ANTARSYA UK calls for a Left Leave from the European Union

ANTARSYA UK calls for a Left Leave from the European Union

On the 23^rd of June UK and Commonwealth citizens are called to vote about remaining or leaving the European Union (EU). This is a question which does not appertain only to the occasional or specific circumstances which the working class and the youth in the UK have to confront, but mainly to the very nature of the EU as an institution of international integration for the European capital. EU is established to increase the profit rate and support the interests of the big corporations, through both the Single Market and aspects of political integration. Historically, it has played a key role in the deterioration of living standards of the working class, youth and unemployed all over Europe for the last 40 years. Recently and having as an excuse the – never-ending for some countries – economic crisis of 2008, it reveals its aggressive nature by coordinating consecutive Memoranda which do not only attack people’s lives and rights, but they completely restructure the economic and political organization of whole countries, according to the demands of the European capital.

1. The structural reforms and the attack on the working and democratic rights, as it is taking place at the moment in the EU periphery, have already been implemented within the EU core, under the directives of the EU and its institutions. These reforms do not just constitute the epicentre of EU policies but of its Treaties; they are basic components of the EU structure. Even changes, which could seem positive for the workers, have been established in such a way that they have ended up giving huge benefits to the bosses and ruling class. For instance, the regulation of the 48 working hour week was accompanied by a significant reduction in pay and the establishment of `flexible’ types of work, such as part-time and zero-hour contracts. Additionally, the EU financial regulations, the destruction of the productive structures by the deregulation of manufacturing and agricultural sectors, the reforms in education towards the total corporatisation of the University, all share common roots: the fundamental EU directives, rules and structures.
2. The EU constantly attacks the working and democratic rights. Indeed, conditions have deteriorated under the Lisbon Treaty which abolishes workers’ rights and promotes the complete “flexible” labour in the name of increased competitiveness, which alongside fiscal stabilisation, has formed the basic pillars of the EU in the 2000s. The very strict limits for public deficit and debt and the fiscal discipline mean eternal austerity for the workers and youth across EU Member States. It is worth noticing that EU directives are subject to exemption: national governments have negotiated the exemption from the 48 working hour week directive, which in any case is not satisfactory, leaving the workers unprotected from the negative consequences of the Single Market.
3. We are still experiencing the effects of the global economic crisis but after having bailed out the financial institutions, which triggered the crisis, we still pay for them to recover their failing profit rate. This is not the case only for the countries with Memoranda. This crisis and its outcomes are still paid by the workers, the youth, the poor and the unemployed. This is the “collective” response to the crisis by all the EU governments. In this attack, the British government has been a pioneer. Today, more than ever, it becomes clear that the EU has always represented these same interests and any apparent “benefits” occur only as a result of transnational “alignment”.
4. The EU has a clear anti-immigrant profile. The policies of the Dublin I, II and III Treaties worsen the conditions for refugees who are entering Europe following the imperialist wars by EU and NATO member states that have destroyed their countries. At this very moment, the EU is killing refugees who attempt to enter its territory from the Mediterranean Sea. Immigration, though, is not just about the war refugees. It follows the effect of the free movement of capital, commodities and services. Labour, working people and their families do not share the same rights as markets and capital. The EU promotes a selective immigration that leads to deeper exploitation of workers fleeing the EU periphery, Asia and Africa towards the EU core. The Single Market has destroyed the productive structures of the peripheral economies, thus providing the opportunity to big multinational companies to expand to these countries or obliging people to migrate to the core. The EU constitutes the means for the bosses to gain access to a pool of cheap labour, which is used for cutting wages and worsening workers’ living standards. The political struggle for the free movement of workers and youth without restriction is a necessary and integral part of the fight against capitalism.
5. The EU, as a capitalist integration, acts in favour of capital while operating imperialist invasions. The EU has been regressing into prolonged austerity and authoritarian repression while it institutionalized racism and discrimination, lacking democratic functions. It condemns various social groups to poverty, destroying public wealth and services. Labour, environment, democracy are doomed to complete destruction. There is no chance of policies benefiting the working class within the EU, no chance of policies which stop the war and respect the environment. The structure per se of the EU does not allow such kind of deviations. On the contrary, EU and its accompanied institutions feel quite comfortable with the emergence of fascistic movements across Europe and the prohibition of communistic parties in former Eastern bloc countries, while they provide with great pleasure their full support to the neo-Nazi government in Ukraine. At the same time, this tendency to completely undemocratic structures can be found at the EU institutions, i.e. the European Commission and European Central Bank, that do not have any legitimacy as they are neither elected nor controlled by the citizens. Instead, they are controlled by bureaucrats and influenced by corporate lobbyists. They cannot be voted out and are immune to any kind of opposition or counteraction, such as street demonstrations, boycotts, blockades etc. This is another reason which makes the task of “changing the EU from within” impossible.

By and large, EU nature and policies do not depend on the number of neoliberal governments; EU rules are above any decision of a Member State. By contrast, it is an issue of the EU as an institution, as an integration of capital based on pillars, rules and structures against the workers, which cannot be reformed. They can only be overthrown! There is no alternative within the EU, just the one-way road of institutional respect of its rules which lead to everlasting austerity, complete degradation of workers’ lives and the maximisation of the rate of profit for capital.

Subsequently, we need to oppose the EU as whole by highlighting its nature as the absolute expression and most effective instrument of the capitalistic domination in the European territory! But from which perspective? Certainly, not this of the re-emergence of the British Commonwealth. We do not speak in the name of independent national States, of the UK, of France or of any other Member State of the EU, which will serve the interests of capital. Opposing the EU as a whole in an internationalist way can open new paths for the workers and youth of Europe. The anti-EU and the anti-capitalist struggle are interconnected. Opposing the EU can take people further in the fight against capitalism for a better life and that the struggle against capital and its interests needs to involve the opposition and dissolution of European capitalist integration. It is not just an issue of the UK, Greece or Portugal. It is a European wide issue, foregrounding the necessity for a working internationalist response against the EU, far from any intra-capitalist competition and a right-wing, ethnocentric and conservative deal with the EU.

For all these reasons ANTARSYA UK has decided to fully back and participate in the LEXIT campaign, as part of the internationalist duty to foster the unity of the people fighting against the EuroCapital, calling the people to vote for a Left Leave from the EU, in order to strike this capitalist integration. LEXIT constitutes a necessary weapon and a crucial factor of destabilisation for the defeat of the government policies of austerity in the UK and throughout Europe. The working people and the youth must “brand” the Left Leave the EU campaign with their struggle against the EU policies of austerity, racism and wholesale destruction of public services and continue on better terms the battle against any government which tries to administer the profitability of capital against the lives of the workers and youth, until the dissolution of the EU and any mechanism or integration of capitalism.

Fighting against the EU goes beyond the referendum and the LEXIT Campaign needs to be permanent, and part of the everyday fight against austerity, unemployment, the dissolution of public services, privatisations, racism and fascism. Against the integrated capitalist interests, we fight for the protection of all working people regardless of where they were born or live. We integrate our fight against the EU in every country, connecting it with the struggle against the neoliberal attacks.

The EU is not the Europe of people but a union in favour of capital. It is not reformed, only overthrown. Let’s do it!

ANTARSYA UK

ANTARSYA UK supports the UCU strike

Photos from Bristol rally

Δελτίο τύπου: Η ΑΝΤΑΡΣΥΑ ΗΒ θα συμμετάσχει στην καμπάνια LEXIT.

H ANTAΡΣΥΑ Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου αποφάσισε την πλήρη στήριξη και συμμετοχή στην καμπάνια LEXIT (την καμπάνια αριστερής εξόδου απο την ΕΕ) την οποία θεωρεί απαραίτητο εργαλείο για την ήττα των κυβερνητικών πολιτικών λιτότητας στο ΗΒ και την υπόλοιπη Ευρώπη.

Ενώ εξακολουθούμε να βιώνουμε τις συνέπειες της παγκόσμιας οικονομικής κρίσης και ενώ έχουμε διασώσει τα χρηματοπιστωτικά ιδρύματα που την προκάλεσαν, συνεχίζουμε να πληρώνουμε ώστε να ανακτήσουν τα κέρδη τους. Η κρίση και οι συνέπειες της συνεχίζουν να πληρώνονται απο τους εργαζομένους, τους νέους, τους φτωχούς και τους ανέργους. Αυτή είναι η «συλλογική» απάντηση στην κρίση απο όλες τις κυβερνήσεις της ΕΕ (συμπεριλαμβανόμενης και της Βρετανικής).

Σήμερα περισσότερο απο ποτέ, καθίσταται σαφές οτι η ΕΕ πάντα αντιπροσώπευε αυτά τα συμφέροντα, ενώ όποια «πλεονεκτήματα» δεν ήταν παρα αποτέλεσμα της διακρατικής «ευθυγράμμισης». Η ΕΕ οδηγεί σε παρατεταμένη λιτότητα και αυταρχική καταστολή ενώ στερείται δημοκρατικών λειτουργιών και θεσμοθετεί το ρατσισμό και την καταστολή. Καταδικάζει διάφορες κοινωνικές ομάδες στη φτώχεια καταστρέφοντας τον δημόσιο πλούτο και τις δημόσιες υπηρεσίες.

Η επίθεση στα δικαιώματα των λαών πραγματοποιείται απο τις κυβερνήσεις και ενορχηστρώνεται απο την ΕΕ. Στη Βρετανία οι κυρίαρχες δυνάμεις του κεφαλαίου και η πλειοψηφία των υπαλλήλων τους, θέλουν να παραμείνουν στην ΕΕ.

Βλέπουμε ωστόσο σημάδια αισιοδοξίας στους λαικούς αγώνες και την αλληλεγγύη. Η Ευρώπη κλονίζεται απο την επανεμφάνιση αγώνων όπως οι τεράστιες εργατικές διαδηλώσεις στη Γαλλία ή οι μεγαλειώδεις κινητοποιήσεις στη Βρετανία ενάντια στη λιτότητα και την κυβέρνηση του Κάμερον. Τα παραδοσιακά πολιτικά κόμματα αδυνατούν να εκφράσουν τη λαική οργή. Στην προσπαθειά τους να εκτρέψουν την ευθύνη για τη λιτότητα, παρέχουν πρόσφορο έδαφος για ρατσιστικές και φασιστικές εκφράσεις.

Οι εργαζόμενοι και οι νεολαίοι πρέπει να στηρίξουν την καμπάνια με τον αγώνα τους ενάντια στις πολιτικές της ΕΕ της λιτότητας και του ρατσισμού και την ολοκληρωτική καταστροφή των δημόσιων υπηρεσιών και να συνεχίσουν με καλύτερους όρους τη μάχη ενάντια στη συντηρητική κυβέρνηση, μέχρι τη διάλυση της ΕΕ. H ANTAΡΣΥΑ Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου στηρίζει την καμπάνια ως μέρος του διεθνιστικού καθήκοντος προωθήσης της ενότητας των αγώνων ενάντια στο Ευρωπαικό κεφάλαιο.

ΑΝΤΑΡΣΥΑ ΗΒ

Λονδίνο, 23.5.2016

Press release: ANTARSYA UK will participate in the LEXIT Campaign

ANTARSYA UK has decided to fully back and participate in the LEXIT campaign – the Left Leave Campaign. ANTARSYA UK considers LEXIT as a necessary weapon for the defeat of the government policies of austerity in the UK and throughout Europe.

We are still experiencing the effects of the global economic crisis but after having bailed out the financial institutions, which triggered the crisis, we still pay for them to recover their failing profits. This crisis and its outcomes are still paid by the workers, the youth, the poor and the unemployed. This is the “collective” response to this crisis by all the EU governments (the UK included). Today, more than ever, it is becoming clear that the EU has always represented these same interests with any apparent “benefits” only as a result of transnational “alignment”. The EU has been regressing into prolonged austerity and authoritarian repression while it institutionalized racism and discrimination, lacking democratic functions. It is condemning various social groups to poverty, destroying public wealth and services.

The attack on the peoples’ rights is carried out by governments and coordinated by the EU. In Britain the dominant forces of capital and the majority of their public servants want to stay in the EU.

We can yet see signs of optimism in the popular struggle and solidarity. Europe is shaken by the reappearance of fighting people, such as the huge workers’ demonstrations in France or the majestic marches in Britain against austerity and the Cameron government. The traditional political parties are failing to reflect and express the popular anger. In their efforts to deflect the blame and responsibility for austerity they are also providing the breeding ground for racist and fascist expressions.

The working people and the young must “brand” the Left Leave the EU campaign with their struggle against the EU policies of austerity, racism and wholesale destruction of public services and continue on better terms the battle against the conservative government, until the dissolution of the EU. ANTARSYA UK backs the LEXIT campaign as part of the internationalist duty to foster the unity of the people fighting against the EuroCapital.

London, 23.5.2016

ANTARSYA welcomes the LEXIT Campaign

ANTARSYA welcomes the LEXIT Campaign

ANTARSYA welcomes the establishment of the LEXIT campaign – the Left Leave Campaign- and considers it a necessary weapon for the defeat of the government policies of austerity in the UK and throughout Europe.

We are still experiencing the effects of the global economic crisis but after having bailed out the financial institutions, which triggered the crisis, we still pay for them to recover their failing profits. This crisis and its outcomes are still paid by the workers, the youth, the poor and the unemployed. This is the “collective” response to this crisis by all the EU governments (the UK included). Today, more than ever, it is becoming clear that the EU has always represented these same interests with any apparent “benefits” only as a result of transnational “alignment”. The EU has been regressing into prolonged austerity and authoritarian repression while it institutionalized racism and discrimination, lacking democratic functions. It is condemning various social groups to poverty, destroying public wealth and services.

The attack on the peoples’ rights is carried out by governments and coordinated by the EU. In Britain the dominant forces of capital and the majority of their public servants want to stay in the EU.

We can yet see signs of optimism in the popular struggle and solidarity. Europe is shaken by the reappearance of fighting people, such as the huge workers’ demonstrations in France or the majestic marches in Britain against austerity and the Cameron government. The traditional political parties are failing to reflect and express the popular anger. In their efforts to deflect the blame and responsibility for austerity they are also providing the breeding ground for racist and fascist expressions.

The working people and the young must “brand” the Left Leave the EU campaign with their struggle against the EU policies of austerity, racism and wholesale destruction of public services and continue on better terms the battle against the conservative government, until the dissolution of the EU. ANTARSYA will be on the side of the LEXIT campaign as part of the internationalist duty to foster the unity of the people fighting against the EuroCapital.

London, 23.4.2016

ANTARSYA UK

Harsh violence and bloodshed validates the EU-Turkey deal and the Syriza-Anel law passed by the Hellenic Parliament regarding refugees.

Harsh violence and bloodshed validate the EU-Turkey deal and the Syriza-Anel law passed by the Hellenic Parliament regarding refugees.

On last Friday (01/04/2016), 800 refugees detained at Chios’ Hotspot (VIAL) broke down the fence wires, heading towards the port in search of a way to escape. At the same time, 5 platoon police forces were transferred to the island. Further to that, the ferry, changing its routine route, was re-directed and moored 40 km away from the port.

On Saturday (02/04/2016), 78 refugees selected from the remaining population within VIAL were violently carried over the town handcuffed in order to be deported on Monday morning. Refugees were transferred with riot police crates to Tampakika of Chios, whilst nine people in solidarity heading towards VIAL were arrested by the police!

Refugees who escaped from VIAL on Sunday remain in the port and make suicide threats in case of their detention or return to Turkey. Political and social formations as well as individuals insist in standing by their side, defending their democratic rights and safeguarding the territory from events of police and racist violence.

Early on Monday, 4 hours before the announced schedule, 66 refugees from Tampakika were carried over a boat with a Frontex escort and sent back to Turkey. In the same vein, further 136 refugees got deported from Lesvos.

Greek government sends the message in every direction that it will unswervingly implement this agreement, using harsh violent against refugees, people in solidarity and every citizen who will attempt to obstruct their way.

The events of the last days in Chios foreground the real character of this agreement and the law passed on Friday. These events foreshadow what will happen in Greece from now on.

We denounce the Greek government and the horrendous policy of refugees’ deportations.

We call working people and youth to stand by refugees by all means and safeguard the rights and freedoms of the country.

By sending back refugees to reactionary, authoritative regimes and dictatorships or countries such as Turkey where political and democratic rights of its own people have been disdained, where the undeclared war against Kurdish people has been raging, the Greek government becomes an accomplice in the crimes committed.

STOP DEPORTATIONS NOW!

ANTARSYA UK

Fight against the new pension system reform bill!

THE GOVERNMENTS’ MONSTROSITY WILL NOT PASS

DECENT PUBLIC HEALTHCARE AND PENSIONS FOR ALL

The governments’ plan for the insurance system is a deeply unpopular bill which demolishes what social character was left in the insurance system, converts insurance into an individuals’ obligation, brutally cuts pensions and consolidates the insured in poverty. The measures it includes are the starting point of the negotiations with the creditors’ quartet. If this is the starting point we can imagine how much worse the conclusion will be…

It is a brutal neoliberal reform and a worthy continuation of the policies of ND and PASOK.

The basic philosophy of the bill is that everyone is responsible for their own insurance. If you have spent periods in unemployment or doing undeclared or flexible work… bad luck! Maybe at some point, at a very old age you get a pension of 300 Euros.

The bill builds upon the reactionary framework set by all the previous governments which remains intact (Loverdos-Koutroumanis law etc)

It will lead – especially – young workers to undeclared work and will open the way for private insurance companies as in the current context of long-term unemployment and flexible labor nobody can hope to complete 40 years of insurance in order to get a small pension!

WHAT THE BILL INCLUDES

A. CONSOLIDATION IN POVERTY

1. It proposes reductions to main and supplementary pensions of 15-30% for the large majority of the insured and those who have already retired. The reduction comes from a) the much lower base of calculation of the “pensionable earnings” as they are calculated on the basis of the total insurance life. b) the lower “replacement rate” which falls to 46% (from 70% and 90% in the past) for the “proportional pension” for 40 years of work. c) the abolition of all funds and their specific provisions. The bill abolishes the minimum pension. Even the measly allowance of 284 Euros (gross pay) is not given whole before the completion of 67 years (until then it is slashed by 6% a year) and is slashed by 25% even for people with a disability rate over 67%! For the already retired the 13th and 14th pensions are abolished – and the government has the audacity to say that it does not reduce pensions.

2. Cuts to supplementary pensions. Cuts will start at 8% and reach between 15% and 30% in some cases so that approximately 200 million Euros are directly saved. In the future supplementary pensions will be calculated based on “demographic data” and “life expectancy” hence they will be decreased even more. Cutback and abolishment of the EKAS. Higher income criteria are adopted as a result of which it is lost for 70,000 poor pensioners so that 223 million Euros are saved until its’ final abolition in 2019. Large additional cuts to pensions in the public sector. Reductions up to 40% to public dividends so that expenditure is cut by 146 million Euros. Reductions between 10% and 15% to the new lump sum so that expenditure is reduced by 87 million euros.

B. INCREASE OF TOTAL YEARS OF WORK

3. The bill leads to increase of years that are required for retirement (abolishment of special regimes or retirement in the Public sector or favourable provision of several funds). It is not far from reality that teachers in kindergarten classes will be 70 years old, whilst in the private sector, employees are forced to early retirements with extremely

C. ATTACK ON THE SELF-EMPLOYED, FARMERS AND EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDE SERVICES

4. The bill is related to harsh measures against the employees who work under the regime of Bulletin of Provision of Services. The total social security contributions that they must pay account for 38.5% of their income! This is added to the onerous taxation (26% of their revenues). All these lead to a huge deterioration of living standards of the young scientists who work under the regime of Bulletin of Provision of Services and the self-employed. The farmers face the same problems, as their contributions will be tripled!

D. THE COST OF PENSION SYSTEM REFORM IS CALLED TO BE PAID BY THE WORKERS

5. The bill also calls for an increase in contributions for secondary pensions up to 1.5% (1% will be paid by the employers and 0.5% by the employees) in order to increase pension funds’ revenues up to €346 million. The employers sacrifice, in short-term, a minimum of the huge reduction of their contributions (down to 4.9%), applied by the previous Samaras’ government, in order to politically support the current government for passing pension system reform bill. By and large, the workers will pay the increase.

THE LIES OF THE GOVERNMENT DO NOT CONVINCE ANYONE!

The government accuses Samaras and Venizelos, the previous governments, of the huge deterioration of pension system conditions. The governors state that “the reform is necessary given that in 5 years we will be not be able to provide pensions” in the wake of “high pensions and great imbalances”, continuing a previous rhetoric, of ex-minister Pagkalos, which claimed that “it was the mentality, the attitude and the practices of all the people in Greece that has led to the bad performance of the Greek economy, the corruption, the bribery and the great spending of public money for personal use”. It is a common knowledge that pension funds went bankrupt by the spending of their reserves, during the last decades. The causes were the illegal loans, with the great support of the State, that banks were providing, even with negative interest rate, the €70 billion that were plundered, the €tens of billions that were lost by the haircut of the Greek State bonds that the pension funds were holding, and by the money of the pension funds that were used in pay-off previous debt and interest rates to IMF in 2015. The bad conditions of pension system were also caused by the huge unemployment rate, which creates and stimulates the capitalist crisis around the globe, by the contributions’ evasion of the employers, by the informal employment and shadow economy and by the Stage programs in both the private and public sector.

In this context, the government does not deal with any of these; it just attacks on the workers and young people by cutting the expenditures towards the pension system down to €1.8 billion, destroying their life.

Our needs and the interests of the working class are in complete contrast to the barbarian rationale of the capital, the IMF-EU-ECB-ESM and their governments. The social security, the care, the dignified pension are social rights. We fight to take back the wealth that we produce, which the faster it grows the more quickly it is concentrated in capital hands.

SHOULDN’T BE VOTED – FIGHT NOW

    Our fight is for a public and decent pension scheme:

1. SYRIZA-ANEL government’s policy should be defeated along with EU-ECB-ESM-IMF. Pension scheme is a human right, not a market product. Exclusively public pension scheme based on social needs, accessible to everyone with no pre-conditions.
2. Minimum pension equal to basic salary. All cuts from 2009 in pensions and salaries to be banned. Give us back the 13th and 14th main and auxiliary pension. We say NO to the demolishment of current pension organisations.
3. Retirement at the age of 60 for men and 55 for women, or after 30 years of employment. Retirement at the age of 55 for men and 50 for women for hazardous occupations. Significant reduction of unemployment is feasible only by reducing the retirement age.
4. Full pension and healthcare cover for the unemployed and part-time employee. Ban every form of flexible and unsafe contracts.
5. Employers and the state should pay for the pension cost of their employees, and the unemployed too. Ban the employee’s deduction for health services. Banks, employees and the State must return back to the Pension Organisations accounts the stolen money. Pension Organisations accounts should not participate in any form of gambling.
6. We ask for protection of the self-employed and farmers’ pensions.
7. Give equal pension and employment rights to the immigrants.

Our fight for a decent pension scheme is a fight against the capital, EU and IMF. The referendum experience showed that within the EU and the Eurozone limits, the memoranda can’t be defeated. Out of the Eurozone is the alternative way. Rupture with employers and investors terms, who basically aim for no pensions, to maximise their profit. Workers should take charge of the banks and the large companies to ensure that employers and the state pay their deductions instead of destroying people pensions. We shall win. Tsipras will end up like the former Minister of Pensions, Mr Giannitsis, who was banned from his Ministry back in 2003 after trying to impose a much lighter pension scheme reform.

ANTARSYA

ATHENS, JANUARY 2016

ANTARSYA denounces the authoritarian practices of the Dutch police

European governments continue adopting the hate campaign of extreme right against refugees and immigrants. EU-policies have resulted in many refugees being drowned in the Aegean sea and in building fences at EU’s frontiers. ANTARSYA denounces the authoritarian practice of the Dutch police that yesterday 23/1, the Dutch police arrested 10 women (among them a member of ANTARSYA) protesting peacefully against the provocative anti-refugee campaign of the far-right leader Geert Wilders.

Specifically, on Saturday 23/1, Wilders handed out fake pepper spray to women in the open market of Rotterdam’s popular suburb, Spijkenisse, as a defence-weapon in case of attack by male refugees. Exploiting the events of Cologne, Wilders aims at activating popular conservative reflexes, as refugee centers are set up hastily in  villages, little towns and popular neighborhoods that have been particularly affected by the austerity  policies of the Rutte-government.

In response to a spontaneous invitation for a protest siged by “Feminists for resistance-spray “, 10 women went to Spijkenisse, opened banners and shouted slogans against Wilder’s antimigrant campaign: “Wilders is a fascist, not a feminist”, “Refugees welcome” were the main slogans. Wilders’supporters attacked the 10 women with insults and obscene gestures.

The Dutch Police clearly sided with Wilders, by leaving his followers free to attack verbally the 10 women and finally by arresting the 10 women with allegations of non-display of their identity and breach of the public order. The 10 were taken to the police station, where they faced the miserable behavior of the police. They were put in isolation, faced insults and bullying, while in some cases, they were denied the provision of water, blanket and access to a lawyer. 9 of them were released after six hours, after getting a fine of several hundreds of Euros!

The blunt arrest of the 10 women, the repressive treatment and the tolerance for Wilders’ supporters aim at promoting racism in the Dutch society due to response to refugees’. This polarization benefits in different ways the entire range of the Dutch neoliberal political forces, and in particular Rutte’s government by leaving it undisturbed to promote its highly authoritarian neoliberal agenda.

ANTARSYA