The complete ban on any form of Blockupy protest, the proposed clearing of the peaceful Occupy camp, the Frankfurt council’s stonewalling manner, and now the setting up of an exclusion zone (see picture) for named individuals across inner Frankfurt has forced party members and activists to speak of the need to defend the “basic right to demonstrate”.

To this end a protest has been called against the total ban on all demonstrations between 16-19 May, to take place today 14 May at 17:00 in Willy-Brandt Platz (home of the ECB).

UPDATE 13:00 Frankfurt time

– Seemingly intent on doing Blockupy’s work for them, Frankfurt’s transport authorities have stated they will be shutting down public transport and/or stations in and around Frankfurt’s financial district during the Blockupy protests.

– Nadia Sergan, former chair of the Frankfurt University student movement, has accused the Frankfurt authorities of being fantasists with a ridiculous assessment of the likelihood of violence during the Blockupy days; fantasists assisted in their hyperbole by an overly willing media.

– 15 business owners have written to the mayor claiming they fear the ‘expected’ violence and calling for greater security.

– an online poll indicates 76% support for the right of Blockupy protests to take place, irrespective of any violence that occurred at a protest on March 31st, this year in Frankfurt.

– a resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of the total ban on protest in Frankfurt has already received over 4,500 signature. The resolution can be found here: http://notroika.linksnavigator.de/petition/protest-gegen-das-verbot-von-blockupy-frankfurt

And reads:

On the 4th May the Frankfurt public order authorities declared by press release that the planned Blockupy protests on 16-19 May are banned. Of 15 types of action which were specified, only organisers of one action have received proper notice, and only then very delayed.

The aim is to protest against a political crisis that engages deeply into the lives of millions of people in Europe and that can be prevented completely. The Alliance is planning protests during the action days against the austerity policies of European governments and the Troika of the ECB, European Commission and IMF, by means of inter alia demonstrations, rallies, vigils and demonstrative conventions (assemblies), all legally registered.
This ban is a blatant violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to demonstrate. We maintain that the protest against the political crisis in the financial district of Frankfurt and the headquarters of the ECB are permitted to take place, as the case-law of the Federal Constitutional Court upholds.

All democrats should be horrified by this illegal and undemocratic procedure to the extreme and we call for an immediate withdrawal of this total ban. What is possible in the Tahrir Square in Cairo, at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid or in Zucotti Park in New York was, must be possible also in Frankfurt am Main!