| Late night on Thursday, 8 October, hundreds of police descended on Exarchia, the anarchist and counterculture neighborhood of Athens, Greece, which has long been a semi-autonomous zone, and was ground zero for the insurrection that flared up in December when police killed 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos here. Police searched and questioned over 200 people, searched 16 automobiles, several motorbikes, and 26 cafes (there are many anarchist bars and cafes in the neighborhood), took 81 people to the police station, and arrested 8. Most of the arrests were for crimes of poverty and race (drug possession, hygiene violations i.e. homelessness, not having immigration documents...).
The next day, the raids and police presence continued, marking a clear change in strategy by the newly elected Socialist government. According to many anarchists here, if the Right represses the anarchists, even parts of the Left complain, and people fear a return to the dictatorship and support the anarchists. But the Left can repress the anarchists much more effectively because they can do it more silently. |
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Today, 9 October, the new Minister of Public Order, who some years ago was responsible for torturing suspects in order to bust and imprison several members of 17 November, says on television that the purpose of the raids is not to go after the anarchists but to arrest the vandals and hooligans and establish police authority in Exarchia. Some are seeing parallels with 1989, when police occupied Exarchia for three years after major riots, specifically harassing young people who looked different to try and end the function of the neighborhood as a gathering point for countercultural, radical, and proletarian elements.
Alright kiddos ... The next
Alright kiddos ...
The next communique coming out of Greece better be about how a massive riot exacted retribution against the leftists' pigs.
I know...'cause if
I know...'cause if not...we're gonna be highly disappointed
Hopefully this blatant
Hopefully this blatant expression of state repression and brutality will show the greek populace that the "socialists" they elected into power are mere capitalists and fascists with a shinier name. And maybe this will lead to mass proletarian organization and rebellion? Just a thought. Good luck over there comrades, the whole world (at least the anarchist world) is watching!
brookes, you hate riot porn,
brookes, you hate riot porn, or at least thats what I thought from some of your comments on youtube.
I really hope this leads to a month of nonstop riot porn for us the US to gawk at for a bit.
There is a difference
There is a difference between a riot and a rebellion, comrade. And how exactly did you know who I am on youtube? My name isn't brooks on youtube???
Yeah, this should connect
Yeah, this should connect the dots at least as an isolated case of social democratic barbarism if not how socialism is just another society to resist.
Solidarity means
Solidarity means ____________!
* Greek Embassy in Washington, DC, United States
* Greek Consulate in San Francisco, United States
* Greek Consulate in Boston, United States
* Greek Consulate in Los Angeles, United States
* Greek Consulate in New York, United States
* Greek Consulate in Chicago, United States
* Greek Consulate in Tampa, United States
* Greek Consulate in Atlanta, United States
* Greek Consulate in Houston, United States
http://www.greekembassy.org/
On Saturday there was an
On Saturday there was an almost spontaneous protest by about 400 people that marched from Exarchia square and attempted to go to the PASOK office (Socialist Party) but were stopped by riot police, who evidently did not want to provoke a mass incident. That night, a massive nonpermitted music festival took over a park at the top of Exarchia, drawing thousands of people for radical and anarchist music and visuals. At the end, around 7 in the morning, a large police detachment made a show of force but people ignored them and the police left. Sunday, raids and searches continued in Exarchia.
A fact that is relevant to other comments: PASOK won the elections by a huge marging but abstention was 35%, several percent higher than the previous election, which is significant because this election was intended to be an exciting, popular, Obama-style housecleaning.
good to read of a response
good to read of a response
maybe instead black clothing
maybe instead black clothing and hoods, suits and ties for.......