Workers were set to march against racism in the Greek cities of Athens, Thessalonika and Chania this Saturday. The protests have a lot of support, from virtually all the trade unions as well as local councils and the left.
There has been outcry over attacks on migrants trying to get into Greece.
Police coastguards opened fire on one small boat earlier this month.And before that 12 people drowned when their boat sank, apparently after police tried to tow it to Turkey. Some 2,000 people came to meet the survivors at the port of Piraeus.
There is progress against the fascist Golden Dawn party. Judges investigating its criminal activities have asked parliament to lift the immunity of all its MPs so they can be jailed.
But the government is stepping up its racist campaign against immigrants. It has reversed laws that allowed immigrants to vote and their children to apply for Greek citizenship.
This is despite the fact that more migrants left Greece than entered it last year. Unemployment is still rising and migrants are the most vulnerable.
The latest report shows that one million people have been laid off since the first bailout in 2010—in a country of 11 million.
The recession continues, and the government is in negotiations for another bailout. It only hopes it can put this off until after May’s European elections.
In the meantime the government is trying to push through mass public sector sackings—but workers are fighting back.
They have struck against the plans, which have so far targeted cleaners and school staff and are set to be rolled out more widely.
Public sector workers held a general strike on Wednesday of last week, with a good turnout in Athens.
They were set to strike again on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Plus: The Israelis murder Refaat Alareer
Powerful protests keep up the pressure
Stories of four released Palestinians
Wilders gained from the nomalisation of racism
