Received on March 8th 2017:
The purpose of this text is to clarify the position of our squat regarding some incidents that took place over the last months in Exarchia, and defend our physical and political integrity by all means necessary.
We refer to the practices of gossiping, slandering and violative behavior against the structure and the actions of the 58, practices that we consider equal as snitching, regardless of whether or not the person using them each time is expecting something in return from the persecuting authorities. The outcome is the same, in the sense that they are singling out specific individuals as a target, they attempt to strip our project of its political characteristics, and prepare the ground for the direct or indirect repression that lurks in the corner.
We also refer to physical assaults that took place the last 2 months, like bullying attempts at our front door, a group ambush against squatters of the 58 at Dervenion street (Exarchia), and even threats and attacks against us with the use of sharp/lethal objects (like a knife and an awl) only a few meters away from the 58.
Lastly, we refer to vulgar libels and miserable (tabloidlike) gatherings that some organize behind our back to jeopardize the political autonomy of the 58, attempting in vain to interfere in our internal procedures, to speak in the name of our project and to sell protection to those of us who have no papers.
For example, a slandering and completely distorting six-page text that resembles an indictment is signed by an initiative of individuals from Zaimi 11 squat, the Ditto group and the rest of the crew who set and assist ambushes in Dervenion street. This text, that is being distributed behind our back since February 20th 2017 and has been emailed to unknown to us recipients, individually lists participants in anarchist projects, with a declared objective being the following: “[…] Our target is to deprive those individuals of any space for exercising their dominant and sectarian practices, as well as to beat them up. Our tactical choice is to call comrades who co-exist also with them, update them about our intentions and promote the exclusion of these particular 3 individuals both from Themistokleous 58 Squat and procedures in general. […]”
We also quote an excerpt from a text of another groupuscule from Zaimi 11 squat that refer to us without mentioning us directly, spread lies – this time publicly – and confirm their synergy in secret procedures towards undermining the 58: “[…] We have consumed a lot of time and energy to sort things out with closed/internal procedures that, as it turned out, had no prospect […]”. The supposed ‘open procedure’ – naturally, without any prior arrangement with us – which they are now calling as self-proclaimed referees, promising to reveal titillating details, indicates what they are made of and proves once more what big cowards they are.
Apparently, Themistokleous 58 Squat and all that we stand for with our discourse and activity do not only cause pain to the State/Capital and the fascists, but also to parasitical elements who in their attempt to build themselves an identity do not hesitate to undermine all of us and try to infiltrate the project.
In the face of all these threats we choose to counterattack and defend all that we build with day-to-day effort: reciprocal solidarity between people from all corners of the world, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, origin, language, color, and religious or irreligious background, the equal participation of everyone in all activities of the squat and our very co-existence through anarchist practices and a self-organized manner.
Those that have decided to deploy the abovementioned tactics against the 58 are to be considered nothing but enemies, regardless of the mask they are wearing according to their aspirations. We publicly inform them that we are not going to tolerate any territorial expeditions against the 58, nor their overt bigotry and covert racism, nor any attempts to isolate members of the squat and spread fear to our multiracial community. We also tell others who have already rushed to their defense, uncritically adopting their victimist claims, to stay out of it.
The 58 is not only housing our common needs for sleep and feeding, it also houses our common needs to factually overcome the divisions imposed by the world of visible and invisible borders and to clash head on with the existent system, its defensors and its false critics.
When they touch one of us, they touch all of us. No official or informal repressor will break the unity among us and our diversity, and those who will attempt to sell us protection will fail big time. If some wonder how all of this will end, the answer is simple: when the gossiping, slandering and targeting will end, and when it becomes fully understood that no one can enjoy political asylum so long as they practice violations against anarchist structures and actions.
Our struggle is not about undermining squats, projects or persons that fight for freedom, and this is something we have proven by refusing to enter into a vicious circle of petty rivalries even when some of our choices received harsh critics. But when some unleash tangible threats against us, we are not going to play the good fellas.
Whoever is not a cop, journalist and the like (and is not implicated in any way whatsoever with this fiasco) can and should address their questions on this or any other matter concerning the 58 to our weekly assembly, every Sunday at 20:00 in the squat itself, or email us at: th58@riseup.net
See you on the streets.
Themistokleous 58 Squat, Exarchia
in Greek