Unreported Europe.

Something strange is happening to Europe. During the 19th century Africa was known as the "Dark Continent" because it was largely unexplored and unknown. No one knew what went on there because it was hidden from view. Now, at the beggining of the 21st century and in an age of global commiunications, the same thing is happening in Europe. For the last two weeks Spain has been convulsed by some of the bloodiest riots the continent has ever experienced and yet news coverage has been almost non-existant. The BBC seems to have been in a self-imposed purdah on the subject but have gone into overdrive to report a lone killer in Colorado and are positively orgasmic over the Olympics. There have been dozens of riots across Europe during the last two years yet, if you listened only to the BBC, you would get the impression that the continent, with the possible exception of Greece, is entirely at peace. It is not and resentment and resistence to an elitist programme of austerity continues to build. In Germany demonstrators were escorted by a police force who spontaneously took off their riot helmets in a display of solidarity with the protestors while the French have uncerimoniously ditched those who sought to punish them for the crimes of others. In Britain the Tories have undertaken a programme of austerity, if only for the poor, without a majority or a mandate by deliberately fixing the rules to delay a democratic election until 2015. But the truth is that Neoliberalism is clinging onto power by its fingertips across the globe and a real revolution is sweeping the world whether the BBC reports it or not.