Actions during the strikers demo

(Athens Thessaloniki Heraklion Larissa, 19-20/3/2008)

Source: Athens.indymedia.org,  http://directactiongr.blogspot.com/
and some e-mails.

Demonstrations were organized after a call by workers unions and syndicates in Greece's larger cities, against the new law on the pension system. Below are gathered some of the reported direct action.

Athens: Workers initiatives and anarchist/antiauthoritarian collectives shut down luxurious shops that were working on a strike day (photos of an action at repo-zine.blogspot.com). The marches start with more than 200.000 people in several blocs. Clashes begin near the parliament, where some surveillance cameras and a few bank glass windows were broken down. Street battles continue near the universities (Propylaia) and Exarcheia area where people build up a few barricades. The cops shoot plastic bullets against the protesters. Around Exarchia square, people attack the riot-police brigades. It's worth mentioning that syndicalist leaders left the marches so as to intimidate people participating. Some photos at:
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=844341
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843464
Βίντεο:
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843444
 http://athens.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/7raqdkx.jpg


Thessaloniki: More than 20.000 protest in the city center. During the demonstration a collective throws garbage and paints against shops that stayed open during the strike (Photos at stasiepisfaleias.wordpress.com).
Also, glass windows and cameras of banks were broken, while an ATM was set on fire. During these actions, leftists clashed with demonstrators who had their faces covered, participating or encouraging such actions. Photos at:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843289#843299




Heraklion, Crete:

Around 4.000 persons participated in the city center, where since early in the morning strikers had forced shops to close down for the strike. During the march groups of anarchists/antiauthoritarians broke down several surveillance cameras outside banks and threw paint at the Nea Dimokratia (ruling party) offices. The march headed towards the Prefecture of Crete offices, where many attempted to occupy the building, while some syndicalist bureaucrat's (friendly to PASOK, ex-ruling and currently opposition party) prevented them and clashed with anarchists who at last broke the Prefecture's entrance.



More photos:
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843525#843526
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843569
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843758
Video from a camera sabotage:
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=843435



Larissa: Clashes erupted when the PAME (a frontal organization of the KKE "communist" party) attacked against anarchists/antiauthoritarians, autonomous and leftists in order to keep their blocs away from the march, though the PAME tough guys were repelled succesfuly.

20/3: During a demonstration outside the parliament, an initiative attempted to break the police line but was repelled with exessive tear gas and riot-policemen attacks. Many demonstrators responded covering their faces and attacking the policemen with stones, while starting fires to minimize tear gas effects. The syndicalist bureaucrats once more, left the area.

Here are some videos:
From the 19/03 demonstration
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=844142#844221
Ftom the 20/03 demonstration
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=845205