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Anti-Lockdown Protests All Across EuropeIncreasingly draconian lockdown measures, economic destitution, and sweeping police powers are evaporating public trust and eroding public patience.

November 20, 2020

Anti-Lockdown Protests All Across EuropeIncreasingly draconian lockdown measures, economic destitution, and sweeping police powers are evaporating public trust and eroding public patience.

As the alleged “second wave” of the Coronavirus “pandemic” is reported to be sweeping across Europe in recent weeks, many governments have enthusiastically embraced their totalitarian side and granted themselves sweeping new “emergency powers” alongside new lockdown measures.

The public has been markedly less co-operative this time around. Rebelling against the seemingly arbitrary limitations which are not supported by either science or common sense. Protests have taken place all across the continent.

GERMANY

Thousands of people gathered in Berlin over the last few days, protesting the Merkel government passing a new lockdown law. Police turned water cannons on the crowds, and nearly 200 people were arrested.

The mainstream reported “hundreds” of protesters, but as pictures plainly show it was more like tens of thousands:

 

SPAIN

After the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez declared a sixth-month state of emergency in late October, there were days of protests across the country.

Barcelona, already a hot-bed of anti-government feeling due to the brutal repression of the Catalan Independence referendum, saw violent confrontations between riot police and protestors

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

“I Want My Life Back” – German Anti-Lockdown Protests Worsen

April 27, 2020

“I Want My Life Back” – German Anti-Lockdown Protests Worsen

More than a thousand anti-quarantine protesters turned out for a rally in the German capital, Berlin, on Saturday, resulting in dozens of arrests. This is a continuation from last weekend as social decay worsens.

Saturday’s protest saw mainly leftist activist but also a mix of right-wing folks. Police were armed with riot gear and weapons, posted up around Rosa Luxemburg square. 

Protesters yelled, “I want my life back” and displayed signs that said, “Protect constitutional rights,” “Freedom isn’t everything, but without freedom, everything is nothing,” and “Daddy, what is a kiss?” reported Reuters.

Protesters handed out flyers entitled “Democratic Resistance,” which stated the COVID-19 pandemic is ushering in the surveillance state as the government seizes power by spreading fear. 

Police spokesman Thilo Cablitz said the city approved an event where people were to hand out flyers and follow social distancing rules — but it eventually transformed into a protest that got out of hand.  

“During coronavirus times and according to containment regulations, we are obliged to prevent a gathering,” Cablitz said. 

Some protesters abided by social distancing rules while others blatantly ignored, and were visibly upset, calling for an end of the government lockdown. Here are some of the scenes that unfolded in Berlin on Saturday:

ISCResearch@ISCResearch · 

⚠️💥💥People in #Berlin (pictures) Stuttgart have taken to the streets to protest against a loss of freedoms amid the #coronavirus pandemic. #Germany has enacted a series of restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of #COVID19.#lockdown #Covid_19 #Merkel

View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter

ISCResearch@ISCResearch

🇩🇪 GERMANY – The police in Berlin give a speech against the protest of citizens against the lockdown measures.

People reply: “We are the masses, we are the masses …” #Germany #Berlin #lockdown #Covid_19 #coronavirus

Embedded video

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Boomeranging

June 27, 2018

Boomeranging

Juan de la Corte (1597–1660) Lot And His Daughters Escaping From The Destruction Of Sodom And Gomorrah

There is no migration crisis, said an article in Toronto’s Globe and Mail a few days ago. French President Emmanuel Macron followed up over the weekend with “there is no migrant crisis”. Really? If this is not a crisis, what is? Yes, numbers of refugees landing in Europe are down from 2015. But it’s not a numbers game. It’s about people.

If Angela Merkel’s political career is forced to a close next week because the EU cannot agree on a unified refugee policy, will they call it a crisis then? Oh wait, both Macron and the G&M agree that there is a crisis, just not a migration one. No, “the crisis is political opportunism”.

But can the crisis be placed squarely on Trump and Italy’s Salvini, or is perhaps what led to their popularity partly to blame for that popularity? Salvini didn’t bomb Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, nor did Trump cause the mayhem in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, which is where most migrants come from. That was Bush, Obama, Billary, Blair, Cameron and their ilk. And before them Kissinger etc.

So who are the political opportunists exactly? “We” have exploited all of Africa, the Middle East and South and Central America for so long and so disgustingly thoroughly that it’s today the zenith of misleading arrogance to blame the consequences on Salvini, Trump and other right wingers.

You could see them coming from miles away. You created them. You literally built the space they occupy. What is happening is that the chaos we created in all these places is now boomeranging right back at us, on our own borders. And we’re not getting out of that chaos until we stop creating it in places where we don’t live. Until we allow people a future where they are born.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Europe Moving Into Meltdown?

January 22, 2016

Europe Moving Into Meltdown?

european_union_flag_perspective_anim_500_clr_4611

QUESTION: Marty, now the OECD is predicting a financial crash worse than the 2007-2009 event in Europe because they say there is over €1 trillion in bad loans that cannot be collected. They seem to be also changing their opinion to fit your model. Were they there in Berlin?

ANSWER: We cannot comment on if the OECD is following our model or whom has attended a World Economic Conference. They are the most widely attended and many just want to know where the computer stands.

We see a massive banking crisis. The European banks are in deep trouble. Deutsche Bank posted a shocking €6.7 billion euro loss with its shares falling 10% in a day. HSBC bought Republic National Bank in New York for a bit more than that. Barclay’s is pulling out of all emerging markets and cutting 1,000+ jobs.

The collapse in commodities will reek havoc on all emerging market countries, but there is one economy that nobody pays attention to closely: Germany. Yes, it is the largest economy and main supporter of the euro. They need open borders and the euro to maintain their economy that is EXPORT driven. China is advancing more rapidly than Germany and has focused on trying to develop its internal economy. Spain was the richest nation in Europe with all the gold coming in from America, but they failed to develop their internal economy and collapsed. Germany is declining. It cannot be sustained with open borders or the euro because the rest of Europe is in serious decline. The refugee crisis is a nightmare. Now, Italy is demanding taxpayer money to bailout banks in fear that a bail-in will cause a revolution.

Merkel was against allowing in refugees previously, but then changed her position to combat her poor view after her treatment of Greece. Additionally, she had the brilliant idea of bringing in cheap labor to help Germany.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

“Social Explosion” Begins In Greece As Massive Street Protests Bring Economy To A Fresh Halt

November 12, 2015

“Social Explosion” Begins In Greece As Massive Street Protests Bring Economy To A Fresh Halt

One thing that became abundantly clear after Alexis Tsipras sold out the Greek referendum “no” back in the summer after a weekend of “mental waterboarding” in Brussels was that the public’s perception of the once “revolutionary” leader would never be the same. And make no mistake, that’s exactly what Berlin, Brussels, and the IMF wanted.

By turning the screws on the Greek banking sector and bringing the country to the brink of ruin, the troika indicated its willingness to “punish” recalcitrant politicians who pursue anti-austerity policies. On the one hand, countries have an obligation to pay back what they owe, but on the other, the subversion of the democratic process by using the purse string to effect political change is a rather disconcerting phenomenon and we expect we’ll see it again with regard to the Socialists in Portugal.

After a month of infighting within Syriza Tsipras did manage to consolidate the party and win a snap election but he’s not the man he was – or at least not outwardly. He’s obligated to still to the draconian terms of the bailout and that means he is a shadow of his former self ideologically. As we’ve said before, that doesn’t bode well for societal stability.

On Thursday, we get the first shot across the social upheaval bow as the same voters who once came out in force to champion Tsipras and Syriza are staging massive protests and walkouts. Here’s Bloomberg:

As Greek workers took to the streets in protest on Thursday, Alexis Tsipras was for the first time on the other side of the divide.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

#StopTTIP: Tens of thousands protest trade deal with US in Berlin

October 10, 2015

#StopTTIP: Tens of thousands protest trade deal with US in Berlin

Protesters from a range of political groups have gathered in central Berlin for a protest against TTIP, a trade deal between the US and the European Union, which critics believe would benefit big corporations and hurt average Europeans.

Trade unions, environmental groups, charities and opposition parties are among the organizers of the rally, which was scheduled to go from the main railway station in central Berlin to the national parliament.

Some 24,000 signed up for the demonstration beforehand, but organizers said they hope for at least 50,000 people to show up. Berlin police say they expect up to 100,000 protesters to walk the city streets Saturday.

Thomas Occupy @ThomasOccupy

demo

6:07 AM – 10 Oct 2015

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is meant to improve trade between the US and the EU, bringing billions of dollars in extra profits to businesses.

Critics fear that it would lead to worse safeguards in Europe, bringing down standards for consumer safety, food and health or labor rights down to those in America. European nations have stricter regulations for things like genetically modified foods or workers benefits than the US does. There is also discontent with the secretive nature of the negotiations, which prompts skeptics to assume the worst about the document they would eventually produce.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Sorry Troika, Spain’s Economic Recovery Is “One Big Lie”

August 12, 2015

Sorry Troika, Spain’s Economic Recovery Is “One Big Lie”

During six months of protracted and terribly fraught negotiations between Athens, Berlin, Brussels, and the IMF, the idea that Spain, Italy, and Ireland somehow represented austerity “success stories” was frequently trotted out as the rationale behind demanding that Greece embark on a deeper fiscal retrenchment despite the fact that the country is mired in recession. Here’s the official line from the German Council of Economic Experts:

The economic turnarounds in Ireland, Portugal, Spain and – until the end of last year – also in Greece show that the principle “loans against reforms” can lead to success. For the new program to work, Greece has to show more ownership for deep structural reforms. And it should make use of the technical expertise offered by its European partners.

As we’ve shown, the idea that the periphery has truly implemented anything close to “austerity” is absurd on some measures – like debt-to-GDP for instance.

Equally absurd to the 44.2% of Italian youths who are unemployed and, no doubt, to the nearly 23% of Spain’s population that are jobless, is the idea that the policies imposed by the troika in exchange for aid have done anything at all to engineer what Germany’s economic wisemen are calling “turnarounds.”

Here, courtesy of The New York Times, is what “success” and “recovery” looks like in Spain:

Spain, heralded by many as a success story for austerity policies, is on track for more than 3 percent growth this year and has created more than one million jobs since the beginning of 2014.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

The Number One Lesson From Athens

July 26, 2015

The Number One Lesson From Athens

There’s arguably nothing that’s been more hurtful -in more ways than one- to Greece and its Syriza government over the past six months, than the lack of support from the rest of Europe. And it’s not just the complete lack of support from other governments -that might have been expected-, but more than that the all but complete and deafening silence on the part of individuals and organizations, including political parties.

It’s no hyperbole to state that without their loud and clear support, Syriza never stood a chance in its negotiations with the Troika. And it’s downright bewildering that this continues to get so little attention from the press, from other commentators, and from politicians both inside Greece and outside of it.

This gives the impression that Greece’s problems are some sort of stand-alone issue. And that Athens must fight the entire Troika all on its own, a notion the same Troika has eagerly exploited.

It’s strange enough to see the supposedly well-educated part of the rich northern European population stay completely silent in the face of the full demolition of the Greek state, of its financial system, its healthcare and its economy.

Perhaps we should put that down to the fact that public opinion in for instance Germany is shaped by that country’s version of the National Enquirer, Bild Zeitung. Then again, the well-educated in Berlin allegedly don’t read Bild.

That no massive support movements have risen up in “rich Europe” to provide at least financial and humanitarian aid, let alone political support, can only be seen as a very significant manifestation of what Europe has become.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

How Greece Crisis Could Drag Oil Prices Down

June 30, 2015

How Greece Crisis Could Drag Oil Prices Down

The Greek tragedy is reaching its climax.

The discussions between Greece and its European creditors broke down over the weekend, with the two sides still at an impasse. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras balked at deeper austerity cuts to the Greek economy, cuts that are a prerequisite for further help from Berlin and Brussels.

As a result, Greece is approaching the precipice. With a massive debt payment due on June 30 to the IMF, Greece could default. The extent of the fallout is anybody’s guess, but Greece could see the value of its bonds plummet, putting its banks in crisis, and ultimately the country could be ejected from the Eurozone. The Greek government declared a bank holiday for six days in order to stop the cash exodus from the Greek financial system.

Related: New Safety Feature: A Smart Car Programmed To Let You Die?

The crisis is dragging down global equity and commodity markets. Greece is not a major oil producer or consumer, so it won’t have much sway over oil markets directly. But the spillover could have two immediate effects on oil apart from supply and demand fundamentals.

First, the calamity is spooking investors who fear a broader contagion. While Europe has had several years to insulate itself from Greece’s problems, the mess is still weighing on the bloc’s economic prospects. That will likely pull down oil prices a bit.

Related: U.S. Oil Glut An EIA Invention?

A second effect comes in the form of currency fluctuations. Greece’s calamity, and the rising prospect that it leaves the Eurozone, will damage the value of the euro. As the euro takes a hit, the U.S. dollar looks better by comparison, both as a safe haven and as an investment vehicle. If the dollar appreciates, that will push down oil – since oil is priced in dollars, a stronger dollar makes it more expensive.

 

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Troika Offers Greece Third Bailout Program, Prepares Emergency Plan If No Deal

June 26, 2015

Troika Offers Greece Third Bailout Program, Prepares Emergency Plan If No Deal

On the heels of Thursday’s failed Eurogroup meeting and heading into what is again being presented as an all or nothing, “Lehman weekend” for Greece and its creditors, reports suggest the troika has offered Greece a third bailout program:

  • GREEK CREDITORS OFFER EU15.5B OVER NEXT 5 MONTHS: HANDELSBLATT
  • ECB, IMF, EU OFFER GREECE 3RD AID PROGRAM: HANDELSBLATT
  • GREECE’S CREDITORS PROPOSE EU15.5B TIED TO AID DEAL: OFFICIAL

Here are the details, according to Bloomberg (citing an unnamed EU official):

EU creditor proposal foresees EU8.7b in EFSF funds: official

Creditor proposal foresees EU3.3b in SMP profits: EU official

Creditor proposal foresees EU3.5b in IMF funds: EU official

If true, this would mark a dramatic about-face for the IMF which had suggested it would not be interested in participating in a third Greek program. Similary, lawmakers in Berlin have voiced their opposition to a third bailout program for Athens as the German public has grown tired of throwing money at the Greek ‘problem.’

European finance ministers will meet again on Saturday. Angela Merkel, who met with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras and French President Francois Hollande on Friday, has indicated that a deal must be struck before the market opens on Monday. Here’s a bit of color from Reuters:

The leaders of Germany and France discussed extending Greece’s bailout programme and providing financing with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday on the eve of a decisive meeting of euro zone finance ministers, a French source said.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

 

 

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