Greek Riots: translations #3
TGL | 10.12.2008 21:32 | Repression | Social Struggles | World
[ Flyer distributed outside a central subway station & compiled by the Initiative of anarchists/antiauthoritarians from the southern suburbs: 
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=938550 ]
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=938550 ]
On Saturday night, December 6 2008, a murderer took out his gun & executed in cold blood a citizen, Alexandros. What is even more tragic in this murder is that the murderer, a policeman by profession, killed a 16 years old kid.
The incident happened in Exarchia square, at the intersection of Tzavella & Messologiou streets. A location where any one of us could be at. A location which could part of any neighborhood. The eyewitnesses of the incident report that the murder was predated by a plain word exchange. But the Proud Greek Murderer could not swallow the insult & he took out his gun. & he executed. In cold blood.
This murder is not a random incident. Neither is it isolated. It is yet another link in the endless series of murderous attacks carried out by the various police stations/departments. Let us not forget the murder of the pakistani immigrant in Petrou Ralli street, while he was waiting in the queue to aply for asylum (in a queue where the state itself had directed him to stand). Let us not forget that a woman was murdered recently in Leukimmi, as a result of the Riot Squad's actions, during a march against the installation of a dumpster in their neighborhood. Unfortunately, the list has no end. Let us not forget the tortures perpetrated by policemen in police stations & prisons. Let us not forget the intentionally murderous attitude of the law enforcers, with countless chemicals, fire bombs, shots, beatings, in every instance where people take to the streets, during strikes, student [demonstrations], local issues (it's not long ago that the police choked the entire region around the High Voltage Station in Argyroupoli using teargas & beat up our neighbors). This is their role. Let us not have any illusions: to beat up & to murder so as to transmit the message "we & our bosses are the law, every one resisting will be beaten up mercilessly & there's still more."
& who are their bosses? Could they be the owners of bank branches? Could they be the owners of chain stores? Could it be the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry? Could they be all those pressing for more work from our side with less money & inferior security? Could they be all those getting rich through the the interest rates, while thousands of people deteriorate to despair? Could they be all those using profiteering, both against us & against the producers, through the prices they impose on supermarkets for bare necessities? Could they be the ones who reap super profits in good times while, in bad times, resort to layoffs & paycuts? Then, yes, it only makes sense that the public outrage is also directed towards them. It makes sense & it is appropriate that police stations, banks, & chain stores are being attacked. They talk about material damages while a new death has been added [to the list]. If personal property is the only thing of interest to them, then the revolters are justified. We have to understand that, when horror does not awaken consciousness, the smell of burning is necessary.
Is it possible that we take no stance amidst all these incidents & the uprising in progress? Can we ever be with the ones who always request "order & calmness?" Who always, even during the [german] occupation [in WW2] or the military regime [1967-1974], they only wanted to "mind their own business & live their own inconsequential life?" Who see "provocation" & "familiar strangers" perpetually & omnipresently? Who always interpret society with a terminology of conspiracy, used to leadership playacting in their inapproachable offices? Let us not be swayed that the incidents concern, each & every time, "those on strike," the "university students," the "youngsters." It's the people who's on the streets these [last few] days, without "central management," "instructors" & "the enlightened avant-guard." The media to be used are deciced freely by every revolter. They concern us, as they [also] concern the residents of Exarchia square who took a stance in what was presented as "hide-&-seek vendetta between policemen & anarchists." During the weekend, they were throwing claypots from their balconies & were demanding that the Riot Squad teams are removed & that chemical spraying stops. They took a stance, they didn't pretend to be Pontius Pilate. They took a stance against state repression. Hence, all of us also need to take a stance.We have to put forth, up, & against our resistance to the imposition of a state of fear & "in cast" [unforgettable statement of the prime conspirator of the aforementioned greek junta, in which he informed greek citizens that he intents to "put greece in the cast"], of a police state.
No State Murder Unanswered
Freedom To All Those Arrested
Silence Is Complicity
The incident happened in Exarchia square, at the intersection of Tzavella & Messologiou streets. A location where any one of us could be at. A location which could part of any neighborhood. The eyewitnesses of the incident report that the murder was predated by a plain word exchange. But the Proud Greek Murderer could not swallow the insult & he took out his gun. & he executed. In cold blood.
This murder is not a random incident. Neither is it isolated. It is yet another link in the endless series of murderous attacks carried out by the various police stations/departments. Let us not forget the murder of the pakistani immigrant in Petrou Ralli street, while he was waiting in the queue to aply for asylum (in a queue where the state itself had directed him to stand). Let us not forget that a woman was murdered recently in Leukimmi, as a result of the Riot Squad's actions, during a march against the installation of a dumpster in their neighborhood. Unfortunately, the list has no end. Let us not forget the tortures perpetrated by policemen in police stations & prisons. Let us not forget the intentionally murderous attitude of the law enforcers, with countless chemicals, fire bombs, shots, beatings, in every instance where people take to the streets, during strikes, student [demonstrations], local issues (it's not long ago that the police choked the entire region around the High Voltage Station in Argyroupoli using teargas & beat up our neighbors). This is their role. Let us not have any illusions: to beat up & to murder so as to transmit the message "we & our bosses are the law, every one resisting will be beaten up mercilessly & there's still more."
& who are their bosses? Could they be the owners of bank branches? Could they be the owners of chain stores? Could it be the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry? Could they be all those pressing for more work from our side with less money & inferior security? Could they be all those getting rich through the the interest rates, while thousands of people deteriorate to despair? Could they be all those using profiteering, both against us & against the producers, through the prices they impose on supermarkets for bare necessities? Could they be the ones who reap super profits in good times while, in bad times, resort to layoffs & paycuts? Then, yes, it only makes sense that the public outrage is also directed towards them. It makes sense & it is appropriate that police stations, banks, & chain stores are being attacked. They talk about material damages while a new death has been added [to the list]. If personal property is the only thing of interest to them, then the revolters are justified. We have to understand that, when horror does not awaken consciousness, the smell of burning is necessary.
Is it possible that we take no stance amidst all these incidents & the uprising in progress? Can we ever be with the ones who always request "order & calmness?" Who always, even during the [german] occupation [in WW2] or the military regime [1967-1974], they only wanted to "mind their own business & live their own inconsequential life?" Who see "provocation" & "familiar strangers" perpetually & omnipresently? Who always interpret society with a terminology of conspiracy, used to leadership playacting in their inapproachable offices? Let us not be swayed that the incidents concern, each & every time, "those on strike," the "university students," the "youngsters." It's the people who's on the streets these [last few] days, without "central management," "instructors" & "the enlightened avant-guard." The media to be used are deciced freely by every revolter. They concern us, as they [also] concern the residents of Exarchia square who took a stance in what was presented as "hide-&-seek vendetta between policemen & anarchists." During the weekend, they were throwing claypots from their balconies & were demanding that the Riot Squad teams are removed & that chemical spraying stops. They took a stance, they didn't pretend to be Pontius Pilate. They took a stance against state repression. Hence, all of us also need to take a stance.We have to put forth, up, & against our resistance to the imposition of a state of fear & "in cast" [unforgettable statement of the prime conspirator of the aforementioned greek junta, in which he informed greek citizens that he intents to "put greece in the cast"], of a police state.
No State Murder Unanswered
Freedom To All Those Arrested
Silence Is Complicity
TGL
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http://tapesgoneloose.blogspot.com