BY JAMES VASSILOPOULOS

Up to 100,000 people protested over four days against the European Union summit at the resort of Porto Carras, near Thessaloniki. The protesters were saying “no” to neoliberalism, war, racism and Fortress Europe.

Ten-thousand people attended the June 19 anti-racism march that kicked off the anti-EU demonstrations.

The next day, 10,000 attended civil disobedience protests in the village of Marmaras, five kilometres from the resort. Here protestors attempted to invade the “Red Zone”, which protesters were forbidden to enter, but were repelled by up to 11,000 police and soldiers.

Up to 80,000 people joined the international day of action at Thessaloniki on June 21. They marched peacefully carrying banners, emblazoned with “down with the imperialist world order”. On the same day, some anarchists attacked banks, burnt MacDonalds and trashed some cars.

The protests were organised by a number of groups and coalitions including the Greek Social Forum; Action: Thessaloniki 2003 (led by the Greek Communist Party); Struggle Initiative; Resistance: Thessaloniki 2003; and the Anti-Authoritarian Movement — Salonika 2003. A counter-summit and a number of concerts were also held.

The summit decided on a draft European constitution and closer cooperation to keep immigrants out of Europe, and called on Iran and North Korea to dismantle their alleged nuclear weapons programs.

From Green Left Weekly, July 2, 2003.
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