News from Greece

Greece: Anarchist Solidarity Demo for Timo Behrendt
Date Wed, 20 Jun 2007 a-infos

On Sunday 17-6-2007 more than 150 anarchists, following a demo waving black flags through the streets of Salonica with cars, buses and motorbikes, arrived at Diavata Prison at exactly the time that the prisoners were in the yard to hold a solidarity demo to Timo Behrendt from Germany. Timo was arrested on the 20th February 2007 after a solidarity concert which was organised by students in the "University of Thessaloniki" to those accused for taking part into student riots
against a proposed education bill that shook Greek for almost a year.
After the end of the concert, there was a quarrel with the police
because they wanted to clear the place. Timo from Berlin that had
helped with the concert, was brutally arrested by the police in the
late evening. Allegedly he had taken part in the protest against the
police interference. There is no evidence for this accusation and
merely police witnesses claim to have seen him. Even at the date of
the habeas corpus - in front of an enormous, supporting audience - no
further evidence could be brought forward. Since 24th February the
non-previously convicted person has been imprisoned and awaits trial
that may take place up to 18 months after his imprisonment. He can
only be visited by his family.

The anarchist solidarity demo, which was guarded by riot police
almost caused a prison riot since those gathered and the prisoners
for almost an hour were shouting along political slogans with just a
wall separating them. The prison guards that could not handle the
situation locked themselves up waiting for the anarchist demo to end.

THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN ANY PRISON CELL

Greece: Anarchist Solidarity Demo for Timo Behrendt outside the
prison that he is held

Photos from the demo can be found at
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=722213

Video from the demo outside Diavata prison can be found at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSHjXm69Yzg

The video can be downloaded from
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=722213#722220

Letter by two imprisoned anarchists in Greece

Thursday, June 21 2007 Infoshop News

Greek anarchists Tsourapas and Kontorevithakis were arrested earlier this month (see here) and were badly beaten by the police (more).

Following is a letter they released on the morning of the 21st of June, only a few hours before their 20 year old female friend was forced out of the hospital were she was treated and into Korydallos prison, thanks to an order by the attorney general and without completing her treatment.

There's a war going on, whether we like it or not. At this war everyone takes a stance, a position. The so-called "neutral", i.e. those who chose the silence of neutrality, do no other than contributing to the strengthening of sovereignty.

We no longer tolerate the crimes initiated in the school cells, mental health institutions and prisons and which continue via waged slavery, or in other words, the institutionalised robbing of thousands of labourers. We no longer tolerate a society sinking into the mire of consumption frenzy and indifference: A society doing no more than bowing to sovereignty, allowing the imperialist wars of the new Rome, of the Pax Americana and its obedient allies, which leave countless dead behind them (Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Palestine) in the name of the enforcement of a democratic totalitarianism.

It is for these reasons that we chose to take part in this war as anarchists on the side of the revolution, knowing from the beginning the repercussions of our decision. A revolution that, in the words of Rosa Luxembourg, "knows how to say I was, I am and I will be". A revolution that knows no other than attack.

We express our solidarity to political prisoners who, whether accepting the charges against them or not, are currently in prison.

Finally, we do not wish to talk about our case neither to comment on our beatings, the information leaks of the police concerning supposed gathered information nor do we wish to demand anything for us. We do, however, want to denounce the unjust pre-trial detention of the 20-year old female student of the Economic University of Athens who had absolutely nothing to do with our attempted action.

It is provocative to imprison a 20-year old human with the only "incriminating" evidence against her being a friendship, while at the same time defrauders like Tsitouridis and Papamarkakis* are on the loose, despite stealing 800 million Euros from the greek people, and continue their robbing activity unharmed.

INFORMERS ABACK -COMRADES, ONWARD!

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES BY ALL MEANS UNTIL THE FINAL VICTORY

THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN ANY PRISON

REVOLUTION FIRST AND ALWAYS

M. Tsourapas
Fourth Wing, Korydallos Prison, Athens

Ch. Kontorevithakis
Aulona Prison

*Ex-Minister of Labour Savvas Tsitouridis was forced to resign in late April this year after it was revealed that he and his associates were involved in a scandalous sale of government bonds to state pension funds.