An apology for a European freedom death!
Posted by: Jacques Martin in 2010, Fascism, Police brutality, SocietyPost Comments
“I arrived at Athens airport at two o clock in the morning, I shared the trip with some friends from Estonia, France and Germany that came also for solidarity to the Greek struggles. We all took the bus and after half an hour of trip, we arrived at Syntagma square (where the parliament is). Police was everywhere. We have been informed also that some troubles occurred the day before, 19th of May around Exarcheia, the student district of Athens which is full of free thinkers. Really, you can say, where revolution of 2010 begun! Strange to be here after so much thinking about Greece!
The taxi driver explained me a little about the history and modern lifestyle of the city. As a worker, he supports the protests and was delighted hearing that I’m from Belgium coming here on solidarity for his people. He found me the best hotel, with all luxe, bar, air-conditioner ,TV and WI-fi. I took a slander in order gain back some strength and be in a good mood for the main event of the day, the general strike.
I arrived at eleven at Syntagma again. I saw a young black guy arrested by the riot-police and molested as a rapist. He wasn’t even protesting, just victim of racism and police brutality. I crossed the street and made a policeman falling from behind…bad idea, got arrested and kept inside the police station (in Petrou Ralli) as “an international hooligan” until four o clock. When I came back, the protest was nearly over.
Yesterday night, I went to a gig that took place in Exarcheia. An English speaking band “Zion train” was live on stage. Then after a great performance, I decided to stay a little with some young people and try to feel the atmosphere of this tragic political era that Greece is crossing. I had a few drinks with some local crews in an amazingly “alternative feeling” environment.
The people I met in Greece have big differences with us. Essentially, they are still humans, they meet each other, they talk to strangers and open their heart and soul with honesty. Most of them keep on discussing the everyday problems, like the ancient times when they founded the basics of all the present political systems. The pubs and restaurants are full of loud voices. That’s how life of people should be, together, into one goal. Humanism. We all must learn how to live together, fight together, love together, and share our knowledge.
As you enter this district, the first thing you notice is police standing at every entrance, with their riot clothes on. Every three or four streets, there is a police bus and some mobile rooms for the resting cops. The second thing there are paintings and graffiti in almost every wall, making the buildings looking like books, mostly of anarchist propaganda and artwork. The third thing is street nightlife. All pubs are open, people, mainly young students, are chatting outside. It is full of loud music of every style you can imagine. I used to live in Berlin and it reminded me a bit of Kreuzberg the squat district of the city…
I got into a club, “the ace” where a dub-night was planned. The streets of Exarcheia were full of young people and I noticed that there was not any single fight. I was impressed by the “anti-violent” attitude of those young Greeks, which are mostly the ones that Greek media describe as “thugs”. They were really friendly at me, as a foreigner, and communicative. When I got out of the club, I decided to expand my Exarcheia discovery. I met a group of rockers, sitting and smoking. They directly offered me a drink and we had a long conversation. Me, a forty years old skinhead from Belgium and them, young blokes from a squat of Exarcheia, between 20 and 30 years old,women and men. As far as this conversation started, I did fell the fear in their eyes and the need to speak with somebody from another country who could spread the truth to the outside world about the current political and social situation of Greece.
All that witnessing really made me afraid for their and our future. What I experienced also this Friday night from the police confirms that those young rebels were not wrong at all. The “state of terror” here in Greece is working on several methods, and it really makes me think this country is nothing more but a testing zone of European Union. They punish the most innocent and poorest people in the worst way. I did spend two evenings speaking with Greek people. They told me “you should wake up from your stupid Euro-conformity”.
The Greek Media avoid to report that the police is acting as the worst gestapo republic, entering houses of anarchists into the night and breaking everything in, furnitures, objects, behaving brutally against them no matter if children are there or not. They are doing the same in squats and autonomous centers of anarchists. The worst came after the death of three employees in the the fatal Marfin bank attack in Stadiou street, which unfairly has been accused to anarchists. A big percentage of the Greek population has lost its sympathy to the anti-authoritarians. This was a mini 9/11 for Athens. Now the Greek authorities have an alibi for more repression. A vendetta state against the anarchists and far left supporters is taking place. In two nights in Exarchia, they arrested quasi all the punks and skins I did met the first evening, and they surely did the same, to ordinary looking anarchists. In the Greek news TV channels and newspapers, I did not hear or see any voice contemning this brutality!
What is understandable with Greek government and rest of Europe’s apathy: We have to keep the flame of resistance alive otherwise, we will expect the United States of Europe nightmare to become a reality.
Here in Greece as in many other countries countries, only the militant communists and socialists far left work together with anarchists against this Euro-canibalism. However, Greece is not an isolated case of social injustice. If we let this prevail, we will all suffer. When money wins, humans loose. All together, free minded people… we should not allow “freedom” to become only as a memory from the past. It is now or never. Our leaders want us slaves, so we must internationally be organized ad quickly do something to stop this madness. Obviously, there is no other way”
Jacques Martin
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24/07/2010 @ 16:48
Julia I agree with you, plus statements like “many of the kids you see in the Exarcheia live in the northern suburbs and go to private schools” are nothing more but a propaganda coming from the right side. LA.O.S the Greek far right party, (let’s pretend it is not just right wing as wikipedia refers) and other neo-fascists like Mr. Plevris (a man who does not hesitate to call himself as Nazi) a lot of times have expressed statements like this in order to obscure the December of 2008 uprising which started from this area.
24/07/2010 @ 01:45
SG,
I believe comrades and the working people of Greece know pretty well as to what they’re protesting against. The Greek government is trying to weasel their way out of having to tax the rich, so they bring in all the austerity measures.
And about the kids in Exarchia coming from privileged backgrounds: so what? They have every reason to “betray” the class they came from and show solidarity with the working people. Movements only take off once people of ALL backgrounds participate.
13/07/2010 @ 21:30
@Reiner
Yes you are free to copy everything you see here. Don’t need to ask for that. Most of the photos we host are taken from random reporters, from the athens indymedia and other websites while some are ours. Don’t hesitate to download whatever your heart desires.
You can get some more also from this article
Further more, a link would be intresting, just been curious to see project. :)