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Monday+Tuesday (12/22-23): Reports from Greece

dim | 24.12.2008 05:56 | Repression | Social Struggles | World

Police threating of raiding the Polytechnic University, occupants are not backing down. Protests continue.

On Monday there weren't many actions or protests. The rumor that the police may raid the Polytechnic University was strong all day. In Greece police is forbidden by law to enter the grounds of universities and can only do so if the senate gives them permission. A new law however states that the police may enter without the permission if there are felonies committed inside the university. It was said that the police wanted to raid on Saturday night but the academics didn't permit the intrusion. The occupants have decided that they will leave when they decide to and that the police's threats are not scaring them. Today they organized a big solidarity gig inside the university. After the gig there was an assembly between the occupants and the solidarists about the future of the occupation. The assembly kept going until well after 5am and it was decided that the occupation will probably end the following day (Tuesday) and they called for a new assembly on Tuesday afternoon.
Article about the situation:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=953020

In Thessaloniki, the building of the municipal library was occupied and the first public assembly was held in the afternoon. This occupation sure woke a lot of memories because this is the building that the famous squat Villa Varvara used to be(1994-99).

On Tuesday morning, offices of the far-right political party were attacked with a small exploding device, in Alimos (Athens).

In 5:50am, an ambiguous incident took place in Goudi (Athens). Someone opened fire against a police van, using an AK-47. There were 19 cops in the van at that point, nobody got hurt. The police first said that two shots were fired but later said they were seven. All the shots hit either the lower part of the van, or the road. This incident took place in a time that raises a lot of questions and it is almost certainly a provoking act! In the afternoon there was a supposedly call at one news portal and somebody claimed responsibility. Here are some facts why this is probably a provocative act: a) The shots were shot from inside a university campus, when everybody is trying to keep the sanctuary against the police wills to violate it, this incident is making things easier for the police, b) the news portal called to claim responsibility is run by a well-known rat reporter, c) the caller didn't mention the motivation or said that a communique will follow as it usually happens, d) the shots were too low on the bus, nobody would have planned an attack like that, especially with an AK-47 in the middle of the city if there was no will for casualties, like in this incident. All the above facts and more, conclude that the incident was a provocative act, planned by the cops themselves or someone else, to hurt the movement and the revolt.

During the afternoon the big demonstration in Athens took place with 3000-5000 people taking part. In the begging of the demonstration there was some tension and one police car was turned over but the rest of the demonstration was peaceful. Students also had a gathering outside the ministry of education.
Photos:  http://troktiko.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_372.html
 http://prezatv.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_1547.html

During today's assembly and talks about the future of the occupation in the Polytechnic University, there was a new threat from the cops saying that if the university is not emptied, the cops will raid. The effort to scare off the occupants worked the other way around for the cops and although the occupants had decided to end the occupation, this threat made them change their mind. A lot of people arrived at the university in order to defend it if the police tried to invade but the cops made no move. The occupants are clearly stating that the cops will not gonna have the last word on when the occupation will end. It will end when the occupants decide to and the threats by the cops just makes them stronger and angrier!

The assembly of the occupants of the Law school decided that the occupation of the school will end today. A number of occupants did not agree with the decision and they want to remain in the building. It is unknown if they'll stick with their decision. The end of the occupation does not mean the end of the protest but the fatigue is inevitable after so long.

In Nea Philadelphia (Athens) a demonstration took place in the afternoon. Slogans were written on the walls and banks' windows and some surveillance cameras were destroyed. The demonstration was followed by two riot squads. When it reached the local police station, two more riot squads appeared. The protesters threw paint, rocks and oranges to the cops. The cops threw teargas and moved closer to the protesters. When the demonstration ended, the riot cops came even closer and some protesters made a picket line facing the cops to protect the rest of the protesters. The residents and passersby started too calling the cops to go away. When they did, some protesters left and some stayed for an assembly to decide further actions.

In Serres an huge banner was unfolded at night on the city's acropolis on which was written: “Don't let them humiliate you, resist. Free all the arrestees now”

Two videos from the city of Larisa were published today, showing "infuriated citizens" (that is parastate right-wing thugs and cops in plain clothes) looking for protesters with sticks in their hands. Among them was the mayor of Larissa and you can hear him calling the “citizens” to “take justice into their own hands”!
Videos:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=954160

Here are various articles and communiques about the arrestees in Larissa, most of them minors, who are charged with heavy felonies and are prosecuted according to the counter-terrorism law:
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=952918

dim

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