October 20th
WE CAN NEITHER BE GAGGED, NOR TERRORIZED
On Wednesday, September 26th, day of general strike, thousands of people protested against the upcoming harsh anti-labour measures, which will bring further impoverishment in our lives.
From early in the morning, heavy police forces attacked, without any prior incident, the pre-gatherings of the neighbourhood assemblies of Aghios Dimitrios (Brachami), Vyronas–Kaisariani–Pangrati and Zografou, preventing their participation in the strike march in the city centre and detaining dozens of people. Specifically, in Zografou people were aggravated, chased and beaten by the repressive forces that spread terror in the district. A total of 20 arrests were made in Zografou alone, of which 12 were turned into arrests, including minors (school students).
In the strike demo, the repressive forces beat up protesters savagely, fired too many tear gases, and made a total of 129 detentions and 22 arrests, thus implementing a well-orchestrated plan in order to disperse the crowd.
That same afternoon, dozens of people gathered again at Gardenias square in Zografou, where they were harassed by DELTA police motorcycle units and MAT anti-riot squadrons unprovokedly.
The state repression continued over the next period, with a series of efforts to prevent any militant activity within the antagonist movement.
On September 30th, during an antifascist motorcycle demo in downtown Athens, DELTA police motorcycle units attacked and beat up some of the fighters. The result was the arrest of 15 antifascists (both men and women), who were tortured while under police custody and were released on bail, charged with felonies.
On October 1st, during a solidarity rally in Evelpidon courts, the attendees were chased off and beaten by police in the surrounding area. Out of 25 supporters that were detained, 4 people were charged and held in the police headquarters.
At the same time, many high schools throughout Greece were under occupation by students who struggle for a truly free education, and were attacked by authorities. In particular, on October 2nd policemen in uniform and plainclothes cops invaded the yard of the 1st public high school of Holargos, and did not hesitate to taunt and injure school students in an attempt to break the occupation.
On October 4th shipbuilders that remain unpaid for six months already, and additionally strive against the implementation of job rotation in the Skaramaga shipyards, stormed into the Pentagon (headquarters of the Greek ministry of Defense), in order to request their accrued wages. Head-to-head clashes broke out, after they were treated with fierce repression and use of tear gases. The anti-riot squadrons made 107 detentions and 12 arrests.
On the same day (4/10), during another solidarity rally in Evelpidon courts for the 15 arrested antifascists (of the motorcycle demo on 30/9) anti-riot police exercised brutal repression, resulting in the injury of several solidaritarians.
In the early hours of October 8th, while the information systems centre of the Public Power Corporation was occupied by employees affiliated to the GENOP–PPC workers union, 18 people were arrested.
In the morning of the same day (8/10), during a protest of workers in the Dromokaiteio psychiatric hospital, police arrested three members of the union’s board of directors.
On October 9th the State demonstrated zero tolerance, banning demonstrations and assemblages of people in central Athens, employing snipers and police helicopters, a condition that can only awaken memories of a junta regime. Activists were detained at their homes and entire collectives were taken hostage from the location of their gathering. The assembled crowd, downtown, was dispersed and beaten by MAT squadrons and motorcyclists of DELTA and DIAS teams. A total of 217 detentions and 24 arrests were made.
On Thursday, October 18th, day of general strike, the repressive units made excessive use of force and mass use of chemicals and stun grenades. Protesters were severely injured, 107 people were detained and 7 demonstrators were held in police custody, facing charges, as a result of this onslaught. During the strike demo one protester lost his life; he was a dock worker, unemployed since 2006, and marched in the PAME blocs.
In 23 days, a total of 585 detentions and 105 arrests have been made.
Once again, the vindictiveness of the mechanisms of repression is exhausted in exemplary measures against anyone who resists and fights, as they have charged so many people with felonies, even for carrying a simple surgical mask, and released facial photographs and details of arrested protesters in the regime’s media.
• SOCIAL STRUGGLES CANNOT BE IMPRISONED OR INCRIMINATED
• NO PROSECUTION AGAINST ARRESTED FIGHTERS
• COLLECTIVE RESISTANCE IS OUR STRENGTH
• SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON
OPEN POPULAR ASSEMBLY OF PERISTERI
Every Monday & Thursday in Dimarchiou square at 20.00pm
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