Workers Unrest and Protests Spreading Across Europe

[Better Believe It]

From BBC News

IRISH REPUBLIC
Huge protest over Irish economy

About 100,000 people have taken part in protests in Dublin city centre to vent their anger at the Irish government's handling of the country's recession.

They oppose plans to impose a pension levy on 350,000 public sector workers.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu), which organised the march, said it was campaigning for "a fairer and better way" of dealing with the economic crisis.

"Our priority is about ensuring that people are looked after, the interests of people are looked after, not the interests of big business or the wealthy," Sally-Anne Kinahan, Ictu's secretary general, told the BBC.



Irish Protest March

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7903518.stm


BULGARIA
Protesters fight police in Sofia

Anti-government protesters at a rally in the Bulgarian capital Sofia have clashed with police outside the parliament building.

More than 2,000 people had been taking part in a peaceful rally when what the police described as a riot broke out.

The rally involving students, farmers and activists was to protest about continued corruption and poverty.

In a statement, the protest organisers accused the government of failing to tackle widespread graft and crime as well as persistent poverty.



Anti-government protesters clash with police in Sofia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7828709.stm


RUSSIA
Thousands protest across Russia

Thousands of people have held rallies across Russia protesting against what they describe as the government's mismanagement of the economy.

The biggest demonstration took place in the eastern city of Vladivostok, where protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

In the capital Moscow, police arrested a number of people at an unauthorised gathering by a radical party.

Protests on such a large scale were unthinkable just a few months ago as the economy boomed with record high oil prices and as the Kremlin tightened its grip over almost all aspects of society, the BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says.

In Vladivostok, the anti-government demonstration was called by the Communist Party.

In Moscow, police detained a number of members of the radical National Bolshevik Party, including its leader Eduard Limonov.



The biggest protests took place in the eastern city of Vladivostok, where demonstrators demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7862370.stm


FRANCE
Month General Strike Shows No Sign Of Ending

A million workers downed tools in a nationwide strike in France on 29 January to protest against the worsening economic situation and what they described as the government's inadequate response to the crisis.

They want the government to do more to protect jobs and wages. Prime Minister Francois Fillon has announced a 26bn-euro initiative designed to revitalise the French economy and create jobs. Plans include 1,000 public projects to build new housing and invest in transport, higher education and the renovation of historical sites, as well as emergency payments for the newly-redundant and training programmes.

But protests in the Caribbean departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique over rising food prices and demands for higher wages have turned violent, culminating in rioting and the killing of a union representative.

The month-long general strike showed no signs of ending as protesters rebuilt roadblocks on 23 February that police had dismantled.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7869639.stm#france


ICELAND
Iceland cabinet 'to end protests'

Iceland's finance minister has said a priority of the new interim government is to end the protests sparked by the collapse of the country's economy. Steingrimur Sigfusson acknowledged that Iceland had been severely hit by the global financial crisis, but maintained that it would emerge from it stronger.

Prime Minister Geir Haarde resigned last week after mass protests at his government's handling of the economy.

The Left-Greens and Social Democrats will govern until April's election. The Social Democratic Alliance were the junior party in the old coalition with Mr Haarde's Independence Party, while the opposition Left-Green Movement now lead opinion polls.

Mr Sigfusson, the Left-Greens' leader, said the government would restore calm to the island nation by "trying to meet all the demands of the people".

"We are going to try to take care of the families, the households and businesses as well as we can in the short period that we are going to be operating in," he told the BBC. "We are going to take measures to increase direct democracy, change the constitution, and introduce a new electoral law." "Also, open up, give information, and tell the people the truth about the difficulties we are facing," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7864779.stm


GREECE
Greek police battle with rioters

Hundreds of anarchist protesters in Greece have fought running battles with police through the centre of the capital, Athens.

The demonstrators were demanding the release of people arrested during rioting last month after a policeman shot dead a youth aged 15.

Compared to the riots that swept Greece last month, Saturday's violence was on a relatively small scale but it showed that anger against the state and the police are still simmering, the BBC's Malcolm Brabant reports from Athens.

The futility of firing tear gas at rioters who wear gas masks has dawned on the authorities and it is reported that Greece is taking delivery of water cannon, which should be ready for action within a fortnight, our correspondent reports.



Police find themselves up against rioters wearing gas masks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7849498.stm

[Earth Bound Misfit]

1. I'll bring the torches & pitchforks...

you bring the shackles & pillories.

BIG K & R

[Better Believe It]

2. For the weekend DU'ers