“Day of People’s Wrath” in St. Petersburg
October 25 about 200 people gathered in front of the Finnish Station in St. Petersburg to protest against the neoliberal policies and “reforms” of the government. Mostly communist groups, but also liberals and housing activists called for the right to strike and living pensions, but above all for housing rights and the protection of small individual investors and against the destruction of the historical centre and green spots, against in-fill-construction and corrupt practices of the government and the police.
Under the uplifted arm of Lenin in front of the Finnish Station, where he once arrived from his exile, today about 200 people met for the “Day of People’s Wrath” to rise their voice for a life in dignity: For a pension that reaches the margin of subsistence and the right to strike. But above all against a new wave of neoliberal “reforms” - the privatisation of housing and the simultaneous privatisation of renovation-costs. Of the same housing stock, that was neglected for many years and whose renovation-costs now exceed the budgets of many people, above all of the old and poor. So today under Lenin’s grand gesture alternatives were proposed: What about the collective self-management of houses and public help for their renovation?
Above all pensioners and young people followed the call of the “Union of Coordinating Soviets” and, bathing in a sea of red flags, expressed their discontent with the neoliberal reforms of the government. Above all small communist groups showed up: Several marxist(-leninist) groups, but also the official Communist Party of Russia, the liberal party “jabloko” and a multitude of civil initiatives demonstrated against the neoliberal housing and construction policy of the local government. Some spoke out on the behalf of labor or pensioners’ rights, but most of the speakers concentrated on very local issues: The destruction of the historical centre of St. Petersburg (being classified as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO) by “developers” and “investors”, realising projects, that more often than not violate the norms of construction law (mostly regarding the height of new buildings). They spoke of in-fill-constructions, which are often built on inappropriate ground, violating sanitary norms or rising security issues, but also damaging the surrounding houses in the process. Voices spoke of the lack of housing and construction of office buildings and luxury apartment and their fear, the crises will stop even the weak housing programs set up by the government. More ecological issues were raised as well: The deletion of 1521 green spots - parks, children’s’ play grounds, gardens - out of the list of protected zones earlier this year.
Not only here in St. Petersburg, but all over Russia, from the Gulf of Finland to the Pacific, labor unions, antifascist groupings, student activists, human right groups, housing activists and initiatives against in-fill-construction, left wingers and organisations of handicapped and pensioners followed the call of the Siberian Social Forum, taking place the 8th to 10th of August, to organise this year’s “Day of people’s wrath”. The meetings stand against the background of a developing crises and first dismissals; the sinking oil-price threatens to even aggravate the situation. At the same time oppression against resistance is growing; so this rally, originally planed as a moving demonstration, was twice turned down by the local authorities and the police. The same police and authorities that the organisers of today’s event accuse of corruption and of protection of vested interests.
Vesna Tomse, St. Petersburg 25.10.2008
Posted on October 25th, 2008 under movements, Russia • 
Print This Post
• RSS 2.0 feed • You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed