Solidarity Actions

26 Nov 03 - Athens: Demo outside the hospital, celebrating the order to release all 7 prisoners until their trial.

26 Nov 03 - Leeds: Ongoing vigil

25 Nov 03 - Leeds: Pickets outside Leeds travel agents (meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate.)

25 Nov 03 - London: We interrupt this Greek cultural evening in the Royal Fest Hall

25 Nov 03 - Cambridge: Info stall call

25 Nov 03 - Dublin: 5 Irish people will hold a 24 hour fast in solidarity with the Thessaloniki hunger strikers outside the Greek Embassy. [report imc ireland | imc uk | background til 20 Nov]

25 Nov 03 - Amnesty International: Amnesty International Press Release calls for independent investigation into ill-treatment of demonstrators

24 Nov 03 - Thessaloniki: Faculty of Theology under occupation in solidarity with the Thess7. From the statement: "We demand the immediate release of our seven comrades (...) The ultimate plan (of the state) is to impose the silence of the graveyard upon society before, during and after the Olympic Games.

24 Nov 03 - Belgium: Demo outside the Greek Consulate in Gent on 21 Nov, on 24 Nov in Brussels, the consulate's office was occupied for about half an hour [report].

24 Nov 03 - Miami: Solidarity statement from Miami Activist Defense Legal Team

24 Nov 03 - Dublin: Solidarity-fast with hunger strikers [report from 26 nov]

24 Nov 03 - 28 Nov - West Yorkshire: Week of action [call & report]

24 Nov 03 - London: Thessaloniki Prisoner Support Group held a demo outside the Greek Embassy [call]

24 Nov 03 - Edinburgh: 740 signatures for the immediate release of the Salonica were collected in less than 5 days, and sent to Greek ministers of Justice and Interior [report]

24 Nov 03 - Athens: Occupation of University Administration is in fifth day. Demos in the evening at the Ministry of Justice. Administration of Polytechnic occupied. Heraklio: Building of City Hall occupied. [report]

24 Nov 03 - Madrid: Demos announced for 29 and 30 November [call | background in spanish]

24 Nov 03 - Melbourne: call to action

22 Nov 03 - Athens: Part of Athens University has been occupied for x days in solidarity with the Thessaloniki 7. [statement]

21 Nov 03 - London: Activists entered the Greek Consulate and explained to an official the urgent need to release the hungerstrikers. About a dozen activists occupied the offices of the Greek Tourist board, one was arrested [report 1 | 2]

21 Nov 03 - Cambridge: Info stall, 52 people signed postcards to the Greek ambassador report

21 Nov 03 - UK: MEP Sarah Ludford, Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman, requests urgent action from uk and greek government [report]

21 Nov - 23 Nov - West Yorkshire: Prisoners Solidarity Weekend including Bradford Nov 21 Benefit evening 7 pm at the 1 in 12 Club, Leeds Nov 22 Pickets Sat Nov 22 afternoon and evening, Leeds Nov 23 Benefit Film Screening at Packhorse Pub [invitation]

20 Nov 03 - Montreal: Support for Tessaloniki Prisoners during 1500 strong FTAA demo [report]

20 Nov - Athens: Anarchists and anti-authoritarians occupied the Rector´s Institute of the University of Athens. They demand "the immediate liberation of the seven fighters" [imcuk | infoshop]. In the evening, a demo took place in town [report].

18 Nov 03 - Colchester: benefit & solidarity exhibition and screening [invitation]

17 Nov - Edinburgh: freesalonika7 are collecting signatures for the immediate release of all seven prisoners on High Street (near St. Gyles Cathedral), for as long as Simon Chapman, Suleiman Dakduk, Carlos Martinez, Fernando Perez, Spiros Tsitsas and two unnamed juveniles are in prison [report].

16 Nov 03 - Turkey: ELP volunteers hung 2 banners from a bridge in the name of Thessaloniki prisoners and Swiss eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch [pic]

15 Nov - Aranjuez: Demonstration

15 Nov 03 - Colchester: The local support group put together a slide show about the Saloniki 7.

15 Nov 03 - Paris: Greek Embassy Occupied and Air Olympic attacked in Paris, During ESF demonstrations [Report]

15 Nov 03 - London: Picket in Greek Tourist Board offices [Reports 1 | 2]

15 Nov 03 - Greece: Update Solidarity actions in Greece since Nov 11 and full story as slideshow.

15 Nov 03 - Malta: Malta solidarity with Saloniki 7; 34 Rock bands, Political, Cultural and Social Organisations, Promoters, Publishers, Artists and Music Critics have signed a petition that was submitted to the Greek Ambassador in Malta.

14 Nov 03 - Dublin: Demonstrators in Dublin carried a heavy black wooden coffin to the front door of the Greek Embassy in Eire. They also carried five large black flags - each one a symbol of the five people on hunger strike. [Full report & Photos]

14 Nov 03 - Crounha: A series of continuous 24h solidarity hunger strikes started 3 days ago in the Galician city of A Corunha. The action has been organised by the anarchist local group Oveja Negra.

Update - 12 Nov 03: 150 protesters on motorcycles drove to the front door of Greece's Prime Minister private residence, where they held an impromptu demonstration seeking the release of the 'Saloniki 7' [Report 1 | 2]

14 Nov 03 - London: A benefit night was held at the Eton Mission Social Club, 91 Eastway, Hackney Wick [invitation].

13 Nov 03 - Athens: Anarchists protest at PM’s door

11 Nov 03 - Thessaloniki: 2 people were arrested outside Korydalos prison in Thessaloniki whilst they were trying to film the transfer of the Thessaloniki 5, so to get further evidence of the inhuman treatment they are receiving.

11 Nov 03 - London: Protests were held outside the Greek Embassy in the morning and after work. Also, a reception by the Greek Ambassador was gatecrashed by a protestor [Report & Thoughts on more actions]
11 Nov 03 - Colchester: Solidari@s organised a solidarity screening and talk.

09 Nov 03 - Norwich: A "Week of Action" in support of the ''Saloniki 7'' called by Norwich Anarchists, ended with a 24hr protest and solidarity hunger strike [update].

08 Nov 03 - Athens: Demo [pics 1 | 2]

08 Nov 03 - London:. Around 80 people took part in an action in support of Simon Chapman and the Thessaloniki prisoners. A noisy Samba picket was held at the home of the Greek ambassador. A bit of street theatre was used to demonstrate exactly what happened to Simon and then a spontaneous march headed into the west end before eventually being stopped by the Police near Regent st.[Photos | Photos & Report | Video]

08 Nov 03 - Cardiff: Cardiff Anarchist Network organised a solidarity benefit gig.

07 Nov. 03 - Thessaloniki: Up to 2,000 demonstrators took the streets of Thessaloniki this evening, including a representation of the London based group W.O.M.B.L.E.S [Photos]

07 Nov 03 - Athens: A 1.500 strong demonstration took place on the evning of Thursday 6th in Athens in support of the ''Saloniki 7'' [Photos 1 | 2|3|video]. On the same night, three banks were attacked in the City [pics]

06 Nov 03 - Thessaloniki: Solidarity picket outside Thessaloniki''s hospital where Carlos Martin was taken on Monday 3rd [Report and Photos]

04 Nov 03 - Barcelona: Solidarity action in Barcelona, where 70 Metro entrances were sealed with a combination of silicone gel and the fitting of ill fitted keys to the locks. [IMC-UK report | IMC-Barcelona report]

03 Nov 03 - Norwich/Cardiff/London: A spontaneous action is starting today in Norwich and the Cardiff Anarchists have arranged a solidarity benefit gig for Saturday, Nov. 8th. Also, a picket has been called in London this Saturday 8th November, the international day of action in solidarity with the Saloniki 7 hunger strikers.

27 Oct 03 - London: The Greek Embassy in London was visited today by supporters of Simon Chapman and the six other people still imrisoned in Greece [Photos & report | Report & discussion | Full article]
More background info: 1 | 2.

Update - 24 Oct 03: A hunger strike in solidarity [Greek | Espanol] with the Thessaloniki Prisoners is to commence on October 31st. Meanwhile, there has been a further update from Thessaloniki on the prisoners who are on hunger strike and yet more coverage in the UK mainstream media.

Update - 21st Oct. 03: There was an office occupation of the Journalist''s Union in Thessaloniki last week as well as a planned Theatrical action for the solidarity of the 7 imprisoned. A solidarity pamphlet has also been circulated by the "enemy within."

Meanwhile, 3 of the prisoners girlfriends are also due to start a 3-day hunger strike in a solidarity action on Friday, 31st October [Solidarity Statement].

Update - 10th Oct. 03: A further demonstration was held outside the Greek Embassy in London on Monday. Following these latest actions, media coverage within the UK has increased. Further actions are planned over the coming weeks.

Update - 8 Oct 03:A banner drop was held off Tower Bridge on Sunday, 5th October, and there has been more coverage in the corporate media. Also, there is now a web page with banners to include on your own website (linking back to this page).

Update - 5th Oct. 03: A solidarity demo was held today in London:

• reports: 1
• Pictures: 1 | 2
• Press Release
• TV coverage

Solidarity actions have been organised around the world in support of the Thessaloniki prisoners. Most recently, there was an international day of action on September 21st, with actions in the USA (San Francisco), Greece (Athens - 1 / 2 / 3 ) and Spain (Barcelona), although there have been spontaneous demonstrations on other days too (see report from Helsinki).

In the UK, there have been benefit gigs throughout the summer at the Eton Mission Social Centre in Hackney, London, as well as a number of actions [ 1 / 2 ]. Elsewhere, there have also been statements of solidarity [San Francisco | Infoshop | Canada | Ireland], benefit gigs [ French , English ] and actions [ links ].