Join international youth walkout 20 November
by Sofia Pandolfi, South London Socialist Students organiser
On 25 September, German students will again be walking out of lessons against military conscription and rearmament. This is following ongoing youth strikes which have already mobilised 55,000 students in recent months, taking to the streets across the country. In response to government changes to military service policy aimed at assisting Germany’s militarisation plans, young people are showing they are not willing to fight for a government and establishment that attacks their rights, education, and futures.
Our own government is no better. While military spending continues to increase, more policies of austerity are being implemented as the government cuts down on the services young and working-class people depend on. 35 universities across the UK have become part of the UK government’s Defence Universities Alliance initiative to support future ‘defence capability’. Meanwhile, our higher education is plunging deeper into a funding crisis. As militarism becomes more entrenched in our universities, we have to build a socialist fightback on our campuses.
From meeting and discussing with students at various university freshers, we are seeing young people frustrated by a government and a system that offers us only wars and exploitation. Students have expressed worry over the uncertainty of our futures, the lack of opportunities that exist for us, and the international chaos we are living through. Hundreds of students so far have already signed up to find out more about joining Socialist Students because they recognise the need to get organised against a system that sacrifices our futures for the profits of the capitalist bosses.
Socialist Students is organising a solidarity demonstration with German youth strikers on 25 September, building international action amongst young people. Join our solidarity rally to show we are standing up against militarisation, war, and austerity. Build the international youth fightback for our futures, not their wars!