 too.
Half of the country’s schools closed down, with students and teachers walking out over government plans to sack 87,000 teachers.
Transport ground to a halt as bus and train workers joined a strike called by the three small independent unions for improved wages and conditions, security and pensions. The major union confederations did not back the strike call.
Tens of thousands of school and university students joined protests demonstrating against attacks on migrants and the growth of precarious employment.
MR
Homepage:
http://www.corriere.it/cronache/08_ottobre_21/scuola_occupazioni_cortei_6873de68-9f54-11dd-b0d4-00144f02aabc.shtml
Additions
agree
21.10.2008 23:29
Will get some italian comrades to post something up. The Student movement is increasingly becoming a mass social movement, swelling the numbers of other campaigns. Just yesterday there were around 5,000 people, mainly young, who were mobilised in the space of a day after one of romes social centres were evicted - this after the fascist mayor declared a war on romes social centres and promised to evict them - wonder if he will also evict the fascist squat of casapound?
There is a general strike on November 14th as well - over 2 million workers participated in the last one with 500,000 (!) on the streets of Rome with around 10,000 strong student block occupying the Termini central station. Reports suggest that universities will be squatted - some already are - with many commentators suggesting parallels with the 1990 student "Pantera" movement where dozens of universities were occupied - some up to a year. With that movement it saw an upturn in political struggle which led to the massive proliferation of social centres in Italy and a strong street based movement. Italy has long been at the cutting edge of political social movements, embracing both popular culture, open source methodologies and an ability to leave 20th century ideological dogma behind. Lets hope that the recent domination of the italian far-right, both institutionally and street based, can be challenged again and open up a new cycle of struggle of progressive, libertarian conflict with capital and state instruments.
And remember 2009 is Italy G8 summit - the biggest antifascist mobilisation since the spanish civil war.
There is a general strike on November 14th as well - over 2 million workers participated in the last one with 500,000 (!) on the streets of Rome with around 10,000 strong student block occupying the Termini central station. Reports suggest that universities will be squatted - some already are - with many commentators suggesting parallels with the 1990 student "Pantera" movement where dozens of universities were occupied - some up to a year. With that movement it saw an upturn in political struggle which led to the massive proliferation of social centres in Italy and a strong street based movement. Italy has long been at the cutting edge of political social movements, embracing both popular culture, open source methodologies and an ability to leave 20th century ideological dogma behind. Lets hope that the recent domination of the italian far-right, both institutionally and street based, can be challenged again and open up a new cycle of struggle of progressive, libertarian conflict with capital and state instruments.
And remember 2009 is Italy G8 summit - the biggest antifascist mobilisation since the spanish civil war.
anarchist