It keeps repeating itself, workers complain about poor conditions and/or low wages, their request for this to be alleviated is met with refusal, they opt for the only road left open to them, they take strike action, and as always, the state steps in on the side of big business and sends in its militarised police thugs to intimidate and beat up the strikers and their supporters. Is there any further explanation need on how this system of capitalism works?
Further information on the ongoing metal workers strike in Cádiz Spain and the support by the students.
This from Enough is Enough:
Cadiz. Spain. November 23, 2021. Today the youth of Cadiz took to the streets in great numbers to support the strike of metal workers – what an example of dignity and solidarity! But as thousands of us peacefully participated in the demonstration called by the students’ union, a perfectly coordinated group of riot police brutally attacked the demonstration. It is an absolute disgrace that these forces were sent by the central government to fight us! Despite this unprovoked police violence, we want to say loud and clear that we will not be intimidated and that we fully support the metal workers. Therefore, on Friday, November 26th, we call to once again leave the lecture halls and fill the streets for a new day of student strike!
Originally published by Sindicato de Estudiantes. Translated by Riot Turtle.
The images of police repression against the student demonstration in Cadiz fill social networks around the world. The videos are clear. The police stormed the front line of the demonstration without a word. A pure provocation aimed at intimidating and criminalizing a just and exemplary struggle. And we must congratulate ourselves for the courageous resistance of many workers and youth against this mean aggression.
The students’ union blames this aggression against peaceful demonstrators on the government’s sub-delegate in Cadiz, José Pacheco of the PSOE, who every day uses brutal repression against the metal workers’ strike. Today it was the students, but yesterday it was the workers and the residents of Puerto Real who were victims of the tanks and the beatings of the riot police.
Is this the way the governing coalition defends us? Is this the way it protects working families and young people who are fighting for jobs and a decent future? It’s unfortunate that this government is actually siding with the bosses and sending riot police to beat us up. They are turning away from their social base and putting themselves on the other side of the barricade.
The Student Union demands the immediate resignation of José Pacheco and the immediate dismissal of the police officers in Cadiz who have committed these acts of aggression against young people and struggling workers. We also demand the resignation of the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who ultimately decides on these types of operations.
We also demand that the leaders of Unidas Podemos back up their words with deeds. They are part of the government and share seats in the Council of Ministers with the PSOE. They cannot simply issue a statement complaining about the repression. They have to put an end to police violence, which is why they are where they are, and they have to side with the real workers. We don’t want posturing and pats on the back. We want the repression to stop and we want these insatiable bosses to fulfill the just demands of our striking parents.
Youth is the future, we are told. But this system and the capitalist policies that pave the way for mass unemployment, precarity, privatization of health and education, lack of decent and affordable housing…. It condemns us to not get it. That is why we will not give up. The metal strike is our struggle too. And its victory will be our victory.
Tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, we will hold general assemblies in all study centers, institutes and faculties to denounce the police repression and to massively support the student strike on Friday the 26th with a demonstration starting at 11 am at Puerta Terra.
We will win this struggle!
Sindicato de Estudiantes de Cádiz
Images and videos: here.
