Greece: First day of nationwide protest mobilization – In order to liberate ourselves from debt, we must destroy the existent

23.58 In Athens, the squatters of the Law School defy factually any concept of institutional grant of university asylum, and call out for the expansion of similar resistance centres across Greece. Although we experienced a brutal siege and eviction only one year ago, with the 300 immigrants–workers case, in these hours the same building is still maintained and defended publicly. Comrades of the free radio 98 FM transmit radio waves of subversion from inside the occupied Law School, thus spreading agitation. The coming days will be long days, full of hope and despair at the same time. Today, not so many people took to the streets of the crappy metropolis. Tomorrow, and the days after that, we’ll either get more determined or be ‘waiting for Godot’ —not only here, not only now, but across the world.

International solidarity will once again prove to be the key for the continuation of our struggle.

20.45 Crete: An evening demo with many participants (an estimated 15,000!) was held in Heraklion. Clashes erupted while protesters were marching to Eleftherias square. The demo is now finished.

The bosses of corporate media have ordered their lackeys to circulate that the new ‘bailout’ is due to be voted on Monday (rather than Sunday), also spreading news about resignations of government members. Whatever their ‘truth’ may be, the people’s mobilizations will go on.

20.00 Comrades in the occupied Law School have received information from lawyers regarding arrestees in Athens so far: 7 people were arrested today (apart from tens of others detainees who got released afterwards) and there is also one arrestee from yesterday’s protest —two of these arrestees are juveniles, several of them have been fiercely beaten by police (having broken ribs, etc.), with a 15-year-old being the youngest arrestee. They will probably be charged with felonies and the ‘hoodie-law’ (kukulonomos). They are due to appear before public prosecutor tomorrow, February 11th, at Evelpidon courts (in the 16th building).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPfNxgxuhRM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzTnRF8vgc8

15.05 It has been confirmed that at least one protester has been badly injured by cops earlier at Syntagma.

‘Anyone who has stood before the walls of any prison and was not ashamed of human history’s degradation, must either be a warden or blind’

Meanwhile, protest mobilizations in men and women’s prisons are spreading across Greece. A ‘justice’ draft bill, providing among others for the so-called decongestion of Greek prisons, was recently rejected in parliament. It was expected to have a positive function for at least 1,500 men and women prisoners, and could have led to the release of many. Inmates’ collective protests over legislative and living conditions are currently underway. The prisons involved in the nationwide mobilization until now are Grevena, Trikala, Larissa, Koridallos, Nea Alikarnassos–Crete, Corfu, Malandrino, Patras, Domokos, Nafplion, Thebes (female prisons), Special Youth Detention Centre in Avlona (juvenile prisons), Chios, Nigrita–Serres, Komotini. Inside these overcrowded hellholes of democracy, the protesting prisoners are conducting either abstention from prison food or midday seditions, refusing to enter the prison cells after yard time, while in many incarceration facilities strikes from prison labour will follow (already in Alikarnassos and Patras the working prisoners have gone on strike). All protesting inmates are knowingly risking either of losing justified conditional release, or leave from prison, and are constantly threatened with disciplinary punishments and tortures (beyond the already dramatic lack of food, heating, etc.)

whoever forgets the hostages of the social struggle
forgets the struggle itself

15.00 Demonstrations and protests were held in other parts of Greece, such as Thessaloniki, Kozani, Volos, Trikala and Skopelos Island. The prefecture of the city of Larisa has been occupied, as was the prefecture in the city of Corfu. On Crete Island, protesters have occupied the periphery building of Chania, calling the people of the city to join them at the strike demonstration. People have occupied the town hall of Rethymno, too. In Heraklion, Crete, about 50 anarchists blockaded the supermarket ‘Ariadni’ in solidarity with the struggle of the warehouse workers of the same enterprise, who went on strike since 15 days. The same protesters also blockaded a branch of Alpha Bank, shareholder of which is Manesis —the big industrialist, also owner of the ‘Greek Steelworks’ in Aspropyrgos, where the steelworkers are still fighting, completing their 101st day of strike.

14.45 Athens Law School is kept occupied. An open assembly will be held at 18.30.

14.30 Clashes in front of Propylaea. The cops managed to clear off the streets and disperse the crowd that fled running towards Omonia Square.

14.14 A demonstrator block remains at Propylaea, in Panepistimiou Street. The Law School is surrounded by police forces.

14.11 According to an eyewitness, 4 or 5 demonstrators have been detained in Karageorgi Servias Street.

13.52 After a massive police attack, the bigger part of the demonstrator blocks have been pushed back towards Panepistimiou Street. Syntagma square has been seized by cops. A small protester block remains in front of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. People are fighting back, hurdling stones, in Ermou Street.

13.42 Clashes continue on the lower part of Syntagma. Police squads raided the square and pushed demonstrators on the upper part, chasing people on the side of the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Vasileos Georgiou Street.

13.31 As a comrade reported live on Athens free radio station 98 FM, an attack was carried out on a bank in Mitropoleos Street. Coordinated counterattack of insurgent demonstrators followed, with stones and many Molotovs against pigs in uniform, on Filellinon Street. Cops responded with tear gases.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdRYbMThmN0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzTmoKkiehE

13.26 Corfu Island: After the end of the demo, around 200 protesters occupied the premises of the Prefecture of the Ionian Islands, demanding that the new austerity measures will not pass.

13.25 A group of fascists attacked immigrant street vendors from Pakistan at Syntagma square. Antifascist demonstrators chased the Nazi scum along Mitropoleos Street. Small-scale clashes erupted at the junction of Filellinon and Othonos streets when a group of demonstrators threw at least one Molotov at police squads.

12.50 Nearly 4,000 demonstrators at Syntagma square so far, a turnout quite disappointing given the circumstances. Police squads have cordoned off the patio in front of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.

12.47 Mytilini, Lesbos Island: The demo has ended. About 200 demonstrators marched in the streets of the city, while the Stalinists of PAME have occupied the town hall. There is a demonstration call for tomorrow at 11.00 and for Sunday at 16.00.

12.28 The people’s assembly of Holargos–Papagou, northern suburbs of Athens, has occupied the city hall of Holargos in order to propagate the actions and upcoming demonstrations. Here’s their communiqué:

Get the fuck out!

No more lies, brothers and sisters… We struggled strongly many times, we clashed even with our own self, but the plague of the misanthropes has proved to be more decisive… Our life has been deteriorated, our dreams have been wiped out, our soul has been torn from us… And what have we done? Must we stay decent, skeptical and meek? This is our rendezvous with our responsibility; with history, for the generations yet to come. The time is now to send them to hell! Let the torrent overflow and drown them!

‘And the river’s waters are not to blame for they are rapid, brothers and sisters… The banks are those that are limiting them!’

EVERYONE AT SYNTAGMA SQUARE ON THE DAY OF ANOTHER MEMORANDUM VOTING! EVERYONE AT THE GATHERINGS, STRIKES, OCCUPATIONS! READY AND DETERMINED.
Open popular assembly of Holargos–Papagou

12.07 Veria, northern Greece: Comrades, solidaritarians and citizens of Veria have occupied the local ‘peripheral unity’ (governance section) in Imathia region, launching the following communiqué:

Since 11.00 of February 10th, we have occupied Imathia peripheral unity building, in the context of the generalized struggle against misery, that is being imposed by the bankers’ junta in collaboration with the local political and economic elite.

We do not claim a comeback to the previous state which only led to the current situation. We strive for the complete overthrow of the political and economic system that is supported by individualization, consuming, resignation from collective living and our entrapment in a referendum-like oligarchy of an alleged democracy.

We struggle for a society of solidarity, equality and freedom.

Through self-organization we create institutions of direct democracy, for the fulfillment of daily needs and wills of every citizen.

Solidarity – Dignity – Self-organization
The assembly of the occupied peripheral unity of Imathia

11.24 Nearly 100 people inside the occupied Law School. There are available first-aid supplies, but more medicines (antacid, antiseptics, gauzes, etc.) are needed, as well as anti-gas masks. A Legal Aid phone number has circulated from the occupied Law School: +30 6944521071.

11.22 A big group of plain-clothes cops near Aghios Dionisios Church on Skoufa Street, in Kolonaki. A comrade reports 4 ‘preventive’ detentions.

11.17 Heavy police forces around the occupied Law School. Mainly, plainclothes are scattered; two police buses in Kolokotroni Street and two more police buses three alleys away.

11.07 GMT+2 Cops are detaining people at the junction of Akadimias and Solonos streets, as comrades standing nearby report from the occupied Law School. It seems, though, there is easy access from Panepistimiou Street to Propylaea, one of today’s pre-gathering points.

In the context of social protests against the new and most harsh austerity measures promoted by the government fuckers that promote their version of ‘national unity’ at the service of the Troika (EU/ECB/IMF), several demonstrations have been announced for February 10–11–12th, while the two sold-out trade unions of the private and public sector (GSEE and ADEDY, respectively) have called for a nationwide 48-hour general strike as of today. The new Troika agreement called ‘salvation/bailout package’ is expected to be voted in the Greek parliament on Sunday, February 12th.

Even at the last moment, various collectivities, organizations, syndicates and social movements are urging people to take to the streets, to block the vote on the new financial measures. The word coming out of many lips is that of revolt, but is yet to be seen if the people will indeed rise up in every possible way, or the regime’s plans for complete social devastation will get go ahead without major problems. All repressive state mechanism gear up against protesters, given that an explosion of people’s anger is somewhat likely over the coming hours and days.

Since yesterday, February 9th, the Law School in downtown Athens has been occupied by anarchists/anti-authoritarians and strikers, in order to operate as a base of struggle and counter-information, as well as a first-aid centre. The buildings of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour have also been occupied.

 Updates are available on Occupied London and will follow here, too.