J19: 'Indignants' to protest EU Pact in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick

national | eu | feature Friday June 17, 2011 19:04 by eeekkk - Real Democracy Now! Ireland

They don't represent us! Rights are won, not given! We are not commodities! It is not a crisis, it is a con! If you take our future, we will take the city! We are the children of comfort but we will not be parents of conformity!

Sunday June 19th will see Europe-wide protests against the forthcoming ratification of the Euro Pact. As part of this international mobilisation, Real Democracy Now! Ireland have organised demonstrations around the country. Simultaneous protests will take place at 4pm at the following locations:

• The Spire, O’Connell Street, Dublin
• O'Connell Street, Limerick
• Grand Parade, Cork
• Spanish Arch, Galway.

The Irish demonstrations are a response to a call from Spain’s Real Democracy Now! movement for a co-ordinated European response on the 19th June to the upcoming ratification of this Pact.

The event planners hope that by combining public protest and public assembly, everyone present at the events will have a chance to speak, express their grievances, and take collective decisions on further actions against the imposition of austerity across Europe.

The organizers want the protest to be peaceful and relaxed and are asking those attending to respect four rules:

1. No political party or trade union banners
2. No flags
3. No violence
4. No alcohol or drugs.

The organizers have expressed frustration with the “political establishment”. “We have no faith in the politicians”, said Maria, “we want to reinvent democracy, bring it to the streets and create an assembly where everyone can represent themselves; because the politicians don’t represent us”.

A key element of the Euro Pact, the European Stability Mechanism, is to be signed off by EU Governments at the end of June. But the pact also includes measures of fiscal, wage and public service 'reform' for all member states. According to the European Council, these measures are aimed at achieving greater 'competitiveness' and 'flexibility', as well as 'fiscal and financial responsibility'.

However the organisers maintain that the Pact will be harmful for the vast majority of people across Europe, and that its measures will guarantee (i) the continuation of disastrous ‘adjustment’ policies, through the European Stability Mechanism, (ii) More cuts in the public sector, (iii) Higher unemployment, (iv) Lower wages, (v) Longer working hours and ‘flexibility’ of contracts and (vi) the further curtailment of workers’ rights.

“The Euro Pact will copperfasten the way the crisis is already being managed”, according to Maria, a participant in preparations for the Irish Real Democracy Now! events, “it will mean more austerity, attacks on working conditions and the undermining of public services.”

Real Democracy Now! Irish Facebook Event Pages: Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway

A list of some of the other cities in Europe taking part in the J19 mobilisation is available in the 'more info' section of this Facebook event page (if you hit the 'see more' link).