Anti-authoritarian Silvio Meier was stabbed to death by neo-Nazi scum on November 21st, 1992 at the Samariterstraße metro station in Berlin.
The State tried to water down the murder, presenting it as if it were a common bar brawl among youths. Furthermore, the German police and the mainstream media spread lies based on false statements by the neo-Nazis, who claimed that Silvio attacked them first with a knife, and they allegedly stabbed him in self-defense. Initially Silvio’s three companions, who survived the attack, faced charges and were questioned by cops even while in hospital (two of them suffered serious injuries). The police attempted to hold them responsible for the death of their own friend.*
Only thanks to the huge collective efforts of friends and comrades, these allegations collapsed and it became known to the public that Silvio was indeed assaulted and murdered by neo-Nazis in the subway, thus the State was forced to investigate the case. Two annual commemorative actions emerged from these efforts: the Silvio Meier picket at the Samariterstraße metro station, as well as the Silvio Meier commemorative demonstration. The latter is one of the biggest annual antifa demos in Berlin, accompanied by varying slogans. This year’s slogan, marking the 20th anniversary of Silvio’s death, was ‘Remembrance means fighting: Attack, smash, suspend the Nazis, the State and the Verfassungsschutz intelligence agency!’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79uK_lb_xq4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo7JMX3r3MU
The evening demo on November 24th started with a delay of almost two hours, waiting for antifascist comrades to return from counter-actions against the neo-Nazis’ mobilization for a march in the Berlin district of Rudow, which was called against a scheduled refugee centre.
Approximately 5,000 people participated in the Silvio Meier commemorative demo, and almost from the beginning protesters were terrorized by countless cops, who took several hostages (also on charges of alleged disguise or ‘application of mummery materials’). Some of the arrests were made with brutal violence, as cops also beat their way inside the demo.
The protest march was due to return to the district of Friedrichshain and end at the Frankfurter Allee railway station. However, probably because of the escalation of police persecution, the organizers decided to dissolve the demo in front of the Lichtenberg railway station (despite the fact that the whole of the Lichtenberg area is a stronghold of the neo-Nazis).
When the demo did end in the Lichtenberg district, cops almost completely surrounded the square and first blocked all the entrances to the train and metro station in sheer provocation. Soon thereafter, the police opened the metro gates, but then started to attack those who chose to remain at the square. It’s being reported that the cops took more hostages there, and pepper-sprayed one train wagon. The total number of detentions mounts to 22 people, but there are no more updates about the arrestees by now (25/11).
Nevertheless, protesters were able to attack a meeting point of the neo-Nazis in their stronghold, the Lichtenberg district. Colours, stones, bottles and firecrackers were thrown on the neo-Nazi shop in Lückstraße, which was well guarded by cops. Firecrackers flew from time to time also during the entire demo.
Throughout the action, slogans were loudly chanted, including anarchist/anti-authoritarian slogans in different languages, and the ‘Cops, Pigs, Murderers’ was heard a couple of times, too.