on day 31 greek hungerstriker Nikos starts thirst strike, solidairty needed

[Sasha]

SOLIDARITY WITH NIKOS ROMANOS: OCCUPY GREEK EMBASSIES, CONSULATES AND OTHER BUILDINGS RELATED TO THE GREEK STATE IN YOUR TOWN

0 (http://revolution-news.com/solidarity-nikos-romanos-occupy-greek-embassies-consulates-buildings-related-greek-state-town/#comments) on 12/10/2014 Revolution News (http://revolution-news.com/category/revnews/)


https://scontent-a-fra.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10846365_420196678133900_9122477924056305915_n.jpg ?oh=fcc10ab3794bb984dab6246f3f3616a7&oe=551961EC


TODAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY FOR ‪#‎SOLIDARITY‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/solidarity?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290) with ‪#‎NROMANOS‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/nromanos?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290)‪#‎GREECE‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/greece?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290)

(https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/greece?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290)
On hunger strike day 31, thirst strike day 2, this political prisoner is asking the Greek state for his right for educational furloughs – to attend university classes. The situation is dire and we ask for your help.


URGENT CALL FOR OCCUPATION OF EMBASSIES, CONSULATES AND BUILDINGS RELATED TO THE GREEK STATE IN YOUR TOWN IN SOLIDARITY WITH NIKOS ROMANOS
URGENT ΑPPEAL TO ALL PEOPLE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE HUNGER STRIKER NIKOS ROMANOS


The political management of the case of the hunger striker Nikos Romanos by the Greek government is murderous: The ridiculous “offer” of distance-learning classes from his cell to the hunger striker who is asking for educational leaves to attend classes at the university, the indifference to the life of hundreds of Syrian refugees stranded on Syntagma square, as well as the orgy of state propaganda and police repression against a tremendous and resilient social movement in the last days, are proof of another great qualitative leap in authoritarianism in Greece.
Yesterday the hunger striker stopped drinking water.


OCCUPY GREEK EMBASSIES, CONSULATES AND OTHER BUILDINGS RELATED TO THE GREEK STATE IN YOUR TOWN
SOLIDARITY WITH NIKOS ROMANOS
IMMEDIATE FULFILLMENT OF THE DEMANDS OF SYRIAN REFUGEES
THE VICTORY OF NIKOS ROMANOS WILL BE THE VICTORY OF SOCIAL STRUGGLES


Assembly of the Occupied Labor Center in Thessaloniki
**Please ‪#‎share‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/share?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290) and publish, we are in emergency station, everybody must know!**
#NRomanos #share #solidarity #Greece ‪#‎urgent‬ (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/urgent?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290) ‪#‎help (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/help?source=feed_text&story_id=10152516623504290)


http://revolution-news.com/solidarity-nikos-romanos-occupy-greek-embassies-consulates-buildings-related-greek-state-town/

[Sasha]

previous thread on Nikos his struggle; http://www.revleft.com/vb/10-000-anarchist-t191535/index.html

[Sasha]

there are rumours that Nikos and the government accepted a SYRZA proposal that gives educational furlong with a ankletag to many more prisoners. i'll post more when i know more...

[Sasha]

dutch comrades apparently did a solidarity action this morning of which the claim gives a bit more details ;

https://www.indymedia.nl/node/25800



This morning Nikos stopped his hunger strike as the state after the parliament voted for a justice ministry's amendment which allows him to attend courses wearing an ankle bracelet.
This fight was a combined stuggle that went far beyond the grey walls of the prison to which occupations, solidarity attacks and protests, the massive solidarity made us think of December 2008.
Not a single comrade will find themself alone in the hands of the State - until the victory of all our struggles!
Anarchist Nikos Romanos in February 2014 was convicted for a double armed robbery. He was given as a prisoner the right to participate in the national exams and he managed to enter the Technological Educational Institute of Pireaus. Ever since the Greek state repeatedly denies his rightful furloughs. It is well known that the Greek state reeks of fascism, totalitarianism and revengiousness towards whoever dares to resist, whoever threatens the dystopian regime of exploitation and fear, whoever reclaims some of our lost time, whoever gets back what is ours while at the same time is attacking society in all fronts with the country suffering one of the worst recession periods since the 40s.
Nikos chose sides a long time ago and remains faithful to his choice. Nikos chose the side of struggle and dignity, the path of attack and militancy. It was Nikos who held Alexis Grigoropoulos in his arms when the latter was taking his last breath in the 6th of December 2008 after a cop shot him in cold blood in the neighbourhood of Exarhia in central Athens. At the age of 15 the state killed his friend and now it is killing him.
Our comrade, Nikos Romanos, is on hunger strike since 10th of November. After one month of consuming just water his health is in critical condition. The risk of one of his vital organs failing is increased day by day. Nikos uses his body as a barricade not only to win the educational furloughs but to set an example of struggle, to awake consciounesses, to fight against increasing prisoners' repression and maximum security prisons and finally to challenge the beast.
It's a fight of freedom and life over death and modern slavery.
We can only be in solidarity with this fight. In the night of 9th of December we attacked the offices of the Greek Organisation for Tourism in Leidseplein, Amsterdam. We decorated the entrance with slogans for Nikos. It was a minimum action of solidarity for our comrade.
SOLIDARITY WITH NIKOS ROMANOS
SOLIDARITY MEANS ATTACK
We don't forget the Syrian refugees who are also in hunger strike in Greece. Solidarity with the Syrian refugees.
SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON

[Philosophos]

I was just to post this, but apparently I couldn't reach half of the sources you got :(

It's unbelievable though how much brainwash greeks have been through and you can clearly see that from the hatred that Nikos has gathered on his face.

[Sasha]

Tides of relief: Nikos Romanos wins victory in hunger strike

by ROAR Collective on December 11, 2014

http://media.roarmag.org/2014/12/NikosRomanosProtest-main.pngAfter a month on hunger strike and weeks of solidarity protests, the anarchist prisoner Nikos Romanos is finally granted his demands by the government.

By Foula Farmakidis, Spyros Marchetos and Christina Laskaridis
Tides of relief emanated from Greece on Wednesday, when the anarchist prisoner Nikos Romanos ended his month-long hunger strike that sparked solidarity actions across the globe. His demands were essentially met, with the parliament decreeing that student prisoners will be allowed educational leave on certain conditions, including electronic security tagging.
Romanos’ desperate struggle against an intransigent government brought around the world memories of Bobby Sands and the other Irish republican prisoners who died in 1981. Now his victory, suggesting that the extreme right-wing Samaras government may be on its last throes, shows what a huge influence a person can have when they are unafraid to risk their own life and when they are backed by a resourceful solidarity movement.
Romanos, 21, carries a tragic past. In December 2008, his childhood friend Alexis Grigoropoulos died by his side after having been shot, in cold blood, by a policeman. This 15-year-old became the symbol of an entire generation which, with alarming premonition, foresaw the social catastrophe that was soon to be unleashed on Greece. Alexis’ death galvanized and radicalized the youth. No surprise that Romanos, who at 15 years of age carried his friend’s coffin on his shoulder, decided to battle against the state.
In February 2013, Romanos was arrested along three other youths for attempted bank robbery. Witnesses and the public prosecutor agreed that the arrestees did not use their weapons out of concern for the hostages’ safety. After their capture they were all tortured so brutally, that the police digitally edited (http://roarmag.org/2013/02/photoshopping-away-police-repression-in-greece/) the photos given to the press so as to mask their injuries.
While serving his sentence, Romanos studied for the national university entrance exams, and thus secured a place at a university. The Minister of Justice visited his prison in September to grant, on behalf of the Greek state, an educational achievement award to him and other inmates. Romanos at the time was protesting against the appalling conditions within the prison, never received the award, and explicitly refused any favors from the state.
Despite awarding Romanos for his efforts in entering university, the state forbade him to actually attend it. Protesting for the law granting inmates educational leave to be enforced, Romanos started a hunger strike on November 10. The legal grounds for withholding his leave are convoluted. The Greek penal system includes educational leave in the framework of the rehabilitation of prisoners, but the Justice Ministry argues that a terrorism suspect cannot be safely let out of prison, even if Romanos has already been acquitted once for the terrorist charges against him.
Few doubt that the young anarchist was refused educational leave as a punishment for his ideas, by a government eager to show that it will not tolerate radical dissent. Romanos demanded from the state, which he intensely abhors, that it recognize his legal rights, which the state is supposed to guarantee for all. He never stole from the public purse nor from citizens; rather he attempted to rob one of the banks which was never brought to account for its part in the economic debacle of the country. No one failed to notice the irony of young anarchists being brutally persecuted for an unsuccessful and bloodless bank robbery by the very same people who treat those convicted of large-scale theft of public money and violent crimes with utmost lenience.
Examples abound. A corporate media and business tycoon who embezzled 235 million euros from the ex-state owned Postal Bank was released on bail, and even visited the US, Paris and the Maldives while his bail terms forbade him from exiting the county. A banker convicted of embezzling 700 million euros from the now defunct Proton Bank, and also facing trial for homicide, was left free to roam by the very same prosecutor who denied Romanos educational leave.
Two electricity company owners facing trial (http://www.avgi.gr/article/2558600/upo-prostasia-oi-protagonistes-tou-skandalou-energa-hellas-power) on embezzling 270 million euros from the state were also released on bail, thanks to the legal acumen of their defense attorneys, who just happened to be the Government Speaker at that time, Makis Voridis, and the then Secretary General of the Government, Takis Baltakos. A shipping magnate and oil tycoon sentenced to five years in prison for tax evasion and various other unlawful activities was immediately rewarded (http://www.thepressproject.net/article/57229/Melissanidis) with the ownership of the most profitable public company in Greece, privatized at a fire-sale price. Finally, one of the accomplices of Grigoropoulos’ murder was released on bail (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2011/10/05/one-of-the-murderers-of-alexis-grigoropoulos-has-been-released/) after just one year in jail, on “humanitarian grounds,” to deal with family difficulties.
The Minister of Justice himself, Charalambos Athanasiou, has often made moves characterized as extreme-right, bigoted, and even venal. He never managed to explain the considerable property he amassed (http://www.koutipandoras.gr/article/117230/kaleitai-eisaggeleas-gia-pseydes-pothen-eshes-toy-ypoyrgoy-dikaiosynis) while holding public positions, property he even failed to declare, thus breaking the law — but this was no problem, as he soon changed the law and made it legal. He consistently hindered controls on other high earners with unexplained incomes; he legislated in favor of embezzlers of public money; and he even tried to get most of the convicted drug wholesalers (http://www.koutipandoras.gr/article/128475/o-romanos-itan-emporos-narkotikon-o-athanasioy-tha-ton-eihe-vgalei) out of prison with a law catering especially for them.
Athanasiou furthermore provoked an international outcry (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/02/greek-justice-minister-gay-marriage) when he snubbed the European Court of Human Rights that had condemned Greece for refusing elementary rights to same sex partners. A further irony, that does not escape the polarized and intensely politicized Greek society, is that he maintained his inhuman stance towards Romanos while his own father — a collaborator of the Nazi occupiers during the Second World War — owed his life to the leniency showed to him by communist partisans.
The Minister of Justice greatly contributed to the heightening of tensions during the past few days. He stoked fears that Romanos might escape, while Romanos had agreed to be tagged during his leave. Romanos’ teacher in prison, actually the head of the prison education service, even proposed to escort the young convict to classes himself, and guaranteed his prompt return to the jailhouse, to no avail. Romanos refused to follow distance courses from within the prison walls, an idea beyond the logistical capabilities of the Greek system, denouncing it as an attempt to chip away at the right of prisoners for leave permits. But during the last month the government clearly cared more about publicly humiliating Romanos than about keeping him alive.
On Monday, December 8, Romanos’ father met with Prime Minister Samaras, who rebuked his pleas on the grounds that a Prime Minister cannot obstruct the course of justice. Actually Samaras has governed the country by bulldozing through austerity and repressive measures, using decrees (http://blogs.euobserver.com/phillips/2013/01/21/decree-o-matic-the-peripherys-permanent-state-of-exception/) with no concern whatsoever for the constitution (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-nevradakis/are-greeces-loan-agreemen_b_2046978.html) or any other legal obstacles. How else could the state, for example, refuse to implement (http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/05/27/finance-ministry-cleaners-vindicated-by-greek-supreme-court/) the court ruling that the cleaners of the Ministry of Finance building be re-hired, following their unlawful redundancy?
On Tuesday, December 9, the Supreme Court refused to overturn the lower court’s decision that refused educational leave to Romanos. With the government rebuking any alternative to distance learning from within prison walls, the parliamentary discussion on Tuesday descended into mayhem. On Wednesday, the 31st day of his hunger strike and with his demands still unmet, Romanos escalated his fight by starting a thirst strike, as an act of refusal to further dilute prisoners’ rights. The danger for his life was now imminent.
Minister Athanasiou had stated: “Even if God Himself were to descend to earth, He couldn’t change this decision.” We do not know who proved more mighty than God Himself, but the fact is that the Greek government — hell-bent on humiliating and thwarting all dissidents, as well as outright beating them — was obliged to make a costly and humiliating U-turn.
A day earlier, it had announced a change of plans for the forthcoming election (http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-12-09/vote-for-new-greek-president-begins-dec-dot-17) of the President of the Republic, that may soon lead to a SYRIZA government. Political games played on the back of Romanos might have something to do with this. Seeking alliance with the neo-Nazis of Golden Dawn to scrape together the necessary votes for electing the President, the government had its tactics exposed in Parliament and rejected by Golden Dawn. Its plans to score political points by claiming that the hated Memorandum days are over were further foiled on Monday, when the extension of the international bailout (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/business/international/eurozones-finance-ministers-extend-greek-bailout-program.html?_r=0) was agreed by European Finance Ministers.
On the back of a mounting public outcry, with masses of people gathering in solidarity outside Romanos’ hospital, tensions rising, and time running out, Athanasiou brought the amendment to Parliament on Wednesday, and Romanos stopped his hunger strike. On the other hand, the government still ignores the 300 Syrian refugees (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/12/greek-mp-joins-syrian-refugee-hungers-strike-2014126223940262433.html) who are also on hunger strike on the Parliament’s doorstep; it is still introducing high security prisons (https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/yiannis-baboulias/greece-is-creating-prisons-fit-for-era-of-austerity) fit for an era of austerity and repression; and it still finalized the purchase of Israeli drones (http://www.thepressproject.net/article/69609/Greeces-plans-to-purchase-drones-from-Israel-pose-a-moral-dilemma) for border and protest control. But these may be the government’s last days, while Romanos’ brave and principled stance in prison brought results beyond his wildest dreams. All in all: a big victory for Romanos’ and his comrades’ struggle.
By Foula Farmakidis, Spyros Marchetos and Christina Laskaridis.


http://roarmag.org/2014/12/nikos-romanos-hunger-strike-victory/

[Sasha]

Victoryfor the hunger strike ofNikos Romanos

Anarchist Nikos Romanos endedhis hungerstrikeafter thirty days this week. Thestrike brought Romanos to the edgeof death as Greece camecloseto thepoint of insurrection in his support.

On Wednesday 10th December, anarchist prisoner Nikos Romanos ended his hunger strikewhich hebegun on November 10th to request his right to take educational leave. Thestrike was ended after thecreation of a legislative amendmentto allow prisoners to take educational leaveon thecondition they wearan electronic tracking bracelet. In many ways this strugglehas been a victory for Romanos and the anarchist movement.

Thehungerstrikewas initially ignored by the statewith Romanos' request being turned down by the courts. However, the situation changed when a solidarity movement, both insideand outside, theprisons sprung up as Romanos' health declined. On theinside a number of otherprisoners joined thehungerstrike or took actions such as abstaining from prison meals and refusing to re-enter their cells. On thestreets solidarity actions were taking place each day and night. A wave of arsons targeted banks across Greece as police stations cameunderattack.

A significant moment cameon the 2nd Decemberafteranother court had rejected Romanos' request. A large demonstration through thecentreof Athens sent a clear messageof supportfor Romanos. Itwas probably oneof thebiggest demonstrations foran anarchistcausein recent years with some estimating as many as 15,000 marched. Whilethemarch itself was largely peaceful thesightof 15,000 fired-up anarchists marching through the city centremade thegovernment anxious. Clashes followed during theevening around the newly occupied Polytechnic University and thesubsequent images of theExarchia neighbourhood burning forRomanos brought back memories of December2008.

A slogan written on thewalls thatnight, 'theairbegins to smell like December', set thetonefor thenext days as tensions increased. The connection between Romanos and theDecember 2008 revolt werenot forgotten by Greek society. Romanos had been a friend ofAlexis Grigoropoulos and had been present when hewas murdered on December 6th. With solidarity attacks increasing, new buildings being occupied and demonstrations growing, thestatebegan to appearworried as the spirit of 2008 seemed to bereturning. Headlines suddenly talked of ministers attempting to appeasetheyoung anarchistas figures ofthe Left cameout in Romanos' support. When Romanos ended his next letter by calling on people to meet on thestreets ofrageon December 6th, the Public Order minister's appeal for citizens to remain calm fell on deaf ears.

Between Friday 5th and themorning of Saturday 6th protests and gatherings had been banned in central Athens under thepretext of theTurkish PM's visit. New occupations had been set up to support thestruggle and every majorcity and town in Greecehad at least one occupation ongoing. Early on the6th clashes broke out in thenorthern city of Thessaloniki as marches were held up and down thecountry. In Athens, the main evening demonstration was again large and passionate. Several thousand marched through thecity centreand clashed with policeat various points. Thestreets of thecity centrewerelargely deserted as all shops and businesses were locked and shuttered early on. Any businesses or banks not secured were smashed, particularly around the Omonia area.

Following themarch, largepolice attacks hit thegathered crowds. Riot and motorcycle units chased peoplefrom theOmonia area and beat and detained dozens in theprocess. In the Exarchia neighbourhood, thesiteofthe 2008 murder, fighting lasted through much of the night. Despite thenearmilitary scaleof the police operation-water cannons, several thousand riot cops, helicopters- they werenot ableto takecontrol of thearea and crush resistanceas they havedoneon several recent demonstration/riotdays. With thehelicopters buzzing low overhead, a cacophony of sirens mixed with explosions and teargas filling theair, the centreofAthens once again resembled a warzone. On thelighterside, mainstream media later received much, comic, criticism forrunning stories aboutanarchists jumping across building roof tops and balconies and attacking theriot units using parkour moves as the flying anarchists of Exarchia becamea memeon Greek social media.

Still tensions continued to build. A high court onceagain rejected Romanos' request and as heapproached thirty days of hunger strikehis health was in a critical condition. Parliament was preparing an amendment to allow educational leavebut still thepoliticians, unwilling to givein to an anarchist, debated and hesitated. Solidarity actions continued outside, a bus was burnt early onemorning to block a central Athens street, a bomb was detonated outsidea bank in thewestern suburb of Halandri and thenew occupations planned furtherdiverseprotests and actions.

Eventually, with Romanos having started a thirst strikeWednesday morning, parliament passed an amendment to grantleavewith theuseof tracking bracelets. Thehunger strikeended a littlelaterand people's attention began to drift overto theupcoming critical presidential elections. The granting of educational leaveis undoubtedly a victory forNikos Romanos, an unexpected onetoo. Few would havethoughtthat the government would allow the right to leave since thedenial of such prison leaves is a big part of therecently created high security prisons (TypeC). In this way the victory ofthe hunger strikemay deal a small blow to the Type C prisons. It remains to beseen however, whatare thefull implications of theuseoftracking bracelets and its effects on otherprisoners. Most importantly though Romanos is alivestill. Therewas a timewhen it looked as if thegovernmentmay be willing to ignorehim till hedied.

For theanarchist movement as a wholethere arepositives to takefrom these events. After a period of relativeinactivity thecritical situation galvanised peopleinto action and wehaveanother exampleofanarchy working best when it is on the offensive. Thefact that what was atfirst just an incident of concern to anarchists, thehungerstrike of an imprisoned bank robber, becamea movement which enjoyed broad support, if not direct participation, is also significant. In a crisis racked society desperate for new ideas, anarchist initiatives can find unexpected support. More over, Romanos' resilienceand thebold support of those outsideshowed defianceagainst an increasingly authoritarian statejust when resistanceto thecrisis is supposed to havebeen crushed. And onceagain the inhumanity of thestateand its law has been shown up. Romanos had to nearly dieand many outside had to bechased, gassed, beaten and arrested fora democratic stateto giveoneperson the rights supposedly enjoyed by all.

Thereare somenegative sides to theseevents as well. As mentioned aboveit is unclearwhat the implications ofthe tracking bracelets will be for other prisoners. After theinitial reliefthat thehunger strikewas overand Romanos would live, some were disappointed thatthe energy and tension that had builtup to the point were it looked likean insurrection may break out were now dissipated. Theevents also showed up sometactical problems, for instance on the night of theDecember 6th riots. If anarchy is to grow itneeds to moveoutof its own comfort zones and offer something new. Thegut instinct to fall back to Exarchia, theanarchist's neighbourhood, and fight it outwith policethere, is notanything new. It is a well worn pattern of events that Greek society has largely accepted and absorbed. For all that Exarchia fought well that night, it offered little new.

And so Romanos and themovement havea victory, a small victory in a long and continuing battlebut a needed win nonetheless. Theseevents can serve as an exampleof a successful solidarity campaign which used a variety of forms-mass marches, riots, counterinformation, arsons, bombs, occupations, etc. Ata timewhen theGreek statebecomes increasingly authoritarian and themask ofdemocratic respectability slips, a successful exampleof resistanceand solidarity takes on added meaning as wemay beabout to enter another period ofcrisis and unrest.

http://libcom.org/blog/victory-hunger-strike-nikos-romanos-12122014