Today, December 20th, 2012 at 7am police forces raided Villa Amalias squat. Pretext for this oppressive exhibition of power has been an ‘anonymous complaint’ to the police.
Eight comrades (six Greek-born and two from abroad) who were inside the squat have been arrested and taken to the GADA police headquarters on Alexandras avenue, where they are still being held.
Comrades who came to the area in solidarity with the squatters were also detained by repression motorcycle units, while the same happened to other comrades who were caught inside the Athens City Hall, on Liosion street, where they had gone to make an intervention against the repression mayor Giorgos Kaminis. (The latter were reportedly released after a while.)
From the beginning of the raid, dozens of comrades gathered outside the squat; we remain on Acharnon street till this moment calling out for solidarity.
Mayors and ministers just get it through your head: not even in your wildest dreams could you take Villa Amalias from us.
Keep your hands off squats!
Immediate liberation of our comrades!
Villa Amalias squat
80, Acharnon, and Heyden str.
At about 15.30 GMT+2 the squat was not sealed off, and the police search was underway in presence of a public prosecutor and one witness from the anarchists’ side. Approximately 200 people in solidarity were still gathered in front of the squat, which has existed and resisted many repressive attacks for 22 years already.
The Greek police have temporarily evicted the squatters several times in the past, but Villa Amalias has always been (re)occupied. It must be emphasized that the building was built in circa 1860, and since 1990 it has been maintained only thanks to the autonomous action of the squatters themselves and many solidarians. Villa Amalias comrades have declared on numerous occasions that they are consciously opposing exploiters, henchmen, pimps and druglords of any nationality in the downtown neighbourhoods, fighting constantly against fascist and racist violence so as to promote intercultural coexistence and self-organization.
The oldest anarchist squat in Athens, Lelas Karagianni 37, has called out for urgent solidarity with Villa Amalias, demanding also the immediate release of all arrestees of the day.
It is reminded that easy access to the solidarity gathering is recommended via Acharnon street, while anti-riot squadrons are lurking on surrounding streets. Also, today all staff of train, metro and tram services is on strike, meaning that only trolleys and buses operate.
From about midday, solidarity announcements regarding the raid on Villa Amalias have been transmitted through a loud sound system on Patission street by the comrades of Skaramaga squat.
In addition, since early in the morning, many other anarchist collectives, squatters and individuals across Greece have sent their unconditional support to Villa Amalias. Few of the counter-information actions that will take place this evening, by 17–18.00pm, include the cities of Thessaloniki, Veria, Patras and Heraklion (Crete), with surely many more to come…
Everyone to the streets! Villa Amalias will stay!
An assembly has been called for 20.00pm at the Athens University of Economics and Business (ASOEE) on Patission street for more updates and solidarity actions after the police invasion in Villa Amalias squat.
2 thoughts on “Athens: Announcement of comrades from Villa Amalias squat, 20.12.2012”