We are a spontaneous joint action of Greeks living in Manchester, who have got together in the wake of the spontaneous collective movement which (inspired initially by the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings and then by Spanish square occupations) started on the 25th May 2011 by the ‘outraged’ (αγανακτισμένοι) Greek citizens who took to the streets requesting for deep democratic change.
We are seeking to try and gather Greeks living in Manchester, and who, like us are “outraged” at the cuts and the austerity measures in Greece, in our neighbour countries (which are along with Greece called P.I.G.S.), but also in the UK and in the rest of Europe. We are outraged because in 2011 we are seeing that the achievements of two centuries of social, cultural and political struggles are being given away through policies targeting all sectors of welfare, education and culture, one after the other.
First, we want to send a message to Greece and to our compatriots occupying the squares and fighting in Greece for real democracy and change, that we support them and that their fight inspires us and gives us hope!
Second, we want to let people in Manchester and the UK know of what is happening in Greece, what the Greek debt crisis comes from, how it is related with other crises elsewhere and how the myth about the laziness of Greek people is dangerous and has misleadingly been employed to serve specific interests and policies.
Third, we are keen to contribute to a European movement of rejection of the ongoing savage attack on our social and cultural patrimony. Actually this attack is now being co-ordinated at the European level, with an austerity package about to be voted by the European Parliament. We think it is time for all peoples of Europe to become as ‘outraged’ as the thousands of Greeks and Spanish occupying their public squares, and to demand an end to this punitive economic regime as well as the affirmation of our common will to recuperate politics by the people and for the people. As a first step we have joined our efforts with the Real Democracy Manchester group and we collectively attend demonstrations and rallies in Manchester.
If you believe in any of the three goals mentioned above, then you are one of us. Get in touch with us, protest with us, share your thoughts with the blog and others.
