CALL OF SOLIDARITY WITH BLOCKUPY FRANKFURT

Frankfurt’s local government has recently declared that the Blockupy campaign is a threat to public safety, to the interests of local businesses, and that it will interfere with the basic rights of the bank employees.

Considering that the so-called ‘debt crisis’ was caused by the financial industry’s violation of democratic and moral principles to fulfill its particular interests, it seems especially cynical to justify the outlawing of a general-purpose protest in terms of protecting the public good.

Instead of addressing the real causes of the fiscal crisis, which are connected to the processes of capitalistic economy, several states – Greece and Spain for example – are now being used as scapegoats in an attempt to discourage a closer examination of systemic deficiencies.

The measures taken by Frankfurt’s local government effectively criminalise peaceful participation in this protest, a demonstration against these policies within the EU. Therefore, we also demand an acknowledgment of the “Brokdorf”-resolution of the Federal Constitutional Court, which declares that the constitutionally guaranteed right to demonstrate peacefully must be protected even if riots by a minority group or single persons are expected. (See: BVerfGE 69, 315 – Brokdorf, Beschluss des Ersten Senats vom 14. Mai 1985, Az. 1 BvR 233, 341/81).

Since the Blockupy days of action have been announced as a peaceful protest, we demand respect for our freedom of assembly and expression, which is also protected by German Basic Law, article 8, and the European Convention on Human Rights, article 10 and 11.

We denounce the suppression of speech in public places.

We denounce all attempts to prevent peaceful gatherings.

We denounce all attacks on our hard-earned rights.

We denounce repression and the arbitrary use of force and legislation in all their forms.

More than 3,300 people have already expressed their solidarity with the participants in Blockupy Frankfurt by signing a petition against the ban of the Blockupy Frankfurt action days. No governmental measure will stop us from taking to the streets to claim our basic right of dissent.

Petition: http://gourl.gr/uo4

www.blockupy-frankfurt.org