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Occupy campaign goes on in Berlin, Frankfurt

Xinhua, November 13, 2011

• Thousands of Occupy demonstrators gathered in Berlin and Frankfurt on Saturday, with speeches and various groups criticizing uncontrolled bank's power and greedy financial predators.

  In capital Berlin, thousands of protesters formed a human chain-- named "encirclement" by organizers-- in the Chancellery and Federal Parliament zone, located in the very city centre and not far from the central railway station. They blew whistles and beating drums, holding up slogans like "The World is not Product" and "Occupy Your Soul."

  In Germany's southern major city of Frankfurt, well known as the financial hub of eurozone, many protesters have been camping before the European Central Bank for weeks.

  Organizers said some 9,000 demonstrators took to the streets in the city center, asking for jobs and a deeper reform of current "broken and unjust" financial system.

  Saturday's movement was led by the anti-globalization organization Attac, and supported labor unions and non-governmental organizations.

  Angered by long lasting eurozone crisis, protestors are demanding immediate banning of all speculators and speculative instruments, introduction of a financial transactions tax and divisions of financial institutions that are considered too big to fail.

  They also said "no" to austerity measures, adding that "public services and investment must be restored, not reduced." Meanwhile, any fiscal measures should be aimed at redistributing wealth and generating public revenues.

  For banks that can't survive the crisis, organizers said those banks should be taken over by public authorities and put under democratic control in order to "serve the needs of the people and not the profits of private shareholders."

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