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A more detailed report from yesterday's hunger striker solidarity action in London

the four participants | 08.02.2007 00:46 | Repression | London | World

Solidarity is our weapon...

"70 Days On Hunger Strike"
"70 Days On Hunger Strike"

"We Don't Forget, We Don't Forgive"
"We Don't Forget, We Don't Forgive"


Up until yesterday, two people had been on a hunger strike in Greece: together with a third person, they had been detained by the greek state without trial for eight months. They are charged with rioting during the European Social Forum march in Athens (May 2006) though there is no concrete evidence against them. On the day that Tarasios Zadorozni and Gerasimos Kyriakopoulos were on the 70th and 54th days of their respective hunger strikes, the greek national football team visited London for a friendly match. In the final moments of the game we invaded the pitch with banners expressing our solidarity and resistance.

Even after hearing that our three comrades were finally released earlier on the day, we decided to go ahead with our planned action. This was a conscious, though not self-evident, decision. In fact, right until the last moment there was hesitation and uncertainty concerning the political validity as well as the practical feasibility of the action.

Following a tediously long discussion, we came to the decision not to play along with the State in its game of political manoeuvres made in its own interests: Yesterday's decision to release the hunger strikers does not detract from their near-fatal eight month hostage. As our two banners read:

"Seventy Days of Hunger Strike – We Will Not Forget, We Will Not Forgive"

This action was of calculated (and relatively low) cost. We will stand trial on the 23d of February. The charge against us is that of 'pitch invasion'. As far as we know, the offence is punished only by a fine and does not carry a custodial prison sentence.

We would also like to mention that there were not only Greek comrades amongst us: A clear sign that in this case, though the repression was a greek issue, solidarity is an international one.

Finally, we would like to express our support and solidarity to our comrades, still hostages of the greek state, which did not hesitate in bringing them to the verge of death.

London, February 7th 2007

We're Doin' Our Bit Brigade

the four participants

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Well done

08.02.2007 09:03

Great action and a well-written communique. Well done.

MB


yeah but, no but....

08.02.2007 13:51

didn't it ever occur to you to translate the banners into english?

the mostly english speaking football fans must've thought wtf!

bubble and squeak


but yea, fuck yea!

08.02.2007 17:17

Dear Mr/s Bubble & Squeak

Did it ever occur to get involved and help them out with translations? Maybe a few extra brave souls prepared to get arrested doing a solidarity action would have gone a long way.

Good action, people. Keep it up.

FTP


as for the language

08.02.2007 23:37

the action was primarily (if not exclusively) aimed not at the english fans (of which there were hardly any in the stadium, plus the game was not shown on UK TV) but at the 1-2 million people watching the game live back in Greece, where the majority of the population had no idea that our comrades were even on a hunger strike.

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