Greek Revolt: Updates 20th - 22nd March

One way or another, the planet will become Red ...
... or red and full of life
... or red because of the running blood.

- Wolf Biermann

Even if it is a commonplace, someone can not start from any other finding but from the fact that we are in the most difficult and critical historical timing of the last 70 years. Since the crisis erupted in December 2008, millions of words have been spoken and written, but we believe it has not been reached the essence of the crisis.

We will try to approach the situation from another perspective. We do not claim for having the absolute truth. Criterion of whether it is worth any opinion is the degree of verifiability or falsifiability.

In simple words, the introduction of machine in the production led the animal work to become useless. Automation and robotics have made unnecessary the work of human. After the wave of de-industrialization that swept across the West in 1980, has been created an artificial overpopulation. Millions of people during the notional (de: fiktiv) recovery, recovery that was based essentially on debt, were comfortable in a parasitic tertiary sector.

Now, in the crisis, they throw all these people on the streets. They have the audacity (de: Künheit) to say that after the recovery, unemployment not only will not decrease but increase. But my opinion is that any recovery will be sluggish (de: anämisch). The general trend (de: Tendenz) will be downwards (de: abstiegs). This crisis will not be overcome by by economical conditions. If the crisis of 1929 was overcome after the horrors of fascism and war, the current crisis will need bigger disasters to be overcome. Perhaps those who hold the fate of the planet in their hands are more prudent (de: vernünftig) than those of 1929? When someone judges their actions, then she/he can not be quiet about them.

Is it inevitable (de: unvermeidlich) this direction to barbarism and destruction? If we will remain to be an inert (de: untätig) mass and leave their fate (de: Glück) to some 'charismatic' leaders this will be the result. But if we take the situation into our own hands and decide to be us ourselves who will shape our future, then the path will be different. Specifically, our country has been proved as the weak link (de: Ring) in the system. The bankruptcy is prescribed (de: entwerfen) since years now. Whoever thinks that this is a trick, not only she/he is wrong but also commits a crime. This became obvious during the protests by farmers. A massive and dynamic movement led to the defeat precisely because it had the wrong targets. The same fate would have any other struggles in future which would rely on requests and targets that the system is unable to respond.

A movement to be effective in the today's conditions of chaos and dissolution (de: Auflösung) should be aimed, not at the distribution of goods, but to claim for the control of production and distribution (de: Verteilung), minimum of basic goods, nutrition, health and education, services of public interests (de: öffentliche Einrichtungen) and of course the banking system. How? Through a movement of committees that will require (de: erfordern) for taking the situation into their own hands through a CONVENTION OF COMMITTEES (KONSTITUTIONELL VERSAMLUNG) with alternately (de: anklagen, gr: ενακλητούς) representatives that their salary will not exceed (de: überschreiten) the salary of a skilled worker.

Who can participate in the committees? All those who are not employers. It is self-understood that for the Convention can claim representation all those people who have the right for voting.

This is one way to be diverted the social tensions creatively. Otherwise the social rivalries (de: Gegensätzlichkeit), within this climate of generalized nihilism and social Darwinism, will only be destructive. Sure social peace is preferable than violence, but if you want peace then follow the advice of old Cato “si vis pacem paro belum” (If you want peace prepare for war). But not with the way of some kids who have ridden the pole and pretend to be Zorro. Someone should tell them that the nihilism today is an expression of the middle class that sees the death of itself. The revolutioner expresses the optimism of the world that gets born.


- S. Katsaros (auf deutsch hier)

_Saturday 20th March 2010_ (by Carlos Marxos / IMC - auf deutsch)

*"Friendly visits" of civil cops to all the neighbors of the murdered Fighter Lambros. In Ampelokipi district of Athens, the police authorities and the anti-"terrorist" team visit all the blocks of buildings on entire streets looking for informers (de: Denuziant) about the murdered Lambros Fountas. At the same time they are opening files for the whole neighborhood! ... Obviously it was not profitable the call from the cops to citizens for anonymous and safe telephone information (de: Denuziantentum)to their own quiz about "what we can learn about Lambros Fountas". Obviously, there were also not profitable the rest of the cop-researches and interrogations, as regretfully "inform" us from televisions, radios and newspapers the most "experienced" (.. and closer to police authorities and anti-"terrorist" team) police authors. Thus, as the last few days so last Friday, they systematically harass the entire neighborhood of murdered Fighter Lambros, trying almost by force to turn the neighbors into 'informants'! ... They have clearly exceeded the "expected" and less or more known "criminology" of civil-cops, using the "approach" of more social neighbors, such as owners of kiosks, shopkeepers and others ... who, eh, "of course they should know". Around a very large length and distance from the house of the murdered, "crews" of state security enter into blocks of buildings, ring bells, enter into houses and begin "politely" the questioning of residents. Questions like "have you seen him?", "did you know him?", "who were his friends?", "have you noticed something 'curious'...?», etc are the first ones and the most 'soft' to the 'logic', meanwhile waving a finger in front of the residents face and offering them an informer's career. The "crews" record the answers, the data of each person and ask for phone numbers. They leave "reminding" that "if you forgot anything, if you will remember something, then contact us ...". In simple words, beside the inquiry of life and human, neighboring etc space of Lambros after the murder - inquiry extended directly away from Athens & Attica, to Corinth, to Agrinio, to villages of Aitoloakarnania - is in and goes an entire enterprise, which is "mini" typical, but in reality gives to the authorities folders of the whole neighborhood, hundreds of homes and thousands of People! ...

*Around 700 people demonstrated in honor to Lambros Fountas through the district of Dafne, where he was murdered by cops. Some neighbors were waiting in front of their doors since early. Some others were watching with fear on their eyes through their windows. Also undercover copss all around the area ... Photos

*Strong bomb explosion in front of the Migrants' Transit Center in Athens (central prison for migrants' deportation). Two phone-calls to a newspaper and a TV-station took place 20 minutes before the bomb went off, asking from cops to evacuate the area.

*Attack with Molotov cocktails against special police forces who continuously occupy the district of Exarcheia in Athens every single night.




_Sunday 21st March 2010_ (by Carlos Marxos / IMC)

*Gathering in front of Venna's migrants' "welcome" center by 100 leftists and members of No Border team, together with a big number of lawyers and doctors. The cops - special police' forces, civil pigs, common pigs, etc - attacked the protesters without any reason. As a result, blood ran again from two protesters' heads and the cops blocked ILLEGALY the doctors and lawyers to enter the building and check the survival conditions inside. The special pigs' forces did not hesitate to throw also stones against the protesters and arrest three of them. The arrested persons were transferred to the town of Komotini, where also other people tried to travel but the busses were blocked by cops.

* Video from the clashes in 1985, during the squat of the Chemistry University in Athens, when a punch of anarchists / authoritarians took seriously their political role and decided to bring in praxis their social rights after the murder of Michalis Kaltezas from a fascist cop. The shot was - for one more time in the historical chain of cop barbarities - on the back side of Michalis' head. On the pictures of the video is filmed the time of cops' violent attack against the squatters after the smashes of several bank agencies. Historically, we face the same practical methods of authorities with the police repression attacks reminding of cold war's times. The big political and economical "change" of the authorities is born in reality with the murder of one more human because of political reasons.

- Μax Κeizer on the Greek Debt Crisis: "...Chase away the financial terrorists of Goldman Sachs and Wall Street ..."

- Jayati Ghosh about the economical crisis in Greece (youtube)

_Monday 22nd March 2010_ (from After the Greek Riots)


*The urban guerrilla group “Conspiracy of Cells of Fire – Guerrilla Group of Terrorists” claimed the responsibility for the bomb that destroyed completely the central offices of the fascist, para-government organization Chrisi Avgi (Golden Dawn), for the bomb that was placed outside the Police Directorship for Immigrants in Petrou Ralli street, and for the bomb that hit the house of the vice-president of the Greek-Pakistani Union. They claimed the actions through a communique, entitled “Dilemmas in time of war”, and is published in Athens IMC. The communique is quite long and has historical facts and their point of view about the issue of the immigrants and the reaction of the native population since 1990 and until the recent law about nationality. They also present some facts about the fascist organization Chrisi Avgi and show (as many people already know) that it is actually a group controlled by the police and the secret services. The text ends with two announcements, the first talks about the upgrade of the repression, the arrests that happen in relation to their organization, and their view about a new strategy that the urban guerrilla groups should follow. The second announcement is about Lambros Fountas, in honor of whom they chose to name for this action the cell that realized the bombings as “Commando Lambros Fountas”.



Photo: "Lambros is one of us" - Poster at the place of Lambros Foundas' killing in Dafne district, Athens

Greek Revolt: Updates 12th - 15th March

" ... Mother, I will not sit on my ass to become a houseman, slave and servant, submissive of the lords. Give me the light sword and the heavy rifle, to run up to the mountains and join my comrades ..." (Greek anarchist poster)

By Carlos Marxos Indymedia

(auf Deutsch hier)

__Friday 12th March 2010__

* The trial of the fascists about the events of the past days in Chania town on Crete island started today. Among them a well-known fascist Mr Karefylakis, responsible for organizing many fascistic teams in the town who act against immigrants and people who support the immigrants. The fascists are already sure that they will not be judged after being backed up by Nea Dimokratia and LAOS (right wing and fascistic parliament parties) who are involved in para-judge cycles. (watch also older update)

* The Confederation of Blind People condemns the cops that they sprayed tear-gas in front of their faces during the General Strike demonstration in Athens, despite that the police could make out that the protestors of the certain block were blind because of the well-known white sticks they used to hold on their hands.

* The rectorship of the Polytechnical University in Athens called for a senate after many pressures from students because of the entrence of cops in the Campus of Zografou district on 21st February (watch older update). The announcement: Decision of Rectors' Senate in National Polytechnical University, Athens 12th March 2010 We are witnessing a period when the government takes a frontal assault against the rights of youth and workers. On the opposite side has already become apparent the social discontent (de: Mißfallen) which is reflected in the mass struggles and strikes throughout the latter period. The attack on Asylum is part of the government policy and it is part of the plan is to remove social achievements (de: Errungenschaften). The Asylum is a historical achievement and had an important role for the struggles after the fall of the military junta. As this is non-negotiable for the entire academic community and therefore must be condemned, from any part of the Academic Community, any police intervention in asylum areas; interventions which can happen from the police authorities after the law of Ms Giannakou. The Polytechnichal Community with full awareness (de: in Kenntnis) of the deserved political responsibility and under the fact that we have defended the Asylum during limit and critical situations, both for the building complex at Patission Street and for the Polytechnical Campus in Zografou district, after the recent events on Sunday 21st February, we state that: A. The invitation of police forces does not face the alleged (de: angeblichen) violent actions by unknown persons which take place in the Institutions. In contrast, it upgrades the feeling of fear in the Higher Educational Institutes and contributes to the upgrading of repression and debate on the need for removal of Asylum law. B. The decisions to break the University Asylum require the consent of the Senate (collective expression of the university community). The assignment (de: Abtretung) of the decisions' rights to the Rector Shapes according to the Framelaw of Ms Giannakou is a trap and must not be applied. C. The certain decision of the Rectorship on 21st February can not and also must not create a precedent. Because there is a risk to get to what was experienced recently in the German Universities, namely braking the Asylum against the student and popular movement and the free movement of ideas. D. The polytechnical community will not tolerate any discussion of abolishing or restricting Asylum.


__Saturday 13th February 2010__

* Actions on the Exarcheia square against heroin dealers and other state repression methods still go on. And to remind for one more time: after the election of the new social-democratic government in October, the Exarcheia district were occupied by special pigs' forces any single night. After the resistance of the residents to this occupation, the government decided to move the heroin dealing in Exarcheia. We shall not also forget the cases that some kilos of heroin were also found on war-ships of NATO.

* Info Demonstration through the district of Chalandri against the government's and EU's economical measures. In the action participated out-parliamentary communistic organizations and residents of the neighbourhood. Fotos

* Intervention in a speech of Anna Diamantopoulou, education minister, by unpaid and unemployed educators. The fiesta of the minister had to make with the new laws for the education stractures she wants to vote, a new stracture that gives less money for education and employes less teachers. On the video, one of her body-guards tries to push away the protestors and his gun appears on common view. (Video)

* Intervention in front of a church in Ioannina town. The protestors rised plakats asking for the church fund property to be transfered to the public sector and ceperate the churche's relationships with the government.

* Action in Thessaloniki in memory of the anarchist Lambros Fountas, killed by cops on 10th March 2010. 10 luxurious, government and private security services vehicles were looted all around the town.


__Sunday 14th March 2010__

* Free translation from anarchy press: "Crowd Management ", another name for repression.

Practical and immediately began to be expressed the solidarity of Chancellor Merkel and the German state to Georgey (Greek priminister) and the Greek state. That's why today departed for Berlin the head of Greek Police Mr E. Oikonomou and the director of Special Violence Crimes' Treatement Division (anti-terrorist division) Mr Alkiviadis Tzoitis, in order to meet in the base of German Federal Police for Crime's Prosecution with their counterparts there "to exchange experiences and lessons for dealing on topics about models of big cities' policing, the organization and function of police units for searching and investigating serious forms of organized crime and terrorism, the protection of VIP's, as well as best practices regarding the management of a large number of protests and demonstrations". What seems to be in their immediate priorities, is directly related to the "management of the crowd" of the oppressed people and they are well aware that soon they will be kicked away by this crowd ... But the plans always fail as the people's wisdoms say and especially when these plans are published shamelessly ... Also this visit can not be considered as irrelevant by the analysis of the staffs of those in power, which show that the confrontational mood of the people is already in high levels. It would be wise from the side of the managers of powers to know that it will not be possible to "manage" the crowd and to suppress the anger of the oppressed people, when the anger will explode ...


__Monday 15th March 2010__

* The fascistic attacks on Creta island still go on. Early in the mourning fascists looted immigrants' cars.

* Workers of Public Electricity Company squatted symbolically the offices of OAED (public job office) in Alimos district of Athens, Ptolemaida town and Megalopoli. The workers condemn their wage and pensions cut-outs, stating also that the government dismisses workers while the working hours of employes get more and more. The workers also announced a 48-hours on 16th and 17th of March.

* The building of Imathia Prefecture in Veroia town squatted since early in the mourning from workers of United Textiles who are not paid for the last 12 months of their work. They also ask for the factories to start functioning again condemning the bosses that made profits against them and then shut down the business. The workers will also squat the building tomorrow. Meanwhile their co-workers of ELITE shoe factory are unemployed for four months now despite the government's promises that the shoe factory would not be closed.

* The doctors of Aglaia Kyriakou Children's Hospital in Athens and University Hospital in Larissa town under job retention since today. The doctors are not payed since November for their extra hours, when the hospitals are open during nights etc. They also condemn the lack of doctors, nurses and equipment in the hospitals which get under danger the lives of patients. On 24-hours strike tomorrow the nurses all around Greece against the cut-outs of their wages and condemning the lack of nurses in hospitals all around Greece.

* The Federation of Benzin-stations Owners announced a 24-hours strike on 18th of March.

* Wine producers and wine traders blocked the Corinthe - Tripolis Highway at Nemea town condemning economical facts of their sector and the lack of state support to farmers.

* 5 persons of the 11 arrested during the General Strike demonstration in Athens are accused with heavy crimes. One of them must stay in pre-jail custody according to the "hoodie-law" which was voted by the last government. The judge authorities decided to pre-jail him despite the fotos which prove that on the time of his arrest his face was not covered. (Fotos of the arrests, the guy with the rasta, scroll down; video of the certain arrest, 2'32" - 2'46")

Farewell to our comrade Lambros Fountas

Our comrade Lambros Fountas fell dead from the bullets of Greek police on early Wednesday morning in the suburb of Dafni (south Athens). He was 35 years old. The circumstances of his death are far from being clear. The police reclaims that he was shot during a gunfight, but it seems rather to have been a cold-blooded killing, because there are reports that he was hit on his left shoulder blade (which means he was hit from the back). Moreover, the police speaks now of three suspects allegedly surprised to steal a car in Dafni and prepared to carry out a "terrorist attack" on that day, but so far they weren't able to prove these conjectures. According to the police the two other comrades could escape during the alleged fire-exchange and are still at large. (An article about the events from the Greek newspaper Epochi, weekly aligned to SYRIZA, the Coalition of the Radical Left, is here, in English and German).

After Lambros' killing many houses around Attica have been searched by the police, while the Greek anarchists plastered the streets of Athens with posters to his honor. The Anarchist Archive, one of the oldest, most traditional and best-known anarchist groups in Greece, has published a farewell-text in the memory of Lambros Fountas, and also the revolutionary Giorgis Voutsis Voyatzis, imprisoned for bank robbery in Athens, has communicated a short letter of hommage to the killed comrade.

*Giorgos Voutsis Voyatzis, "A few words from the prison" (translation by Libcom.org; in German here)

Comrade Lambros was a true exemplar of a struggles for all of us. A real revolutionary, sworn enemy of apraxia - idleness or lack of praxis. Simple, sober, eclectic and decided. UNTIL THE END, LEADER OF HIS OWN SELF. Besides, he made no contract with life so that he cheated on it. A contract with life is signed by those who divorce from the choice of just-praxis or dikaiopraxia. Consider these not so big-phrased but honest words a last farewell to a comrade and combatant of freedom. Let praxis and actions speak ...

*Anarchist Archive of Athens, "Lambros our comrade"

(Translation from Act for freedom now - Spanish translation here & here - French - German)

The struggle of those who fight against all forms of power, who are anxious that each moment should not be wasted and who stubbornly maintain the belief that we are capable of creating a free and non-authoritarian world, is as distant from any kind of mythology or fiction as the earth is from the moon.

This struggle has had, has and will have countless casualties; dead, captured, and people who desist because they lose hope or compromise themselves because the powers that be have found the low or high price to buy them off.

Those seeking saints, martyrs or messiahs, or heroes and mythical beasts, are ultimately no different from those who do not miss the opportunity to point the finger at the scoundrels, the black sheep, the criminally suspect and those who politically have already lost. Both the superior beings depicted by one side and the extremist creatures from the other are equally expendable. In either case the purpose is to keep everyone sedated and docile, despite what the proponents of either side might claim.

Some ecstatically speak of those 'sacrificed', while the others piously try to measure the political loss. It is of little importance whether this convergence is achieved due to fanaticism or delusion, ignorance or expediency, for reasons of political visibility and survival or practising dogmatism. Those who are supposed to object shout to convince everyone that they have unfinished business with them, but this fraud is difficult to conceal. But so be it. This scenario is true and played to death, but the beaten path is always the most secure. Always? Or maybe it is not?

The following words, and those preceding them, are not the product of an obligation or sense of duty. Nor are they part of any revolutionary obituary. They are far away from and hostile to any attempt to mythologizing, ownership, engaging or disengaging, against the mud slung and the depreciation, which authority is already trying to spread after the disclosure of the identity and photograph of a dead "terrorist" following a gunfight with cops in Daphne. Lambros Fountas, who fell dead in a shootout with the crew of the police squad car in the area of Daphne is known for his anarchist activities.

From his years as a high school student he was socially active and would later join the anarchist group MAVRO AGATHI (Black Thorn), who issued the DROMI TIS ORGIS (Streets of Rage) 'zine/pamphlet/serial. He was active and participated in marches, rallies, social conflicts, demonstrations, flyposting, discussions and social events.

He was one of the thousands of young people not enrolled at the time with any political youth party involved in the student occupations, demonstrations and clashes prior to and after the murder of Professor N. Temponera in Patras. Those young people were inspired by the insurrectional events of January 1991 as well as anarchist ideas and practices that they appropriated with a vitality which words are incapable of describing. The anarchist group Black Thorn, until its dissolution, participated in the Co-operation of Anarchist Groups and Individuals for Social Solidarity and Diverse Action.

During the occupation of the Polytechnical University of Athens in 1995 for the anniversary of the 1973 Uprising, Lambros Fountas was among the 504 who were arrested by the repressive state forces that invaded the university grounds on the morning of November 18th. He was, therefore, among so many young people of a generation that the politically correct were quick to describe as lost. Among all those who chose their partners' hand and travelled the 1990s from protest to protest, from roadblock to roadblock, standing in solidarity with passion in every social aspect, who chose to confront power with their rights and their wrongs, their differences amongst themselves and their stubbornness, confounding the authority that wanted them to simply be passers by in the social struggles. Not that there weren't any such people. Quite the contrary. Since then I have met up with Lambros and been side by side many times in marches, roadblocks and clashes.

We solemnly believe that what the people who fight leave behind them, is what they really contribute and is not superficial to the liberation process from the shackles of oppression and exploitation. This is a legacy that transcends any needs, decisions and choices.

Because the means are not an end in themselves and don't differentiate those fighting, but rather reveal possibilities, they don't sanctify those who choose one or another form, nor do they put anyone on a pedestal. There are no unknown comrades who have been unfairly lost. Nor is the point principally, in these situations, the search for operational errors.

Equally, however, we do not agree with the logic that explanations are the privilege of priests, initiates or those well-educated in internal affairs or with those who deal with cases and craft scenarios all the time, that the answer may begin and end with motto: loss is a necessary evil. Our position must be straightforward and outspoken.

We close, saying goodbye to Lambros with an Indian wish (and certainty): The next time (we meet) will be better!

Anarchist Archive of Athens 11/3/10"

Anarchist Lambros Fountas killed by the police in Athens

35 year-old anarchist comrade Lambros Fountas was killed by the police on Wednesday morning at 05:40 in the suburb of Dafni (south Athens). According to a report from "Occupied London", the police is claiming that he was a “terrorist” and that he was shot while trying to steal a car, and that was carrying firearms. Fountas was one of the over 500 anarchists arrested at the Polytechnic riots of 1995, in Athens. (Photos from the place of shooting; updates on Lambros here, in the commentary section).

The flier reads "HONOR TO THE ANARCHIST LAMBROS FOUNTAS"