European General Strike
Europe is in shut-down. Across Europe cities are in revolt.
Transport is closed. Services have stopped. Police are tooled up. Spain, Portugal, Greece of course but right through Belgium, France, Switzerland there are demonstrations of support for European partners hit hardest by Austerity.
The co-ordinated Europe-isation of the debate against ‘Austerity’ is a new departure for the peoples of the union. This could be a game-changer, what is called a ‘Mega-Strike’. Reports flowing in from the continent via social media hint at clashes with security forces in almost every city in Italy. Since yesterday French public service was winding down towards what has been labelled #14N (a reference to the date and the importance of twitter in modern peoples’ movements). Images of firemen lying on tramtracks flashed across Europe’s media last evening. To follow live see the Live-blog link at the bottom of this post
For whatever reasons the Irish unions have decided not to acknowledge Europe’s first mega-strike.
Major Strike Actions in Europe
Spain:
General strike all day. Major protest in the centre of Madrid tonight. Around 600 flights have been cancelled (according to Sky). And just 20% of train services are expected to run.
Portugal General strike all day. Protests in 40 Portuguese towns and cities. Around 160 flights cancelled. Lisbon Metro is closed. Just 10% of train services are expected to run.
Greece A three-hour stoppage from noon (10am GMT). Rallies in Athens from noon, ending in Syntagma Square. EasyJet has rescheduled 10 flights (more details on disruption in Greece here)
Italy Workers will hold a four-hour stoppage.
France No official strike, but demonstrations are taking place across the country.
Belgium Rail workers are on strike, disrupting services
UK
Anti-austerity rally in Westminster tonight.
Ireland
Nothing
Guardian Live-Blog Military-like protest in Milan, protestors create a Roman Phalanx of placards designed as literature (Joyce – Ulysses etc.) and march on police
Comments
Europeans of the year.
Amazing.
That post has been updated with video from Milan, where protestors formed a phalanx behind placards designed as books (e.g. Joyce’s Ulysses) and marched on police lines. Incredible scenes from across Italy coming in now. Well worth sharing this as it sure as shit won’t be on RTE or in the Independent.
too cold
no weather’s too nice.
fucking disgrace of Europe!
hanki ülkede, hangi şehirde boykot olduğunu gösteren harita http://t.co/GDzWU6Ig ama ankara’da ses yok sanırım.
I work in Milan, it’s mad there were helicopters all over the place this morning and all public transport was stopped…pretty sure I can hear the trams back up and running from the office but it was caos for most of the morning.
eh, oh! Buon giorno Niamh, ci sono scontri in tutta Italia, oggi. che pazzo! si prega di farci alcune fotografie?
Eh ho visto. Scusa ma sto lavorando non posso lasciare l’ufficio ora! 🙂 Se c’è ancora casino quando sto andando a casa ti faccio le foto volentieri!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/75919_4792847587993_1952472962_n.jpg
Covered this morning on morning ireland fyi
As stated before, it is not only the Muslim and Arab world that is at unrest currently. The world needs Islam even… http://t.co/jrZ2SqLe