An assembly of 40-50 people took place yesterday, the 17th of July, between 6.30pm and 8.30pm in Trafalgar square (central London) consisting of the Spanish and Greek Real Democracy Now teams, and individuals from France, Chile, and Iran. British activists were also present.
Below are the minutes
The proposals:
1) It was agreed to prepare a banner.
2) It was proposed to start communication with members from different parts of the UK. On October 15th, 15m activists will call for a global day of Real Democracy. On November 5th, there is a plan to march in London. (This issue will be discussed next week)
As it was planed, some of the participants spread news from around the world. “We are not here only for Democracy, we are here for solidarity as well”
Real Democracy Now spreads in Israel. In Tell Aviv about 200 people participated in an assembly, while hundreds attended in Jerusalem. (Find our more here)
In Paris, approximately 100-200 “outraged”, from all over France participated. Direct action resistance in a peaceful way took place against banks.
In Greece things are calm at the moment because of holidays. The Mayor of Athens has threatened to evacuate the square where the groups of “Real Democracy Now” are gathered. The situation in Greece looks more like a dictatorship. There has been a new law that allows the police to enter the universities, which were considered protected spaces (asylum) until now. There have been threats against freedom of speech in the blogosphere.
In Chile last week there was a student protest. This week there will be a new protest where both students and workers will join. Chile is struggling against privatization of schools, universities and mines.
Activists from Britain sent greetings to Syntagma square. In the UK the police and the Media system are among the biggest problems. The British political system is a blackmailing system, based on bullying, intimidation, harassment… The crisis is not only economical, it is also political. We have to counter the ideas of the establishment. We have many things in common with other countries. This is a common crisis.
Some of the ideas expressed:
-We are trying to bring together people in a real democracy, where everybody participates. We are trying to create something new.
-The revolution is inside you. We don’t need somebody to tell us what is right or wrong. We don’t need authority. The police is against us.
-Everything started from Tunisia. Unemployment is a problem. What has happened in Greece shows a tension within the EU which was known (tension between the central European countries and the periphery). We must fight against this regime but we must be very careful of what comes next.
-This is a world issue. The major problem is power and wealth which is concentrated in the hands of few. Poverty and unemployment as well, poor wages and housing. Lack of freedom, dictatorships… Representative democracy is not real democracy. The Media are in the hands of few. Hierarchy causes the problems and capitalism.
-The problem is not economic. It is political. Political power should be spread equally to all. We need egalitarianism and a political system able to introduce new dominant values. The current dominant values are money and accumulation of capital. But we need to replace this with the need for political participation in order to avoid class divisions and institute the society based on new democratic principles. We need social and individual autonomy.
-Nowadays the only movement that exists is the anarchist movement. Regarding anarchists: In 1936 in Spain the anarchists achieved to organise a better society. That movement was crashed. Also Libertarian socialism is a socialism where an individual can choose freely to become a part of the society where citizens have the control of the resources. No central authority. We have to think about that in an international level.
-There was also a discussion regarding a solidarity letter to Syntagma square and all the countries that are fighting tough austerity measures, injustice, dictatorships or authoritarian regimes. (The manifesto will be available soon).
A debate regarding “Direct Democracy” and the way it worked in ancient Athens took place as well.
Short URL: http://wp.me/p1FGHv-1C