A “Mediterranean March to Brussels” left Madrid, Spain on July 26. The march is currently crossing the Pyrenees. What will the march result in? Two stories appear below. Thanks to Lisa.
Carolina:15M – The Mediterranean March To Brussels
August 19th, 2011
By Carolina, Source: Take The Square
https://www.thenewsignificance.com/2011/08/19/carolina15m-the-mediterranean-march-to-brussels/
The Popular March to Brussels that left the Puerta de Sol of Madrid on July 26th, is now at the Pyrenees. Until today, over one hundred people have decided to go to Brussels. The Marchers are, among other places, from Italy, Greece, Germany, France, Russia, USA, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Tunisia, Poland and England. Women and men of all ages are sharing this experience.
After twenty-three days on tour along towns and cities in Northern Spain, on Wednesday August 17th, early in the morning and from the city of Irun, the March will cross the border. Then, they will meet their counterparts in France at Baiona, where a warm welcome is prepared.
On Monday, August 8th, also the Mediterranean March to Brussels left the city of Barcelona in their journey to the Belgium capital. The Marchers are currently 21 and tomorrow it’s expected that several people will join up them. Besides, 12 participants have already confirmed their presence in the neighbour country, who will join up the March to accompany them to cross the border.
For the moment, they have already made stops in Badalona, Mataró, Canet de Mar, Blanes, Caldas de Malavella and Gerona. The spirit of the assemblies of the area is very favourable. The arrival of the march and their participation in the meetings are expected with a great enthusiasm.
On this tour many assemblies took place, collecting the complaints and proposals of the voiceless. Further than the different local and all-kind needs expressed by the people, there is a common factor which is repeated along the Mach: the disastrous consequences of implementing some economic policies and those measures that undermine, instead of favouring, the rights and the indivisible values proclaimed by the EU Constitution and its Charter of Fundamental Rights: Dignity, Freedom, Equality, Solidarity, Citizenship and Justice.
The expected arrival date to Brussels is on October 8th. Several activities are going to be carried out with the rest of the Marches across Europe. All they aim to build new paths, in which the way of collective thinking and the assembly structure will be the dynamizers of this historic event.
Best,
The March to Brussels
https://www.scoop.it/t/the-marches-to-brussels?page=2
https://www.facebook.com/pages/15M-Marcha-Bruselas/115074155256399
Spanish Indignants start long protest march to Brussels
26 July 2011
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14302607
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Spanish activists, known as “the Indignants”, have set off from Madrid on a long march to Brussels.
They are protesting against what they see as governments bowing to financial markets and ignoring the needs of their own people in the economic crisis.
As they head north, the protesters plan to hold meetings, collecting complaints and proposals as they go.
Since the movement began in Madrid two months ago, similar groups have sprung up across Europe.
The Indignants have added a new chant to their repertoire: “To Brussels!” they sing.
It will have to keep their spirits up for fully 1,000 miles (more than 1,500k), as they march across three countries.
Many of them have already spent weeks on the road, walking across Spain to Madrid, says the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford in the Spanish capital.
Following a mass rally there, the Indignants are heading for the heart of Europe.
They say they are marching because they are fed up with the way the economic crisis is playing out in Europe, with spending cuts, job losses, and privatisations, while those they blame for the recession remain unaffected.
The aim is to link up with fellow indignants from across Europe for a mass rally in October.
The Madrid protest began on 15 May and spread to other Spanish cities as word got around via Facebook and Twitter.
Spain’s unemployment rate is the highest in the EU, at 21.3%. For the under-25s, it has risen to 44.6%.