A Report From Athens on How Austerity is Hitting

international | eu | news report Monday September 16, 2013 15:03 by Con Carroll

Fights back

in these interesting or boring times, it depends what side of the coin you are tossing. people have taken to street protests twice since I have been here. e in Ireland have to ask seriousquestions. are we to sectarian elitist. have we denied Marxist class analysis. opting for the liberal agenda. the male versus female

I arrived in Athens. Thursday 5 September. I'm staying in working class area of Athens off Omonia sq. in this area it is off people of Muslim backround. Pakistan Indian. one off exploitation of young women who are sex workers. the police chase them off the public streets. arrest them take these women to the police station. many young men. living in poverty. their escape is active drug addiction. from the reality of the political economic agenda which affects their lives
as I watch the police arrest these young women, roaring abusive language. not one man has been arrested. the police behaviour towards Africans, Muslims has to be seen. of course if you are from Iraq, Iran, Syria. you are automatically suspect for been involved in the drugs trade. or thieves
the police behave like the police in the film, Dirty Harry/robo cops. not surprising to many these police have close political allies to political fascist group. Golden Dawn. not surprising then, that non Greeks residing in Greece live in fear. because of the hostility against them. not shocking was the police targetting of the elderly. the people who are homeless the political economic povery in Athens is obscene. people with disability been forced to make their living from the streets
Tuesday 10. I attended a impressive rally called by the trade union PAME. I was impressed by the number of people who attended. united, dignified and peaceful. families, children, elderly. youth. Monday 16. protests by different political groups. trade unions against fascism/racism