15O in Rome: Freedom for All!
October 15th, launched by the Spanish ‘indignados’ movement, saw the participation of millions of people in more than 1.000 cities across the world. This new global movement arose within the framework of a structural crisis of capitalism.
This crisis has led to different forms of resistance throughout the world: from Chile to London, from Greece to New York City.
The Italian demonstration, which counted hundreds of thousands of people, stumbled into a sort of short circuit. On the one hand, the rationality of the route and organization of the demonstration; on the other, a widespread anger generated by the perception of a general crisis and by austerity measures that are worsening the socio-economic situation of a whole generation each and every day.
The demonstration was been split into two by police intervention, charging protesters right in the middle of the demonstration. Later, in Piazza San Giovanni – the square designated and authorized as the final destination of the demonstration – thousands of people resisted the mad swirl of armored police vehicles.
There is a rising climate of repression which risks undermining the minimum guarantees of the rule of law. The government now aims to include a reinforcement of preventative measures and criminal penalties along with the austerity policies.
The demonstration was followed by dozens of raids across Italy, by unacceptable proposals to return to the use of special laws and by an alarming use of informants using social networks. It seems, therefore, only right to respond strongly, first by demanding the immediate release of the 12 arrested.
A GENERATION CANNOT BE CRIMINALIZED!
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