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A statement from Greece

category greece / turkey / cyprus | repression / prisoners | press release author Sunday December 14, 2008 18:53author by Anarchists/Anti-authoritariansauthor email ngnm55 at gmail dot com Report this post to the editors

On the current situation

Statement by Greek anarchists/anti-authoritarians.

The following statement was issued by a group of Greek anarchists and anti-authoritarians in the southern suburbs of Athens. This is in the area (Ag. Dimitrios) where there has been a takeover of the local City Hall. The takeover, now in its second day, has received significant local support. Last night, a popular assembly was attended by over 300 people. The takeover has also been supported by a statement from the Association of Employees of the City Hall of Ag. Dimitrios and many of these employees are helping to guard the building from a police attack. ---- The translation of the statement was done very quickly and I take responsibility for any mistakes. I have added some notes to explain some references. I am attaching the translation as a Word file and also attaching the original statement (as a pdf, in Greek), which was distributed to the neighborhood.

THE STATE MURDERS

The evening of Saturday December 6, 2008, a murderer pulled out his gun and executed in cold blood a citizen, Alexandros. What is most tragic about this murder is that the murderer, police office by profession, killed a 16-year-old kid.

The incident occurred at Exarhia, at the intersection of Tzavella and Mesologgi Streets. At a place where any one of us could have been. At a place that could have been at any neighborhood. The eyewitnesses of the incident state that the murder was precedent by a simple verbal incident. But the Macho Greek Murderer could not stand the insult and pulled the gun. And he executed. In cold blood.

This murder is neither an accident nor an isolated incident. It is one more link in a endless series of murderous attacks of the various departments of the police. Let us not forget the murder of the Pakistani immigrant at Petrou Ralli Street(1), while he was waiting in line to apply for asylum (in a line that the state itself had told him to wait). Let us not forget that recently a woman was murdered in Leukimmi(2), from actions of the MAT(3) against the XYTA(4) establishment in their area. The list, unfortunately, is endless. Let us not forget the torture by police officers in police stations and prisons. Let us not forget the in effect murderous behavior of the instruments of order, with infinite chemicals [tear gas, etc.], flash and stun grenades, shootings, beatings, in every instance when people get out in the streets, during strikes, during student and local actions (it has not been very long since the police drowned the entire area around the KYT(5) of Argiroupoli and beat up mercilessly neighbors of ours). This is their function. Let us not delude ourselves. To beat up and murder so that their message gets through "we and the bosses are the the law, whoever resist will be beat up mercilessly, and then some."

And who are their bosses? Is it maybe the stockholders of the banks? Is it maybe the stockholders of the chain stores? Is it the president of EBEA(6)? Is it maybe all those who demand more work from us, for less money and less security? Is it maybe all those who get rich charging interest while thousands despair? Is it maybe those who profiteer, both against us and the producers, with the prices they set in the supermarkets for basic goods? Is it maybe those who during the periods of fat cows make huge profits and when things get rough they lay off workers and cut wages? Well then, it is logical for the popular rage to be directed at them. They talk of material damages while there is one more death. If private property is the only thing that interests them, then those who rebel are justified. We must comprehend than when the horror doesn't wake up consciences, then unfortunately the smell of the burnt is necessary.

In the midst of all this and the developing uprising, is it possible to not take a stand? Can we stand with those who always ask for "order and calm"? Who even during the [Nazi] occupation and the junta the only thing they wanted to do was to "mind their own business and live their lives"? Who always see "provocation" and "known unknowns"(7)? Who see conspiracies behind every social movement they don't control, accustomed to being "leaders" behind closed doors? Let us not be deceived that every time the events concern the "strikers", the "students", the "youth". These days it is the people who are in the streets, without "central administrations", "instructors" or "enlightened vanguards". The means used are decided freely by each participant in the insurrection. This concerns us as much as the residents of Exarhia, who faced with the so called "cat and mouse vendetta between anarchists and police", took a stand. Over the weekend they were throwing flower pots from their balconies and demanded the removal of the MAT squads and the cessation of the use of chemicals [i.e. tear-gas]. They took a stand, they didn't look the other way. They took a stand against state repression. All of us therefore must take a stand. We must counterpose in action our refusal to the imposition of the regime of terror and the police state.

NO STATE MURDER LEFT UNANSWERED
FREEDOM TO ALL THOSE ARRESTED
SILENCE IS COMPLICITY

Initiative of anarchists and anti-authoritarians from the southern suburbs


Notes:
1. At an Immigration Office. Police attacked immigrants standing in line under the pretext of "maintaining order." A 24-year old Pakistani was fatally injured. At least 14 others were injured.
2. During a demonstration against the local landfill police clubbed a16-year old who was driving his motorcycle. He crashed into a 43-year old pregnant woman who died days later of head injuries.
3. Μονάδες Αποκαταστασης Ταξης , literally Units for the Restoration of Order. They are the Greek Police's riot units
4. Χώροι Υγειονομικής Ταφής, literally Places for Sanitary Burial, aka the landfill.
5. Κέντρο Υπερυψηλής Τάσης, Super High Voltage Station
6. Εμπορικό και Βιομηχανικό Επιμελητήριο Αθηνών, Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry
7. "γνωστοί άγνωστοι" Media, state and police reference to anarchists and other militant protesters. Implying that they are known to the police but are not arrested for unknown reasons. Similar to the phrase "usual suspects" but it refers specifically, and conspiratorially, to anarchists.

Sat, 13 Dec 2008

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