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THE CROWD TODAY
Every second day Place du Luxembourg hosts manifestations and protests.
From May 2012 to October 2013* we fished a young looking person from the crowd up to our balcony and presented what they had to say in this section. *The crowd today is back!
(The opinions they express herein do not necessarily reflect the views of ThinkYoung)
20.01.2015
Spanish Hepatitis
Why are you protesting?
We are protesting for the half a million Spanish people who have Hepatitis. It is extremely expensive to buy treatment for it and we cannot all pay for it.
What can the parliament do?
They can provide us with free treatment and treatment for everyone, as there are only 500 people that have been treated. The government is also saying there is only 6000 treatments available to people who are crucially ill, this will not save half a million people.
Where are you going after this?
We are going back to Madrid where many of us have been protesting outside the hospital of Madrid since December 2014 and we will continue protesting.
14.10.2013
Single European Sky
Riccardo Rubini, 33, from Italy.
Please can you tell me what you are here for today?
We are here to express our unhappiness about the proposal from the European Commission about the Single European
Sky (SES 2+).
It is an amendment package to the Single European Sky regulation and in this new package there is too much of a negative impact on the workers. We don’t see real operational improvement. We don’t see real added value.
We just see an extreme effort from the European Commission to push more for liberalisation next year when we will have new elections – what they regard as a success.
From our point of view it is not a success at all.
The regulation package reduces the cost pressure on the companies, the aircraft providers, but this will have a negative effect on the workers.
Also it is very clear that safety is not the first priority, but instead business and making money.
What do you hope to achieve from this demonstration?
We support a push for a more efficient system in the civil aviation Europe Sector.
We always supported this process and participated in the first proposal, then there was the SES 2 project, which we also supported. But now with this new package, we don’t see any value for Civilisation sector, nor for the European citizens.
It is purely a political manoeuvre designed to give more money to business.
They don’t care at all about the social consequences we will have to face if this new package is implemented. The main concern for us is that safety should be the first priority.
Safety is considered as something that is always guaranteed, but this is not the case.
To ensure safety, we need investment, training and it needs time. We don’t see any of this in the new package.
We see fixed targets for economic efficiency and for business models, but we don’t see a target for safety at a European level.
Please can you explain how the new proposal will worsen the current air traffic control service?
The package points to reducing the area of influence of the national provider.
Some providers offer the air traffic control service, where the controller is speaking with the planes.
Beyond this service, there is all the data transmission, safety infrastructure, etc. which all form part of ensuring a high safety target.What they want in the package is for the provider to have just a controller with a set for regulating air traffic.
All the other services, such as data transmission, operations analysis – the whole technical part – to be cut down.
They say they want to externalise the services on a national level in order to improve the competition, but at the same time they say that they want to centralize the services on a European level, so they actually kill competition – by making one big company and establishing a monopoly over the service.
Can you describe this demonstration in 3 words?
Political Attack to Workers
7.10.2013
Protest against Sedat Selim Ay
Ayla, 26, from Syria.
What are you Protesting?
We came to the front of the European Parliament to protest for the victims that are being tortured and raped by the Turkish Government. The person who is a police officer, Sedat Selim Ay, he is the one who has been torturing and raping.
What are you trying to change?
We are here to raise our voice and tell the European parliament that he should be tried and taken away from his responsibilities because he’s still doing his Police officer duties.
What do you want to say to members of the European Parliament?
We want the European Parliament to demand to the Turkish Government that he be taken away because it is not just people here who have been tortured and raped he’s also killed 3 other friends.
So a lot of people in Turkey have been victimised because of him so we want the European Parliament to take all the duties away from him, he should be in the court and he should be in the prison for life.
Have you protested here before?
We protest everywhere until we get justice!
Can you sum up your protest in 3 words?
Struggle, Resistance and Victory!
3.10.2013
Freedom for Karabakh
Farida, 18, from Germany.
What are you doing here?
We are here to demonstrate for the region Karrabakh.
Karrabakh is now already 24 years under occupation from the Armenians.
Azerbaijan lost this part during a war to the Armenians.
We want that Karabakh goes back to Azerbeidjan.
We want freedom for Karabakh.
What would you like to ask to a member of the European Parliament?
We want that the territory Karabakh goes back to Azerbaijan.
We want freedom, we want a solution for this problem.
We want the European Parliament to help us with this.
Have you protested here before?
No, it is the first time that we come here to protest.
Can you describe the protest in three words?
Freedom – Hear our Voice – Karabakh!
What are you doing after the protest?
We go back to Germany. Today is a national holiday.
That is why we are here today and we were not at school.
3.10.2013
Against the Alijev regime in Azerbaijan
Iza, 25, from the Netherlands.
What are you doing here?
We are from Azerbaijan and living in Europe.
We are here to demonstrate against the Alijev regime in Azerbaijan.
This has been the ruling regime for almost thirteen years.
It is one of the largest autocracies in the whole of Europe.
Azerbaijan is a strategic partner for the European Union. But the Human Organizations and various International Organizations have labeled the country as non-European and non-democratic.
This is why we are here, because of the upcoming elections of next week, we want to support our own values.
We are defending the Westerns universal values and we stop supporting the Alijev regime.
Europe prefers economic interests like oil and gas resources in Azerbaijan and economic partnership, upon democracy.
But we put democracy as a priority for the European Union and that’s why we are here.
After the protest we have a seminar on the elections.
We want to make the real situation clear for the European Union and also for the International communities.
And we want them to react. But they don’t and that’s the main problem.
Have you protested here before?
This is the third time we are protesting here and also in other countries, like in the Netherlands.
This is our last protest before the elections. Regarding the results, and we all know the scenarios of the elections, as fraud and unequal conditions for the candidates. We know that the president will try to do everything to fraud the results.
We are here to ask the European community to stand up for its own values and actually not to recognise the official results, because this is not the real situation in Azerbaijan.
We want a democtratic change, we want a regime change.
Can you describe your event in three words?
EU - Stop – supporting - Alijev
18.9.2013
Market day
16.9.2013
Veterinaires Sans Frontieres Belgique
We approach Hanna from Veterinaires Sans Frontieres Belgique (in English: Veterinaries without Borders).
They have recruited some graffiti artists to relay their message in a more graphic, noticeable way.
What are you doing here?
We want to battle against hunger and poverty in Africa, by advocating for small-scale livestock farming.
Today we want to raise awareness about what we do because tomorrow (Tuesday 17 September) there’s a big parliamentary meeting at the EU Parliament where they will talk about the influence of small-scale farming on global warming, climate change, so very important issues.
So today we want to show to people that we exist, what we do, what we stand for, what we want to talk about, so that people are much more aware of the fact that the things they do have a much greater influence on the global level as well.
Today, everything is connected in a huge system. We live in a global world, so it’s important to know that everyone has its influence on the general state of things.
What kind of projects are you organising?
One of the things that we advocate for is to keep things local, not just here.
It’s also important here to eat things that are produced nearby, not to have too big a footprint on an ecological level.
So what we support as well is that in the south of Africa we have different programmes where we focus on small-scale livestock farming on people who really depend on their livestock in order to have a living, make sure that they can exist in dignity, and what we do there is also use people from the place itself, so people who know the situation locally and who try to work with the people locally, who make sure that everything that happens there is made for the community, so we don’t want to work on a global level, but focus on small projects in small places and that people can be self-sufficient and live sustainably.
Have you protested here before?
This is the first time we have come to Place du Luxembourg, although we have done previous events elsewhere in Belgium.
Can you describe your event in three words?
Small-scale, sustainable, self-sufficient.
5.9.2013
Protest Camp Ashraf
Andisheh, 28, from Iran.
What are you doing here?
I’m here to announce to the people who work here (in the European Parliament) to act against what is happening in Camp Ashraf (a refugee camp, situated in Iraq).
In this city (Ashraf City), the Iranian Opposition groups were living for about 30 years.
They were left unarmed after the United States’ invasion of Iraq in 2003.
They gave their weapons to the United States, who promised to guarantee their safety and, according to the Geneva Convention, they are, in theory, protected people.
But what we have seen, is an unarmed people, who have been attacked several times by Iraqi forces.
On the 1st September they have been attacked for the fifth time and, as a result, 52 people were killed. 7 people, including 6 women, have been taken hostage by the Iraqi government.
What would you like to say to a member of the EU Parliament?
I would ask them, why they do not do anything to help the people of Camp Ashraf.
I can show you some pictures. Some of these people have been political refugees from European countries.
But the European government didn’t give them the chance to return to those countries and as a result they have been killed in a very inhumane way.
Have you protested here before?
We’ve asked a lot of times for the European governments to take back the people of Camp Ashraf as political refugees in those European countries, but we’ve had no answer.
Can you describe the protest in three words?
“Free our hostages, now now now!”
4.9.2013
Protest against Bio Fuel
Ana and Nike, 28 and 21, from the Netherlands.
What are you doing here?
We’re here to protest about the Bio Fuel law of the EU because next week they’re going to vote.
A very important vote because they’re able to review the current policy. The current policy leads to a lot of problems in the developing countries mainly food security, climate, land dry and we think that policy needs to be revised.
So, that’s why we’re here for, try to convince them to vote for food and not for fuel.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
We would like to change the policy. The policy says that all fuel has to have 10% renewable sources, which are mainly bio-fuels.
So we think that they should depreciative at least to 5% now and then slowly reduce it to 0% by 2020.
We’re trying to get that out of the EU policy.
What would you like to say to a member of the EU Parliament?
We would like to change the percent of renewable sources.
That’s what we want to ask at the MEP. There are some details but this is our main question.
So there’s a debate at two, it's also open for public, so if you find it interesting…
And there’s a press conference now actually at ten, that’s more in dept.
There’s debate and we’ll have a meeting with MEP’s.
Have you protested here before?
We haven’t protest here before, until now. There are couple of people who does.
Can you describe the protest in three words?
International -people from all over the world - energetic
More information at: http://www.actionaid.org/
30.8.2013
We want democratic elections in Cambodia
Spohea Lim, 29, from the Netherlands.
What are you doing here?
Today, we gather here with the Cambodian community from all over Europe.
We protest against the results of elections in Cambodia.
A month ago there were elections, but the result of the election was not fair, not democratic.
We are here in Brussels in front of the buildings of the European Parliament to make clear that we do not agree with the re-election of dictator Hun Sen. A dictatorship under which we have lived for over 20 years.
Hun Sen is a very bad leader. He is a communist, a dictator ... He killed many Cambodian people.
Therefore, we are here to let you know that Hun Sen isn't a democratic leader.
Cambodia already has had 5 elections. The first election was conducted by the United Nations and then Hun Sen lost.
Afterwards he has won four times, but not in a fair way. He bribed people, many terrible things have happened.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
We are here in Brussels to ask for a committee from the United Nations that should investigate the fairness of the outcome of the elections, whether fraud was committed, etc.
Have you protested here before?
Yes, we come here every year to let people know that something must be done in Cambodia.
As long as Hun Sen is in power, the Cambodian people have no freedom.
We just want to have real democracy in the country.
I now live in the Netherlands, I am very happy, but I also want people in Cambodia to have their own democracy.
I want it just like in the Netherlands: I can say anything, do what I want...
This is not the case in Cambodia.In Cambodia, young people now give flowers to soldiers to make clear that they want peace. There soon will be a large demonstration held by more than one million participants and people fear for an aggressive military action. We want to close the chapter ‘Hun Sen’ in peace. We do not want to use force. We want Hun Sen to give the power back to the Cambodian people.
Can you describe the protest in three words?
We are ready with communism, dictatorships ....We want freedom. That is why we're here.
What are you doing after the protest?
There is nothing special planned.
Everyone goes back home (laughs).
26.8.2013
We want a free, democratic Syria
Enlil, 18, from Syria.
What are you doing here?
I am demonstrating for a free Syria, because now the humanitarian situation is very critical.
The regime of Assad is using chemical weapons on its citizens.The NATO, all those countries… let that happen.
And this is why we are here and why we try to do something in Belgium. To make our voice clear to the people of Europe.
What would you like to do to change the situation in Syria?
I think that I can’t do anything accept for demonstrating in the streets and making my voice clear.
Working for a new Syria, a free Syria. First we need the fall of the regime and then we have to work on a new, democratic Syria.
A Syria for everyone: Muslims, Christians, Assyrians, Arabs, Kurds… and all the other communities in Syria.
When I try to do something for Syrian people I try to do it in a democratic way because I really hope to build a free Syria for everyone in the future.
But it has to start with the fall of the regime.
We can’t anymore accept the president, who isn’t really a president, to kill so many people who are supposed to be his citizens.
What would you like to ask to a Member of the European Parliament?
It’s really, really late now.
They actually had to take their responsibilities already 2 years ago.
But they still have to do something. We lost a lot of brothers, a lot family and friends…
I think that they first need to make that regime fall and they have to help the Syrian people to build their country back.
Not only rebuilding places that are destroyed now. But also building our democratic politics.
I think it is something that you have to take from Europe,the way they work in a democratic way.
If they don’t help the Syrian people we cannot hope to have a good memory of Europe in our revolution.
Have you protested here before?
Of course. We used to do this at la Bourse, another place in Brussels.
We protested there two or three times.
We also went in front of the NATO. Every time that there is a demonstration I try to be there.
I use my free time for it. It is really important to me. I meet likeminded people.
I can do something for my country.
Can you describe the protest in three words?
Tears – Pain - Hope
23.8.2013
Against terrorism in Egypt
Réda, 30, from Egypt.
What are you doing here?
We are protesting in front of the European Institutions to give a message that Egyptian people are really against the terrorism that is happening in Egypt.
Every Egyptian: Copts, Muslims, Shiites… whatever, are all united against the terrorism that is happening in Egypt.
Egypt is fighting terrorists. We want people to understand this.
Moreover Egyptians are really starting to say: we do not want a mix between religion and politics.
We have different religions like Muslims and Christians, but we do not want any mix anymore with theocratic rules in Egypt.
What would you like to do to change the situation in Egypt?
The main thing that we want, is that all terrorism stops and that everybody lives in peace.
And everybody can express themselves peacefully, without people being terrorised.
Like for example the Muslim brotherhood said that once Mursi is getting out of prison, the terrorism will stop immediately.
This is blackmailing. Egyptians do not want to negotiate with terrorists.
What would you like to ask to a Member of the European Parliament?
The European Parliament has to stop its double speech.
You cannot say we are condemning heavily the burning of churches, the aggression towards Copts… And at the same time say you have to negotiate with the people that are burning the churches, killing Copts, Muslims... all Egyptian people.
Europe needs to stop to have a message of condemning terrorism and in the same sentence say you have to negotiate with terrorists.
So let us deal with it and stop supporting terrorists.
Can you describe the protest in three words?
Dignity – Freedom – no to terrorist!
17.7.2013
Against unfair internship conditions in Brussels
Lassi, 26, from Finland.
What are you doing here?
I am a member of the group of interns who came up with the idea to show our concern about problems involving internships while we are still here in Brussels.
Unfair internships are a really big problem.
And we feel that us interns need to show our concern before anything is actually going to happen.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
There are some developments going on, for example at the European Parliament, the European Youth forum is active…
We just want to give a push to these developments, so that real actions will be taken.
It’s not just about not being paid, it is also about people working without a contract, without knowing their working hours. Internships are also about learning. And the learning aspect is forgotten very often.
For example I like my work as an intern at the UN.
I think it is rewarding but we are doing a lot of the same work that staff members are doing but we are not compensated for it.
What would be the biggest achievement for this protest?
We are of course trying o get a lot of media coverage.
I think we are quite well succeeding in it.
We will be following up and we are actually trying to create a network here.
We will try to get these contacts involved in for example the European Youth Forum, the European Parliament… to eventually push for a bigger event in cooperation with the policy makers in autumn.
Have you protested here before?
This is the first protest I know off. I don’t know if previous internship generations have done something similar.
But I hope this is not the last time. So this is also about passing the message to future interns here in Brussels.
What are you doing after this protest?
Of course I am going to continue my life as an intern.
I just hope that we get a lot of media coverage and that we will be able to involve the policy makers later on with the push we have been able to create here.
More info at www.qualityinternships.euwww.internsgopro.com
26.6.2013
Israel: Stop the illegal torture and imprisonment of Palestinians, including children
What are you doing here?
We came to demonstrate against the fact that the EU is only condemning Israel in what they do against children in Palestine only in words but they never take actions.
The company that has a contract with the Israeli prison services is being rewarded for what they do in Palestine by having contracts here with the European Commission as well.
We want to ask them to make a clear statement that they do not want to have anything to do with the crime of putting these children away in prison by not giving contracts to G4S.
Have you been protested here before?
Yes. We do protest a lot. We are a part of the BDS Movement which is an international movement that promotes Freedom, Justice and Equality in Palestine. We are out on the streets a lot and it is gaining a lot of strength.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
I think words are not enough. Israel is very powerful and as long as the actions that we all condemn are not punished in some way by sanctions or by losing contracts or by having a bad image nothing will change. So it is these actions that will change that will bring peace to both communities over there.
What would you like to say a MEP?
We were very happy that the European Parliament has decided not to give a contract to G4S and we hope that they will continue to do this in the future. But I think that the whole of the EU, the Members of Parliament are the ones we have elected, so they have the responsibility to defend the rights and human rights but specially children´s rights because they don´t have a voice, especially in Palestine.
26.6.2013
Togo in danger
What are you doing here?
Today, we came here to protest against the situation in Togo.
Togo is a small country in West Africa that has been governed for 50 years by one family.
This family has reigned the country as a dictator with a military regime.
For many times the European Union has been involved in the resolution of the crisis of Togo without success.
And today we are in a cycle of election, re-election, a contestation of this election, violence and negotiations.
This is the cycle we don´t want anymore because every time they tell us to go to the election because the election will be the solution for solving the issue of the country.
But these elections are not transparent and if an election is not transparent you cannot have the true voice of the people being represented at the assembly.
After each election in Togo there is violence, contestation and people complain about the fact that the results that are presented are not true.
Every time that there is an election people complain about it and there are many protests in the country.
They have been repressed by the police and there are people being killed.
And then the international committee comes at Togo and said: “Look guys we have to talk, we have to negotiate.
We negotiate, take resolutions, we make agreements and the government does not apply those agreements.
And then we start with a new election.
What would you like to do change the situation?
We want people to be aware. We want people to know that Togo is not a democratic country.
People have been killed, put in prison for no reason.
We want people to put pressure and break this cycle of unfair elections.
Have you been protested here before?
Yes. We came here last year in October.
What would you like to say to a member of parliament?
We have several things because they are involved in the situation. We asked them to put the pressure on the Togolese government because the European Union is the first institution that gives money to Togo. If you give money to someone and you give that money and tell them you want them to be democratic and they don´t.
Why should they continue to give money?
We ask the European Commission and the European Parliament stop protecting this government, this regime and put pressure so that they come back to the negotiations with the opposition.
So they can talk together and make agreements about how true elections can happen in Togo.
20.6.2013
World refugee day: Stop killing us with austerity measures
We approach Ralph, from Sweden.
What are you doing here?
We are gathering here together, 27 delegations from all over Europe to fight against the poverty.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
We are a rich part of the world and we shouldn´t have poverty around us because Europe is rich but they are spending money on crazy things not on the people.
What do you suggest?
Put the social systems together. Make them equal in all the countries in Europe.
What would you like to say to a Member of a Parliament?
That they take our questions seriously.
What are your questions?Are they taking this matter serious?
They said that they are going to fight povertyuntil 2020. But the last time they said that in 2010 the poverty was actually going up with 75 per cent.
Have you protested here before?
No, I have protested everywhere. But in Brussels it is my first time.
What are you doing after the protest?
I am going back home to Sweden.
We approach to Dina Vardaramatou, from Greece.
What are you doing here?
We are here for the 12th meeting for people experiencing poverty from all over Europe.
We are gathering here to exchange our ideas, our problems and talk about solutions.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
We would like the austerity measures to stop. I am giving some examples we would like a good income for all, we would like the voice of people in poverty to be heard and we would also like to think about the next day. Like my friend here is a refugee and when refugees give their status we should also take care about their rights, the right to work…
Have you been protesting here before?
Yes, it is my second time.
What would you like to say to a Member of a Parliament?
A lot of things. First of all, to make sure that they keep funding projects that benefit people who are in need, to make decisions taking into consideration people who are in need. And last but not least to think about the people who are excluded.
12.6.2013
Free Femen
This morning seven members of FEMEN have protested half-naked at the entrance of the European Parliament.
These women were carrying placards with photographs of their fellow prisoners and messages in favour of the freedom of women. Unfortunately they run away after few minutes and our correspondent Cristina had the time to ask them only one question.
What are you doing here?
We are here to demand the release of four activists arrested in Tunisia. Two French, one German and one Tunisian are being held hostage.
Good luck!
8.6.2013
My Life for Iran
We approach Zahra, 34, from Tehran.
What are you doing here?
I had to flee Iran. Rights are non existent there. I did not want to wear a scarf, but was obliged to, so I decided to leave the Country quickly. Now I live in Germany, I am married to a German man. I brought him along today.
Why in front the European Parliament on a saturday?
We asked permission to the EU Parliament to protest against the radical muslims in Iran, our elections are fake because none of the candidates is good.
The Parliament said we could protest in the weekend, when the building is closed and empty.
They said we would have disturbed their job on the weekdays. Next friday we have elections in Iran, and we will be protesting in front of the Iranian embassy.
Why did you leave Iran and how is the situation there?
My high school friend was a genius in mathematics.
She received a scholarship to go to university in England.
The police took her away and killed her, they were afraid her intelligence could be a threat.
Women have no rights.
If you are pretty they might kidnap and rape you to death, so families try to make their daughters look uglier when they go out on the street.
You walk with a boy, and they could oblige you to show your documents to see if you are married.
You can get 80 lashes in prison for walking with someone who is not your husband.
What would you like to say to a member of the EU Parliament?
We want them to take action against the regime, this protest is going on in the United States, Switzerland and Toronto at the same time.
Do you know that the American Government is supporting the terrorists?
They want the oil so they help them to finance terrorists in other Countries too.
So many terrorists buy homes in Europe, they spend abroad the money they illegally earn in Iran.
We want the EU to stop and sanction this. They are drinking the blood of the Iranian people.
Where are you going now?
We came here with a bus from Colone, in Germany.
We'll go back tonight. Many buses are coming from different parts of Europe. We all fled Iran to live in Europe.
Tonight we will go back altogether, but next week we want to protest again, and especially the EU Parliament told us we can send a small delegation to explain our situation to them next week, I hope it will be useful.
7.6.2013
Solidarity with Turkish people
We approach Bert De Belder, from Belgium a member of the Workers Party of Belgium (PTB).
What are you doing here?
We are here in solidarity with the people in Turkey who are protesting against police repression, against violation of the democratic rights and we feel it as our duty of international solidarity among progressive people, among working people, among young people that we want to express our solidarity here with them.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
We think that we have a responsibility because Belgium is the center of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Turkey is also a member of NATO, so we think that we have a responsibility to be in solidarity with the people in Turkey who belong to the same Military Alliance which is an aggressive imperialist military alliance against the needs and wellbeing of the people all over the world, against peace, against development.
We are in favour of development in peace and progress among the people.
We want to struggle together with the people in Turkey against this kind of Military Alliance and for growth, peace and progress.
Have you protested here before?
Yes, it is my third time here this week.
There are protests here every day by different parts of the Turkish community and Belgians who are in solidarity with them.
If you could ask a question to a member of the European Parliament, what would you like to ask?
I would like to ask how come that in the European Parliament no serious opposition can be organized because if you really represent the people of Europe those people want peace, solidarity and progress.
And we see that the contrary is happening everywhere in the world.
Europe also has a certain responsibility in that.Please speak up in the name of the people of Europe and not in name of the small groups who have the power in the world.
Can you describe the protest in few words?
The protest today is mostly of left organizations, communist parties and other organizations but it is open and invites all people who are in solidarity with the people in Turkey.
For the democratic rights, against police repression.
We approach Kyle, 20, from Belgium.
What are you doing here?
I’m protesting in solidarity with the Turkish people, against their government, against the Turkish repressive state.
I think as young people it is important that we have a good perspective for the future.
Personally I’m here to protest and fight for socialism. Not only in Turkey but also here.
The battle they have in Turkey can engage us to also fight here for our rights.
What would you like to do to change the situation?
I think mass protesting is important. But I also think there is a need for a political agenda for the government of Erdogan.
I think the political program must be anti-capitalist and must have a socialist perspective and not only the Islamic.
The social economic policy of the government must be changed.
What is your message to a MEP?
The EU must stop to press their new liberal reforms through, for example in Greece.
They have to stop with the austerity measures and they need to look at the people.
They have to defend interests of the people and not of the multinationals and banks.
Have you protested here before?
Yes, this is my third protest here in solidarity with Turkish people.
4.6.2013
Against AKP trying to push their will
We approach Kazir, 20, from Belgium.
What are you doing here?
We are protesting against AKP.
We support the protest in Istanbul and in several other cities in Turkey such as Ankara, Izmir, Bodrum.
We are against Prime Minister Erdogan because he does not want to respond to the protests of the population in a normal way. That is why we are here on Place du Luxembourg to support the Turkish population.
What would you like to do to chance the situation?
Prime Minister Erdogan should offer his apologies to the people.
Because he says that 50 percent voted for him, but for the other 50 percent he should also do something.
The population has a lot of different opinions on what Prime Minister Erdogan should do.
Some say he should resign. My opinion is that the only thing he has to do is return from his trip and apologize to the people.
Have you protested here before?
I have never participated in a protest, but I think the situation right now is really bad and we have to react.
We approach Gokçe form Turkey
What are you doing here?
I’m here to protest against what’s been happening in Turkey in the last few days.
That the government is been trying to push their will although people are protesting against them with masses.
And things got out of hand and the government is not even saying any word about how the police is treating people there. Although they were just peacefully protesting. I’m against how they have handled the situation .
I’m against the fact that the prime minister is going for a trip abroad while this is happening in his land.
It is not the right way how the prime minister should react.
What would you like to do to chance the situation?
They should resign and give their excuses to the people about what has been happening in the last days.
They should try to turn away from the way they have been handling as soon as possible.
If you could ask a question to an MEP what would you ask?
What are they waiting for to condemn what has been happening in Turkey.
They should take some action. A lot has been happening in Turkey in the last ten years already but this is really the last obstacle. I think the Turkish people should react to show their support for democracy.
Have you protested here before?
No, this is the first protest in my life!
Messages from MEPS about the protest in Turkey
“The Socialists and Democratics groups of the European Parliament are here to express support to demonstrations and your freedom fighters in all of Turkey, in Ankora, in Istanbul and in all of the cities.
The use of violence by the government is totally unacceptable, we want to send a message from de European Parliament to Turkey to stop all kind of police violence against peaceful demonstrations. Violence must immediately stop.
We must all together fight for freedom of the speech, freedom of expression and human rights all over Turkey.
Our groups, socialists and democratics are by the side of the Turkish people”
“I am from the British Labour party. I am here with you today just to say this simple message that which is happening in Turkey is happening to every single one of us Together, we will challenge the defence of human rights and we will call for the end of this police brutality. Together, we can in some things really improve”
“When I speak for our group or human rights I look today to what is happening in Turkey.
Demonstrations that are not reported in the media, where is the human right of freedom of expresion?
Demonstrations in which sadly there was the dead of a protester for a rubber bullet.
Where is the human right of the right to life. I´m speaking as a socialist in solidarity with the labour movement.
Wheter you agree or disagree, the right of assembling, the right to associate, the right to be in that city in Istanbul and in towns and cities across Turkey is a human right. And any attempt to suppress it is a violation of human rights”
“I am MEP from Cyprus. Coming from Cyprus is very difficult for me to say something about Turkey because it is so easy to be misunderstood. So what I need to say is that we support democracy in Turkey as we support democracy in every part of the world. And we need to see in Turkey is what Atatürk said: freedom in the world, freedom in the country”
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