Switzerland, most people view it as a rather idyllic small country, a picturesque land of mountains, loved by climbers, artists and photographers, famous for chocolate, cheese with holes in it, and the cuckoo clock. However it has another side, it is famous among the rich and powerful for its dark and secret dens where they hide their money. Millionaires, billionaires aristocracy, and others of that ilk, can, in this small state, stash their ill gotten gains far away from the prying eyes of the tax man and many, many do. This is not a box beneath somebodies bed in a mountain village, this is a very lucrative money making racket for the powers that be in picturesque Switzerland, a big slice of its economy. Like all other nation states, perhaps a little different in its structure, it has all the trimmings of the state and its repressive apparatus, also like any other capitalist country, it has inequality, injustice, and repression, and like any other capitalist state, the people there are taking to the streets to voice their desire for a fair and just system that benefits all our people.
The following from Act For Freedom Now:
The following from Act For Freedom Now:
On 1st August about 300 people took to the streets in Bern against the myth of Switzerland. Our criticisms were addressed to the main four subjects of the Swiss history. Colonialism, reification, antisemitism and patriarchy. But these are only few of the many reasons why Switzerland shouldn’t be celebrated as such. In the end police fired rubber bullets at demonstrators because of a little paint against Amtshaus [district office] thereby deliberately putting people’s lives at risk. Police also lined up outside symbolic buildings during today’s demonstration, thus showing that they defend the history of oppression and are behind it.
Unfortunately, due to the heat and the short duration of the mobilization we couldn’t reach all the people we mentioned in today’s appeal. Many questions posed by the demo couldn’t be transmitted as we would have liked, for example with creative slogans or speaking. However, today’s demonstration was necessary, and through the solidarity of those there it was able to give a necessary signal in the times of the Coronavirus crisis.
In spite of Corona we were not few today and gave an example against the history of Switzerland with a militant demonstration. With this demonstration we wanted to show why States must not be celebrated. They promote and support forms of oppression in order to use them in order to exist. Society is formed by capitalism and the State in such a way that it cannot function according to solidarity but can only serve profit. Those who don’t serve exploitation fall into the trap of the system. This inhumanity occurs every day all over the world. For this reason we don’t support the system of States, we fight it. Covid19 shows us that the system is fragile and is not there to support us. The health of millions of people could not and cannot be guaranteed and many companies have proceeded with massive layoffs – many more will follow in order to save the system. The countries where the health system is in an even more disastrous condition due to the exploitation of the West are faring even worse.
All over the world it is clear how the concept of State is only being kept alive through the suffering of the many. Protests against State authority have been increasing all over the world in recent months, but instead of taking these protests seriously governments are violently trying to silence the demonstrators. We are in solidarity with all these protests and today, also in Switzerland, we gave a signal against the politics of oppression and exploitation carried out through capitalism, racism, sexism and many more isms.
Source: Barrikade.info
Translated by act for freedom now!
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