May Day organisers condemn repression of Polish protests

dublin | summit mobilisations | press release Wednesday April 28, 2004 13:24 by Dublin Grassroots Network

We are the real Europeans, say Grassroots group

Dublin Grassroots Network, which is organising a Mayday weekend of
events for an alternative Europe, today condemned the repression of
activists campaigning against the World Economic Forum in Warsaw.
Poland is one of the ten "accession states" due to join the European
Union this weekend.

Spokesperson Laurence Cox said, "These attempts to suppress the
freedom of speech and assembly are parallel to those we have seen in
Ireland in recent weeks. They show the unease of European
governments faced with dissent from within their own civil societies.
While the EU pays lip-service to democracy, it seems that in practice
opposition to privatisation, militarisation and "Fortress Europe" policies
are so threatening that governments want to silence these alternative
voices."

Polish activists associated with the Alternative Economic Forum say that
Warsaw has been turned into a "no-go" area by the police, with
harassment of organisers, prevention of leafletting, the closure of
venues and targetting of "foreign" protestors from other European Union
states. Irish activists were quick to draw the parallel with what they say
are similar heavy-handed Garda tactics in the run-up to May Day.

The Polish and Irish events both stress positive alternatives to the
existing direction of EU policy, and form part of a global movement of
opposition to neo-liberal economic policies, the increased militarisation
of world politics, and state attacks on the right of asylum. Cox said, "The
true European heritage is one of struggles for social justice and the right
to dissent. Our May Day events are part of the real Europe, along with
the events in Milan, Barcelona and Warsaw."

ENDS