INVITATION TO THE OPEN POPULAR ASSEMBLY
OF THE LIBERATED CITY HALL OF AGHIOS DIMITRIOS
On December 6th, 2008, the special guardi Epaminondas Korkoneas pulled out his gun and murdered a citizen, a 16-year old kid. The rage that everyone feels is huge, despite all the attempts by the government and the mass media to disorient public opinion.
It is now certain that this insurrection is not only homage to the unjust loss of Alexandros Grigoropoulos. There has been a lot of talk since then about violence, thefts and pillages. For those in the media and power, violence is only what destroys the proper order.
For us however:
Violence is to work 40 years for crumbs and to wonder if you will ever retire.
Violence is the bonds, the stolen pensions, the securities fraud.
Violence is to be forced to take a housing loan that you will pay back through the nose.
Violence is the managerial right of the employer to fire you at will.
Violence is unemployment, temporary employment, 700 euros a monthii.
Violence is the "industrial accidents" because the bosses cut costs at the expense of worker safety.
Violence is to take psycho-medications and vitamins to withstand the exhaustive work schedule.
Violence is to be an immigrant, to live with the fear that you can be thrown out of the country at any time and to be in a state of constant insecurity.
Violence is to be simultaneously a wage worker, a housewife, and a mother.
Violence is to be worked to death and then to be told "smile, we are not asking that much of you."
The insurrection of high-school and university students, of temporary workers and immigrants broke this violence of normality. This insurrection must not stop! Syndicalists, political parties, priests, journalists and businesspeople do whatever they can to maintain the violence we described above.
It is not just them, but we too are responsible for the perpetuation of this situation. The insurrection opened a space where we can finally express ourselves freely. As a continuation of this opening we went forward with the occupation of the City Hall of Ag. Dimitrios and the formation of a popular assembly open to all.
An open space for communication, to break our silence, to undertake action for our life.
Saturday December 13 2008, 7:00pm, open popular assembly at the Ag. Dimitrios city hall.
NO PROSECUTION – IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL THOSE ARRESTED
OCCUPATION OF AG. DIMITRIOS CITY HALL
iΕιδικοί Φρουροί , Special Guards, an elite force within the police department.
iiAverage salary in Greece, approx. US$930.00, not nearly enough to survive on.
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
[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 a 16-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.
