Greece: Greetings from occupied Crete

This is the 8th day of the occupation of the building of prefectural administration in Chania, Crete. We just translated our main communiqué in English and we send it to you, to inform and spread the message of the occupations worldwide. There is also a French translation available here. We also have a blog and internet radio, live from the occupation. Today at 18.00 GMT+2 we have organized a march in the main streets and the neighbourhoods of Chania. On Crete there are also occupied buildings in Rethimno and Lasithi. Moreover, the students are occupying their schools day by day. There at least 11 schools occupied in Chania today.

On February 15th, after a unanimous decision, the open public assembly of the prefectural administration in Chania occupied the studio of the corporate TV channel ‘Nea Tileorasi Kritis’ (NEA TV). Here’s the related video:

Communiqué of the occupied prefectural administration of Chania

We are also part of the struggling people that rushed into the streets for the 48hour strike demonstrations and the massive protest of Sunday, February 12th, against the devaluation of our employment and the pauperization of our lives. Since Friday, February 10th, after the march in the city streets, we have occupied the building of Prefecture of Crete in Chania. The occupation serves as a meeting and coordination centre of a collective effort to organize the struggle for a life that is characterized by solidarity, resistance and dignity. By blocking the ordinary function of a central administrational building, we pose political pressure against the implementation of the recent decisions of the foreign and local exploiters. We are referring to the voting by the Greek parliament of the second Memorandum and the new austerity measures according to the commands of Troika (EU/IMF/ECB) and global capitalism.

We salute the hundreds of thousands demonstrators that during the last few days, and especially on Sunday, February 12th, fight against barbarism and the plundering of the basic social goods such as health, education, electricity and water.

We are a part of dozens of occupied state administrative, educational and labour buildings that spread across the country the last few days. Against a spirit of struggle decline and defeatism after the voting of the new laws by the parliament, we continue to fight against the fake dilemmas they impose, such as ‘default or consent’. We call the grassroots labour unions of Chania to take decisions towards a long-term general strike. We call all the citizens of Chania and the countryside, students, workers and unemployed, immigrants and locals, to join our ideas, agonies and creativity.

To defend the dignity in our employment and in our life
No prosecution to the detainees of the strike demonstrations

Solidarity – Victory to the long-lasting strike of the ‘Greek Steelworks’ and all labour struggles

All ahead towards a wild permanent general strike

We call all people to participate in the public open assembly daily at 20.00 in the occupied prefectural administration of Chania and in actions that are decided. The last few days hundreds of people have participated in the decisions of these assemblies.