Exarchia - It has begun

Last night the government again attacked the central square where free concerts were taking place, making good on their promise to the neighbourhood's residents the night before:
Anarchists Worldwide said:
As published by the radio station Radiofragmata at 00:56AM, the MAT troops marched through Themistokleous Street to Exarcheia Square and shouted to the passers-by: “You *********, you’re going to experience this every day now!”
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After that, the social center K*Vox was attacked again, after several attempts to approach and reason with the MAT outside had failed. The MAT ended up again throwing tear gas grenades inside as they had to retreat, having again failed to take the squat. A video of the first moments of this attack is here. K*Vox remains standing! :thumbsup:

In response residents attacked several MAT positions throughout the neighbourhood.
 
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From Solidarity Health Officers
Wood after music

Shortly before the day changed, chemistry and monsters were once again closely involved in Exarchia Square and around it. There has been widespread use of chemicals by the police. In this choking environment we had a number of incidents with respiratory problems more severe than those with a loss of consciousness that required the use of volatile salt to restore consciousness and in some cases there was a temporary hearing loss or tinnitus from throwing bombers.

The police presence was extremely aggressive and provocative. We typically mention the brunt of the dummy as they walked up to Solomou Square just before 2 young people with disabilities "what are you looking at karyols" who reportedly had speech and hearing problems that were in shock and needed accompaniment for their decommissioning outside the area , after communicating with them in the sign. As we waited for the police to facilitate their transfer to a safer place, we accepted the insults from the racist commentary squad as well as a flash bomb.

An additional member of our collective who was directed to a person in need of assistance was attacked in the front with a suffocating and two flash-bombs fortunately without any damage to the ELAS squad. leading up to Arachovis. We confirm that the same squad attacked KVOX later and threw chemicals into the area.

Similar incidents have been reported of people being trapped inside shops around the square and a case of throwing flash bombers at a store entrance.
Finally we witnessed a broom operation at 2:30 in the early morning on Themistocles where two platoons tried to encircle and trap a small group of people who were by no means aggressive and chased them for arrest in Jabela, reports 1 man in Benaki. We had Benaki, Koletti & Metaxas by 3:00 in the morning.

All of the above clearly demonstrate the police plan for the area. It is clear that the police want to annihilate those who resist or look different. It gives us the impression that despite the zeal for law enforcement by the police forces, they have not at all touched on organized drug trafficking which continued its activity smoothly despite the presence of the police.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the comrades of K * BOX who offered us a rupee to replenish ours that were exhausted to continue our work.

Solidarity Health
Officers 1/9/2019
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And more teargas fired into the K*Vox but - apparently - without any actual attack this time. Just randomly gassing them, basically. From here
And tonight..
3st time tear gas inside the closed space full of people of vox.
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caveman1917 said:
Most important point is the revelation of the government plan to attack all remaining squats simultaneously on Monday.
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The morning came and passed, no squats were taken, although there were persistent rumours that Nottara 26 would be taken. Exarchia remains standing! :thumbsup:

An update from the migrants who were captured in the first raids on 4 squats last Monday:
Spirou 17 said:
Update about our current situation:
(Eng,Gr)

- Some of us we remain in Schisto camp, still without a place to stay. We were moved here and they tried to make us go to a camp near Thessaloniki, that we refused. For 6 days we are sleeping outside, demanding for a place in Athens to stay since all our life is here for 2 years, our kids are attending school here and some of us are working here. Now they have told us we don't have a place anymore in the camp in Thessaloniki, but anyway they want us out and they have threatened us that if we don't move from here they will call the police to make us leave by force one more time. We are sick and tired from the situation, but we are still resisting.
- In Eleonas camp we are not much better. We have been given half a container for 8 people, where we are piled up like animals in a farm. In addition, some of us have a fragile health condition which requires continuous medical attention, and that is not happening since they moved us here.
- The ones in Skaramagas camp we have a place but we have lost our freedom to move. In first place they didn't let us out and after they have let us go just for while, under time restrictions. We feel like being trapped and imprisoned.
- For the ones that we have "accepted" the place in a camp in the North, we are still waiting for it in a hostel in Thessaloniki. We are isolated and far away from everyone that we know, and to make it worse they have informed us that our cases will remain in Athens and from now on we will have to move there for every interview and legal precedure by our own means and expenses.
- The rest of us, that we have chosen to leave the camps to return back in our neighborhood, we have found place in other squats and self organised places, that they have shown us their active solidarity. However after what happened one week ago we are fearing that we are going to be evicted once again. We are scared about our lifes and our freedom and some of us have chosen to stay on the streets to avoid being chased and arrested for one more time.

They have tried to divide us, but we continue to struggle together, by staying under constant communication. They destroyed our home, but the family that we have created in Trikoupi's community remains united.

Against their repression, solidarity is our weapon and our answer!
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In the meantime, Tuesday morning came and passed, no squats were taken. Exarchia remains standing! :thumbsup:
 
A number of uncivil posts were moved to AAH. You are reminded to maintain a civil voice toward your fellow posters. This holds true even if you don't like what they are saying.
Keep it on topic.
Keep it civil.
The topic is not the other posters.
Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: kmortis
 
Thermal said:
Ok, short version is that squatters (with laudable intent and service to refugees) are being kicked out of the places they have no actual right to be in anyway? Dealers and gang have been active there due to police being cool with the squatters since the '80's, and the cops have kind of lost their patience? Is that the scenario?
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So true conservative heroes like the Bundys? Or not enough threatening law enforcement with guns to meet that criteria?
 
A "mood video" from the demo Saturday:


Most recent: From here. Most important point is that the State is gradually retreating, although it's unknown whether it means a new large-scale operation is imminent or that the balance of power is shifting in the Exarchia's favour.
Yannis Youlountas said:
Since yesterday, the cops are gradually retreat around the neighborhood, sometimes much further than usual. What's going on?

The Police are back in exarcheia: a coup or a result of a failed communication?

The facts are here, we are many to see them: there are fewer mat cars (CRS) and less surveillance posts in and around the neighborhood. Why? This is the question that many are asking today.

Guess 1: the calm before the storm. According to some sources, a new assault would be planned in the next few hours, even more powerful than last Monday's. In which case, the withdrawal of the police would simply be a coup of power to lower the vigilance and mobilization that has been rising in the last few days.

Guess 2: this unexpected withdrawal would be the result of the anger of homestay. Are they complaining more and more about police abuse in the neighborhood, incessant blow, repeated heckles to the point of confuse solidarity from other countries with tourists going to eat at the local restaurant, insults and brutality in front of their eyes Near the feared surveillance posts, shocking breaks several times free and family concerts in the square, fascists on the outfits of many police and on those of the types in civil at their side, police aggression against the social centre Self K * VOX during which the closed place was gassed to the point of endangered the lives of people blocked inside. In Short, it's the raz le bowl at many and the discussions are going well, even in people. Are D ' exarcheia who do not attend our places and collective.

[SNIP]
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Edited by kmortis: 
Snipped to comply with Rule 6
 
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This is not quite to the point, but I think that all activists should know about this neat trick. I didn't know that you could do that with tear gas!
 
In the meantime...

One more squat, Tsamadou 19, was attacked and smashed up by the MAT but they didn't keep it.

Exarchia remains standing! :thumbsup:

caveman1917 said:
The first night hasn't even passed yet, it's a bit early to tell who's asserting what
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There are way too many solidarity actions and events taking place all over the world to report on, so I'll just stick to instances of property rights being asserted since Thermal seemed particularly interested in that.

Property rights were asserted over the Greek consulate in Munich, Germany as well as 4 buildings in Magdeburg, Germany.


The owner of the K*Vox squat (the one which got nightly attacks several times as per the reports above) was contacted by the Public Prosecutor to request them filing a complaint about their property being occupied so it could be evicted (they can't evict unless the owner files a complaint) but the owner has refused to do so. The Public Prosecutor then launched the theory that maybe, at some point, some offence might have been committed inside the squat so an investigation team is poised to force entry just to make sure. For this another 220 cops will be assigned to MAT duty in Exarchia (above the 2000 already engaged).
 
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caveman1917 said:
In the meantime...

One more squat, Tsamadou 19, was attacked and smashed up by the MAT but they didn't keep it.

Exarchia remains standing! :thumbsup:



There are way too many solidarity actions and events taking place all over the world to report on, so I'll just stick to instances of property rights being asserted since Thermal seemed particularly interested in that.

Property rights were asserted over the Greek consulate in Munich, Germany as well as 4 buildings in Magdeburg, Germany.


The owner of the K*Vox squat (the one which got nightly attacks several times as per the reports above) was contacted by the Public Prosecutor to request them filing a complaint about their property being occupied so it could be evicted (they can't evict unless the owner files a complaint) but the owner has refused to do so. The Public Prosecutor then launched the theory that maybe, at some point, some offence might have been committed inside the squat so an investigation team is poised to force entry just to make sure. For this another 220 cops will be assigned to MAT duty in Exarchia (above the 2000 already engaged).
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Interesting that the paper owner of the K*Vox isn't filing a complaint for eviction, that the prosecutor has requested. Does anyone know why? Is the paper owner sympathetic?

eta: also interesting is how far right the US is, I forget sometimes. When this kind of conflict happens in the States, the place gets firebombed. US law enforcement tends not to be so restrained.
 
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Thermal said:
Interesting that the paper owner of the K*Vox isn't filing a complaint for eviction, that the prosecutor has requested. Does anyone know why? Is the paper owner sympathetic?
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I don't know why, but sympathy is a good bet. It should, hopefully, be clear by now that the government's story is a load of BS. There's a lot (meaning relative to the US, not "a lot" in absolute terms) of sympathy for the squats throughout Greek, and generally European, society. It's a political division that runs straight through society with a particular center of gravity in Exarchia, as can be seen for example by neighbourhood residents attacking MAT positions in solidarity with those holed up under surveillance in the squats.

eta: also interesting is how far right the US is, I forget sometimes. When this kind of conflict happens in the States, the place gets firebombed. US law enforcement tends not to be so restrained.
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It's because you're missing the entire left half of the political spectrum ever since the Red Scares, and somehow managed to argue yourselves into believing that liberals represent the political left. Instead of a culture of solidarity with resistance[*] you have a culture of thoughts and prayers with protest[*]. It's the same reason why you don't have free universal healthcare, free universal education, paid vacation, labour protections, etc.

To be clear, it's not because the State in the US is inherently more far-right. Most of the Athens police voted for Golden Dawn (a neo-nazi group) and, with some other factors, most of the MAT forces actually engaged in Exarchia can be expected to consist largely of politically outright fascists. What you're missing is something that reigns them in.

USA

State: "We're going to evict a squat to throw migrants into camps."
Liberal "leftists": "We'll write a strongly worded opinion piece on how immoral you are."
State: "Meh." *proceeds to evict the squat*

State: "We're going to firebomb a squat."
Liberals: "We're going to write two strongly worded opinion pieces on how immoral you are."
State: "Meh." *proceeds to firebomb a squat*

State: "We're going to firebomb a neighbourhood."
Liberals: "We're going to write a front page11!1!1!!!11!! strongly worded opinion piece on how immoral you are."
State: "Meh." *proceeds to firebomb a neighbourhood*

Greece

State: "We're going to evict all the squats to throw migrants into camps."
Leftists: "We're going to smash up your consulates all over the world as well your party offices."
State: *calculates...* "Well maybe just a couple of squats then."

State: "We're going to firebomb a squat."
Leftists: "We're going to give you generalized insurrection."
State: *calculates...* "Hmmm maybe just not yet."

State: "We're going to firebomb a neighbourhood."
Lefists: "How about getting to experience that nice titillating experience of having to run for your lives from your palaces?"
State: *quickly calculates...* "Yeah maybe better not do that."



[*] As for the distinction between protest and resistance:
Ulrike Meinhof said:
Protest is when I say this does not please me. Resistance is when I ensure what does not please me occurs no more.
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