AGEB: Massive celebration of the International Working Women’s Day in Europe
Featured image: Hundreds of women marched in Zurich, Switzerland on the 9th of March on the occasion of IWWD. Source: AGEB
The Union of Migrant Workers in Europe (AGEB) reports on massive celebrations in many cities in Europe on the 8th and 9th of March. AGEB, the Purple-Red Collective ATİGF, İTİF and Partizan activists took part in 8th of March activities in Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Ulm in Germany, Vienna, Linz, Neunkirchen and Innsbruck in Austria, Zurich in Switzerland, Liège in Belgium, Paris and Reims in France and Athens in Greece. With flags and banners they shouted slogans on the streets to keep the spirit of struggle of the 8th of March.
On the occasion of the International Working Women’s Day a march took place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 9th of March. Hundreds of women, including the Purple-Red Collective and Partizan, participated in the march.
During the march, militants of the TKP/ML covered the walls of Zurich with graffiti saying “TKP/ML TIKKO” and “From Meral to Asmin the Fight Continues!”.
At the end of the demonstration an F-16 model plane was set on fire to protest attacks by the Turkish army.
During the whole march the police applied intense blockade, harassment and provocation. After the march two women from the Purple-Red Collective was stopped in the middle of the street and subjected to police violence. One of the women was beaten and detained, while the other woman was stopped and beaten for a long time. The people nearby protested with slogans. The detained woman is reported to have been taken to the police station and later released.
In Stuttgart, Germany, Partizan and the Purple-Red Collective participated in a demonstration on the 8th of March. Around two thousand people gathered in the demonstration.
Thousands of people participated in the 8th of March march in Nuremberg, Germany. The march was called for by the Nuremberg 8th of March Platform, which the Purple-Red Collective is a part of. The Purple-Red Collective also distributed leaflets in German and Turkish during the event.
In Ulm, Germany, a rally was held on the 8th of March by women’s organizations, including the Purple-Red Collective, with a banner with the slogan “Against fascism, environmental massacre, wars, exploitation and oppression against women!”.
Thousands of people celebrated the International Working Women’s Day in Innsbruck, Austria, on the 8th of March. The day started with stands, workshops, and speeches, before a march started in the afternoon. The Purple-Red Collective took an active role in the event.
In Neunkirchen, Austria, the Workers’ Youth Cultural Center and the Purple-Red Collective organized an event on the 8th of March with around 150 participants. The event started with an opening speech, before a screening of a movie on the history of women’s struggle, and ended with cultural performances.
A massive and enthusiastic march was held in Linz, Austria, on the International Working Women’s Day, the 8th of March. ATİGF and the Purple-Red Collective participated in the event.
In Vienna, Austria, around 7,000 people gathered in a march on the International Working Women’s Day. The Purple-Red Collective, ATİGF and Partizan participated together with organizations and individuals from Latin America to Asia, and from Palestine to Europe.
In Belgium marches took place in several cities together with a women’s strike on the 8th of March. Around 30.000 people took part in the women’s strike in 12 cities. In the city of Liège there was a march with over a thousand participants. The march was called for by the Women’s Platform, which the Purple-Red Collective is a part of.
In Paris, France, a large march took place on the International Working Women’s Day, the 8th of March. Supporters of Partizan took part in the march together with French women’s organizations and immigrant organizations.
In Reims, France, a march and rally was held in the 8th of March. Supporters of the Purple-Red Collective took part in the action and a speech was held on behalf of the Purple-Red Collective.
Tens of thousands of people took part in the 8th of March protest in Athens, Greece. The KKE(ml), the TKP/ML and Patrizan participated in the protests which also gathered university students from many Greek cities. The crowd protested in front of the entrance of the Parliament against a bill for the opening of private universities. The protest was attacked by the police, and the masses responded with resistance.
