Blockupy protest at new ECB headquarters sends clear anti-austerity message

Seven GUE/NGL MEPs have taken part in today's Blockupy protests to mark the opening of the ECB's new 1.3 billion-euro headquarters in Frankfurt.

Activists from all across Europe joined together to send a strong anti-austerity message to the financial elites attending the ECB's heavily-guarded inauguration ceremony.

Italian MEP Eleonora Forenza said: “The cost of the ECB skyscraper is equal to the total amount for the EU's youth guarantee spending for Spain. Thousands of European citizens answered the call from the social movement Blockupy to turn the ECB's party into a huge call for democracy: today we made our voices heard against European austerity policy.”

“More than ever, we must put an end to austerity policies, not only for the sake of the Greek people, but for Europe as a whole. As part of the Troïka, the ECB is actively working to prolong the European crisis, blackmailing democratically elected governments with toxic austerity policies.”

The other GUE/NGL MEPs taking part in the demonstration are Paloma Lopez, Lidia Senra, Miguel Urban, Josu Juaristi, Sabine Lösing, Malin Björk, and Luke 'Ming' Flanagan.

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group