Watching all of the Occupy Movements flaring up all over the world is inspiring. Those few hundred who started with tents in Zuccotti Park have sparked a worldwide revolution, even though they are concentrated in Western nations. A large part of the Occupy movement was actually inspired by the protests here in Spain earlier this year. Los indignados, or the outraged, as they are called here, is the umbrella term for all of the protesters across the country and even in Portugal. It started with massive protests and people camping out (sound familiar?) in Plaza de Sol right here in Madrid, five minutes walking from where I live now. They are protesting a lot of the same things as those in America: wealth distribution, the bipartisan system, unemployment, and the general greed and corruption of the 1%.
But, there is one huge difference I've noticed. Whenever I read an American newspaper, I'm always reading about police breaking up the protests, and usually with force. Raiding Zuccotti Park in the middle of the night to move people out is one thing, but then to arrest a huge number of them too? Just to keep them away and scare others from coming. Then of course there's Oakland, which really speaks for itself. But now even in Davis, probably one of the happiest cities in California, students demonstrating peacefully in the quad were teargassed by University police brought out by their chancellor. It's shameful.
Just this past Friday, there was a huge demonstration outside of my house on the biggest street in the city. The entire downtown area was functionally shut down by the protesters marching through the streets. Even though this was obviously much more disruptive than sitting in a park or taking over the campus quad, as far as I know there wasn't a single arrest. I definitely saw police there, but they weren't nearly as intimidating as police in the US. In fact, they seemed to be there only to clear the streets to allow the protesters to move on, not even to keep them under control.
This is all even more relevant now, as all of the protests here have been leading up to today: Elections. Voting is occurring all over the country, and it's been known for a while the current party in power, the left PSOE, is going to be crushed by the conservative party, PP. We'll have a new president here soon, and I'm sure the changes are going to be sweeping. These next few months will definitely be interesting.
Hopefully the protests don't lose their momentum. The message is important, and the point needs to be made clear. We're all indignado, and something needs to be done.
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Just this past Friday, there was a huge demonstration outside of my house on the biggest street in the city. The entire downtown area was functionally shut down by the protesters marching through the streets. Even though this was obviously much more disruptive than sitting in a park or taking over the campus quad, as far as I know there wasn't a single arrest. I definitely saw police there, but they weren't nearly as intimidating as police in the US. In fact, they seemed to be there only to clear the streets to allow the protesters to move on, not even to keep them under control.
This is all even more relevant now, as all of the protests here have been leading up to today: Elections. Voting is occurring all over the country, and it's been known for a while the current party in power, the left PSOE, is going to be crushed by the conservative party, PP. We'll have a new president here soon, and I'm sure the changes are going to be sweeping. These next few months will definitely be interesting.
Hopefully the protests don't lose their momentum. The message is important, and the point needs to be made clear. We're all indignado, and something needs to be done.
Great writing Brian. Keep it up! -Angelica
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Brian in being grateful for everyone who is taking to the streets and speaking up for the good of all of us, not just the 1%. Grassroots movements like this are what will bring about true justice that serves the common good. I'm so grateful that I still have a job but also feel selfish not being out there with the demonstrators since they are doing this for me, you, all of us. Certainly gives me hope that we the people can effect change for the betterment of society and the globe. Let's each keep believing and keep speaking up/taking action whenever we can!
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