Indignados in Brussels: real democracy under eurocrats’ noses
francisco | 14.10.2011 18:12 | Occupy Everywhere | Social Struggles
They come mostly from Spain, but also from France, England, Germany, The Netherlands… Several hundreds of people are occupying for one week HUB University, in Brussels. A week of collective living, assemblies, political discussions and workshops – to end up with tomorrow’s big demonstration. On the eve of the October 15th, the indignados are everywhere – and came to Brussels in full strength.
“We are going slow because we are going far!” The motto brought to Brussels hundreds of people, walking from several parts of Europe. They carried the flag of indignation and gathered crowds in the cities they passed by. At the European capital, police repression spoiled the plan of setting up a revolutionary camp in Parc Elisabeth. “They say we are aggressive, but it’s the police who comes with their batons”, says one of the indignados. “We only have two weapons: our hands and our books”.
Despite the disappointment of many, the city proposal for using HUB University, right by the park, was accepted. This has been, from then on, the indignados headquarters. More people arrive every day. There are debates, concerts, direct actions – and the indignation doesn’t go unnoticed in the city.
At the end of each day, the police insists in throwing people out of the park, where many activities keep taking place. Journalists have been regular visitors. A singular press conference gathered yesterday national and international press at Park Elisabeth – they set in a circle together with several indignados, who, without leadership, answered freely to the questions.
“This is above all a way of awakening people’s consciousness and hearts. We may be a few hundred, but I met thousands of indignados along the way”, a young french guy explains. “If we keep awakening people, we’ll finally be many enough to change things.” To the insistence on which is the movement’s political stand, he answers: “We built it day by day, at each people’s assembly and workshop.”
The diversity of people is huge. Anti-capitalism, anti-consumerism, direct democracy and the urgency of a change brings them together. There are discussions about degrowth, pacifism, feminism, migration… “We want to be a movement of convergence. We are not creating anything from the beginning: there are many groups and movements fighting for a long time. We want to bring the struggles together”, explains one indignada from Spain. “You ask us for the solutions? We are creating them! That’s why we are coming together and sharing.”
At the European Parliament, invited by a group of MPs, indignados’ representatives were brief and direct: “if you want to talk with us, you are always welcome at Park Elisabeth, to seat together with us and talk in an assembly”. On Wednesday, an action at Dexia bank, which is about to be saved by the Belgian state, ended up with detentions and police violence.
Tomorrow is the big day: a huge demonstration, to add up to the hundreds organized worldwide, and ending up with a people’s assembly at Schuman, in the heart of the European Institutions.
And plans are already made for later: to resist occupying the university, keeping it a free and revolutionary space, to go on with the marches of indignados to Greece or even to Palestine. The indignados know it: the future belongs to those who decide to write it.
more info:
http://www.walktobrussels.eu/
http://www.scoop.it/t/the-marches-to-brussels
videos:
http://www.walktobrussels.eu/en/multimedia/video.html
Despite the disappointment of many, the city proposal for using HUB University, right by the park, was accepted. This has been, from then on, the indignados headquarters. More people arrive every day. There are debates, concerts, direct actions – and the indignation doesn’t go unnoticed in the city.
At the end of each day, the police insists in throwing people out of the park, where many activities keep taking place. Journalists have been regular visitors. A singular press conference gathered yesterday national and international press at Park Elisabeth – they set in a circle together with several indignados, who, without leadership, answered freely to the questions.
“This is above all a way of awakening people’s consciousness and hearts. We may be a few hundred, but I met thousands of indignados along the way”, a young french guy explains. “If we keep awakening people, we’ll finally be many enough to change things.” To the insistence on which is the movement’s political stand, he answers: “We built it day by day, at each people’s assembly and workshop.”
The diversity of people is huge. Anti-capitalism, anti-consumerism, direct democracy and the urgency of a change brings them together. There are discussions about degrowth, pacifism, feminism, migration… “We want to be a movement of convergence. We are not creating anything from the beginning: there are many groups and movements fighting for a long time. We want to bring the struggles together”, explains one indignada from Spain. “You ask us for the solutions? We are creating them! That’s why we are coming together and sharing.”
At the European Parliament, invited by a group of MPs, indignados’ representatives were brief and direct: “if you want to talk with us, you are always welcome at Park Elisabeth, to seat together with us and talk in an assembly”. On Wednesday, an action at Dexia bank, which is about to be saved by the Belgian state, ended up with detentions and police violence.
Tomorrow is the big day: a huge demonstration, to add up to the hundreds organized worldwide, and ending up with a people’s assembly at Schuman, in the heart of the European Institutions.
And plans are already made for later: to resist occupying the university, keeping it a free and revolutionary space, to go on with the marches of indignados to Greece or even to Palestine. The indignados know it: the future belongs to those who decide to write it.
more info:
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videos:
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francisco
Homepage:
pt.indymedia.org