101 anarchists arrested after resquat villa amelia (athens)

[Sasha]

Villa Amalias re-squatted and re-evicted – biggest number of anarchists detained in 15 years

UPDATE, 11.45 am. If the numbers of detentions are confirmed (101 in Villa Amalias and 40 at the Democratic Left) this would mean today’s police operation will have seen the biggest number of anarchists detained at least since the 1998 Polytechnic riots.

At approximately 07:30 on January 9, dozens of people re-squatted Villa Amalias this morning, hanging a banner writing: “Squat for Ever – Villa Amalias”. Almost immediately, riot police that encircled the building threw tear gas inside. At approximately 09:20, the police’s special forces (EKAM) smashed the building’s windows and raided it anew, detaining 101 people who was inside.

Meanwhile – at approximately the same time – around 40 anarchists in solidarity occupied the HQ of DIMAR (Democratic Left Party), which participates in the governmental coalition. Police raided this building as well, detaining the occupiers.
Pictures, vids and updates @ http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2013/01/09/villa-amalias-re-squatted-and-re-evicted/

[Sasha]

Greek police leak plan to evict 40 political squats across the country; http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2013/01/10/greek-police-leak-plan-to-evict-40-squats-across-the-country/

[La Guaneña]

Damn, has anyone been released yet?

:(

[Sasha]

I believe 93 comrades are still in jail and will be brought for the investigative judge today.

[Sasha]

“We will do it again, as many times as it takes”: statement by the 93 arrested from inside the police HQ

Greek original

Nothing less than our non-negotiable position for social spaces that we support and they support us in return. Nothing other than what we say and what we do all these years in squats, in self-organised spaces, in demonstrations, at strikes and in the streets.

For this reason, the authorities that placed armed guards outside Villa Amalias could never cause us to be disappointed, to break our morale, to make us stop, to give up.

Today, January 9th, us comrades re-occupied the building of Villa Amalias under the nose of the repressive forces that were guarding it. A building linked with the history of the subversive movement for the past 22 years, but also with the ideals that it signifies for us.

From the first moment a banner was unwrapped and a PA system was set up in order to read out texts. At the same time, hundreds of people in solidarity gathered around the squat. Two hours later, and without the presence of an attorney, forces of EKAM [police's anti-terrorist unit - the SWAT equivalent -- trans.], backed by all sorts of police units plus a helicopter, raided the squat, arresting us.

Soon thereafter, comrades occupied the HQ of the governmental party Democratic Left (DIMAR), highlighting the complete alignment of this party with the choices of [PM] Samaras and [Minister of Public Order] Dendias. After a police intervention, all 40 comrades were detained.

The state, in its attempt to halt the solidarity actions that unfolded, chose to raid yet another social space, the squat of Patision 61 and Skaramanga, arresting yet more 8 comrades of ours.

We re-occupied the guarded Villa Amalias knowing that we will be attacked and obviously that we would be arrested. We will do it again, as many times as it takes, for this and for any other social space of resistance of those from below that might come under attack. We say it once again, tirelessly: neither their weapons, nor their slandering can scare us.

With today’s reoccupation we showed how the full-scale attack of the state, which today targets squats, self-organised spaces and the structures of the anarchist/anti-authoritarian movement, as well as social-class struggles, is not without an alternative. Heart, will for struggle and the desire for a world of equality and freedom are proving to be stronger than their armies.

They shall never manage to beat us, because no matter how many forces of repression they enlist, they cannot choke resistance, dignity and solidarity.

They shall never manage to beat us, because we are not one hundred, we are thousands. We are part of the world that struggles against capitalist barbarity, state terrorism and the fascist turn. Part of local and migrant workers, unemployed, students, those resisting in the neighbourhoods, persecuted and arrested people in struggle, who do not bow their heads. Along with them, we raise a fist of resistance just like at the moment of our arrest.

Our own weapon is solidarity, which we felt very strongly today. Our strength is collective resistance.

At the time of the memoranda, enforced and ever-increasing impoverishment of society are the future dictated by the state and capitalism; at this time, when the violence of the system is intensified and the state of permanent exception installs totalitarianism, social revolution is the only way forward. Amidst this condition we are consciously standing firm, motioning self-organisation, resistance and solidarity – and attempting to take that extra step forward… to organise social and class counter-attack. At the time when the dominant condition reads “we are going to lose everything”, we struggle for its inversion: “let’s win everything”!

If we don’t change things, no-one will. Everything continues…

Against the hurricane of repression, let’s pit the storm of solidarity!

Everyone to the streets, where everything is determined

Hands off Villa Amalias, Skaramanga squat, the self-organised haunt of ASOEE, the Xanadu haunt, Delta occupation, all squats, self-organised spaces and social struggles

The 93 arrested of Villa Amalias

Source; http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2013/01/10/we-will-do-it-again-as-many-times-as-it-takes-statement-by-the-93-arrested-from-inside-the-police-hq/

[Art Vandelay]

While I fully support their action and hope that they are soon released; I kinda feel that the situation in Greece is past the point of squatting. What does this really accomplish?

[Sasha]

While I fully support their action and hope that they are soon released; I kinda feel that the situation in Greece is past the point of squatting. What does this really accomplish?

Communisation, a movement needs infrastructure, a revolutionary movement needs an infrastructure outside of the states controll.

[Art Vandelay]

Communisation, a movement needs infrastructure, a revolutionary movement needs an infrastructure outside of the states controll.

Fair enough.

[Ravachol]

While I fully support their action and hope that they are soon released; I kinda feel that the situation in Greece is past the point of squatting. What does this really accomplish?

Is it though? Given the fact that token general strikes and the occasional building occupation together with some social work and dead-end electoralism is the main strategy and high-point of 'the left', I'd say that the situation is hardly 'past squatting' at all.

[TheRedAnarchist23]

While I fully support their action and hope that they are soon released; I kinda feel that the situation in Greece is past the point of squatting. What does this really accomplish?

What the fuck do you want?
Do you want them to grab firearms and try their luck against the army?
That would only result in the death of many good people and an increase in the violence already installed in Greece. Self-defence is always better than attack.

You also sound like those people who don't go to demonstrations because "Its not worth it, nothing ever happens".

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

I think you misunderstood the post, I don't think that is what they said. In any case I think squatting is a kind of attack in the present situation.

[TheRedAnarchist23]

I think you misunderstood the post, I don't think that is what they said. In any case I think squatting is a kind of attack in the present situation.

In that case what the hell is 9mm complaining about?

I think I replyed to the wrong post, so I will fix that - Fixed

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

Oh never mind I was thrown off by your original quote.

[Art Vandelay]

Is it though? Given the fact that token general strikes and the occasional building occupation together with some social work and dead-end electoralism is the main strategy and high-point of 'the left', I'd say that the situation is hardly 'past squatting' at all.

In all honesty, as an outsider, I don't know exactly what is going down in Greece ; however when I see articles talking about cops covering for fascists who are stabbing immigrants in the streets, it appears the struggle is escalating extremely quickly.

[Art Vandelay]

What the fuck do you want?
Do you want them to grab firearms and try their luck against the army?
That would only result in the death of many good people and an increase in the violence already installed in Greece. Self-defence is always better than attack.

You also sound like those people who don't go to demonstrations because "Its not worth it, nothing ever happens".

Please just stop posting. I feel like I lose an IQ point every time I read any of the nonsense you spew. Because I've stated I'm unsure if squatting is the best tactic for the situation, you jump to the conclusion I'm telling Greece anarchists to pick up arms against the state? You are by far the worst poster on this site, you're like the anarchist version of Bostana.

You know nothing about what demonstrations I've been to and I'm not to start talking about them on an online forum.

[Sasha]

In all honesty, as an outsider, I don't know exactly what is going down in Greece ; however when I see articles talking about cops covering for fascists who are stabbing immigrants in the streets, it appears the struggle is escalating extremely quickly.

actually, I have read several articles by Greek anarchists who argue that these attacks are taking place to break the organized resistance against the para-state of the GD. Not only are the squats the places where this resistance is organised, since the GD is strongest in the petit-bourgeois neighborhoods the squats are also often located right in the border zones between fash strongholds and the immigrant neighboorhoods and thus function as an buffer and early warning system against racist pogroms.

[Art Vandelay]

actually, I have read several articles by Greek anarchists who argue that these attacks are taking place to break the organized resistance against the para-state of the GD. Not only are the squats the places where this resistance is organised, since the GD is strongest in the petit-bourgeois neighborhoods the squats are also often located right in the border zones between fash strongholds and the immigrant neighboorhoods and thus function as an buffer and early warning system against racist pogroms.

That's interesting. I had no idea about the geographical location of the squats being so important.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

While I fully support their action and hope that they are soon released; I kinda feel that the situation in Greece is past the point of squatting. What does this really accomplish?

"Revolution and insurrection must not be looked upon as synonymous. The former consists in an overturning of conditions, of the established condition or status, the State or society, and is accordingly a political or social act; the latter has indeed for its unavoidable consequence a transformation of circumstances, yet does not start from it but from men's discontent with themselves, is not an armed rising, but a rising of individuals, a getting up, without regard to the arrangements that spring from it. The Revolution aimed at new arrangements; insurrection leads us no longer to let ourselves be arranged, but to arrange ourselves, and sets no glittering hopes on "institutions." It is not a fight against the established, since, if it prospers, the established collapses of itself; it is only a working forth of me out of the established. If I leave the established, it is dead and passes into decay."-Max Stirner.

I don't think the 'activities' of comrades in Greece can be boiled down to one action or another; meaning they're not just squatting but even if so, so what? Any resistance is good at this point.

[Art Vandelay]

"Revolution and insurrection must not be looked upon as synonymous. The former consists in an overturning of conditions, of the established condition or status, the State or society, and is accordingly a political or social act; the latter has indeed for its unavoidable consequence a transformation of circumstances, yet does not start from it but from men's discontent with themselves, is not an armed rising, but a rising of individuals, a getting up, without regard to the arrangements that spring from it. The Revolution aimed at new arrangements; insurrection leads us no longer to let ourselves be arranged, but to arrange ourselves, and sets no glittering hopes on "institutions." It is not a fight against the established, since, if it prospers, the established collapses of itself; it is only a working forth of me out of the established. If I leave the established, it is dead and passes into decay."-Max Stirner.

I don't think the 'activities' of comrades in Greece can be boiled down to one action or another; meaning they're not just squatting but even if so, so what? Any resistance is good at this point.

I have no issue with squatting, its a matter of what they're doing with these buildings that they're liberating. At the point I wrote the post, that you quoted, the only use I had heard about the squat was that it was turned into some film club or something. Obviously this isn't the case with all of them and that's really the point for me: are these buildings being put to use? I'm sure there is need for housing in Greece, given the austerity measures, and that could potentially be a great way to reach out to the working class. The idea about them being warning posts to alert immigrant neighborhoods is another great idea. Don't get me wrong, I support the anarchists in Greece; given the lack of any true revolutionary party, I view them as the only revolutionary force. Fuck the kke, as far as I'm concerned. However this doesn't mean that my support won't be critical at times. Stirner is awesome ps.

[Ravachol]

I have no issue with squatting, its a matter of what they're doing with these buildings that they're liberating.

I can understand that mindset but its highly problematic imo and a byproduct of the leftist (or residual leftist) mindset that haunts pro-rev thinking all too often, where the value (dare I say, use-value) of an activity is measured in terms of its impact upon the 'external sphere', ie. the not-already-mobilized proletariat. This 'externalism' completely neglects not only the own milieu, but often degenerates into a weird kind of fetishistic politics where actions matter only when they act upon a third party and are motivated largely by their concerns.

Sure, the power of any act of revolt is only as big as its potential to spread and multiply throughout the social terrain and this means that any praxis (squatting included) must look toward the larger social terrain and how to sow its subversive seeds there/pull in the rest of the proletariat in its praxis. But measuring the value of something like a squat in terms of 'how much welfare/space/organisational capability does it provide to "the movement"' is not only a really weird way of looking at things (imo actions should start at the real needs of the individuals involved in said actions and spread out from there) but also strategically ineffective. Mind you, I've argued things along similar lines to the questions you ask here for quite some time but it is my personal experience being involved in a squatted social center that the more a move is made towards an explicit 'politics' and trying to play being 'social worker', the less relevant it becomes (and the more symptomatic of a disintegrating social base) and the more disconnected it becomes from the fabric keeping such a thing together, ie. a structure serving the needs (whatever those may be) of the people involved in keeping it going. I think there's some serious parallels with a critique of militantism (in the sense that the SI made such a critique) where this sacrificial mentality ultimately ends up consuming people in their quest for acting upon others.

TL;DR both in strategic and immediate terms squats fulfilling the various needs of its participants is the best thing instead of seeing acting upon others as the primary motor of activity.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Greece is entering or is already in a civil war situation. The country is over ripe for a worker's revolution.The tragedy is that there is no organisation capable of providing the leadership that is needed. The KKE obviously is woefully inadequate, they were outvoted by Golden Dawn. Syriza is somewhat better but they have no intention of organizing the working class and are moving to the right.

Most likely the rupture will occur when Syriza forms a government sometime this year.Whatever Tsipras tries to work out with Merkel and her bankers, Greece will be kicked out of the EU and be forced to nationalize the banks and commanding heights of the economy.Perhaps the recent Initiative 1000" will provide the nucleus for the upcoming revolutionary workers movement which is desperately needed.

[Art Vandelay]

I can understand that mindset but its highly problematic imo and a byproduct of the leftist (or residual leftist) mindset that haunts pro-rev thinking all too often, where the value (dare I say, use-value) of an activity is measured in terms of its impact upon the 'external sphere', ie. the not-already-mobilized proletariat. This 'externalism' completely neglects not only the own milieu, but often degenerates into a weird kind of fetishistic politics where actions matter only when they act upon a third party and are motivated largely by their concerns.

Sure, the power of any act of revolt is only as big as its potential to spread and multiply throughout the social terrain and this means that any praxis (squatting included) must look toward the larger social terrain and how to sow its subversive seeds there/pull in the rest of the proletariat in its praxis. But measuring the value of something like a squat in terms of 'how much welfare/space/organisational capability does it provide to "the movement"' is not only a really weird way of looking at things (imo actions should start at the real needs of the individuals involved in said actions and spread out from there) but also strategically ineffective. Mind you, I've argued things along similar lines to the questions you ask here for quite some time but it is my personal experience being involved in a squatted social center that the more a move is made towards an explicit 'politics' and trying to play being 'social worker', the less relevant it becomes (and the more symptomatic of a disintegrating social base) and the more disconnected it becomes from the fabric keeping such a thing together, ie. a structure serving the needs (whatever those may be) of the people involved in keeping it going. I think there's some serious parallels with a critique of militantism (in the sense that the SI made such a critique) where this sacrificial mentality ultimately ends up consuming people in their quest for acting upon others.

TL;DR both in strategic and immediate terms squats fulfilling the various needs of its participants is the best thing instead of seeing acting upon others as the primary motor of activity.

This is a thoughtful post and I don't really have any valid critiques of what you said. I guess I just feel like that it is predominately anarchists (people who have already gained socialist class consciousness) that are engaging in the squatting and when these buildings are only put to their needs, it does nothing to help reach out and connect the radical movement with the working class. Economic disaster is not going to bring about revolution, radicals need to reach out to the working class and show them that we're the ones who care about them. I thought the idea of them being on the edge of immigrant neighborhoods, to alert of pogroms was a great idea.

[Art Vandelay]

Greece is entering or is already in a civil war situation. The country is over ripe for a worker's revolution.The tragedy is that there is no organisation capable of providing the leadership that is needed. The KKE obviously is woefully inadequate, they were outvoted by Golden Dawn. Syriza is somewhat better but they have no intention of organizing the working class and are moving to the right.

Most likely the rupture will occur when Syriza forms a government sometime this year.Whatever Tsipras tries to work out with Merkel and her bankers, Greece will be kicked out of the EU and be forced to nationalize the banks and commanding heights of the economy.Perhaps the recent Initiative 1000" will provide the nucleus for the upcoming revolutionary workers movement which is desperately needed.

This is spot on.

[Delenda Carthago]

Anyone else from a country across the globe to tell us when revolution will burst in Greece and who will lead it?

[Art Vandelay]

Anyone else from a country across the globe to tell us when revolution will burst in Greece and who will lead it?

I'm sorry, this is a forum, you're right; I'll refrain from posting my opinion from now on. :rolleyes:

[Delenda Carthago]

I'm sorry, this is a forum, you're right; I'll refrain from posting my opinion from now on. :rolleyes:
No, you are very welcome to post anything you want. What you might wanna do in order to not get embarrased and actual contribute to the situation, is not posting about things that you dont really know with a tone of certainty. But what do I know...