Solidarity with Villa Amalias in Athens

dmol · Jan 5, 2013

Villa Amalias has been a center of anti-authoritarian action and self-organized cultural activity for over two decades.
On the 20th of December the police raided the squat following an anonymous complaint, in a pathetically disguised attempt to attack the anarchist movement - and the radical opposition to the current political and socio-economical state that comes with it, to their core. Follows the statement of the squatters now awaiting trial, along with useful links that will help you gain perspective on the seriousness of the matter. A real blow to the Greek anarchist movement, but also a strategic move that helps the increasingly popular fascist party Golden Dawn gain important ground, plus free rein in a much-targeted immigrant area.

Nobody ↑ :

The Villa Amalias squat has been an open political, cultural and social space, as well as a housing collective, for the past 23 years. In all these years there have been plenty of active groups in the squat including groups on theatre, concerts, musical studio, stained glass, kids’ space, dancing, foreign languages, computing, printing press, screenings, lending library, vinyl exchange – while the squat has also hosted plenty of political and cultural events by other groups. Apart from these activities inside its building, Villa Amalias has also contributed to the resolution of neighbourhood issues by participating in the residents’ assembly of Victoria square and by organising open, outward looking activities in the area – including open mic interventions, free markets, collective kitchens and kids’ events at the square.

In all these 23 years, the Villa Amalias squat has formed multiform qualities that reflected the equally multiform composition of the subjects and groups comprising it – and which in turn derive from the wider squat movement, from the Anarchist and Anti-authoritarian space and from the movement for class and labour antagonism. These qualities have materialised through the co-organising and participation in demonstrations, interventions and mobilisations concerning labour, antifascist and antiracist struggles; solidarity to persecuted squats, to migrants and persecuted comrades, to university and high school student struggles as well as the to struggles for the reclaiming of open, public spaces.

The squat’s building was abandoned since 1973 and it had been in a horrendous state. Since 1990, which is when it was occupied, it has stayed alive and maintained thanks to the financial contribution and personal work of the squatters themselves as well as all the comrades in solidarity.

The apparent owners of the building ( the municipality of athens, which has has some enormous property wealth and the school buildings’ organisation) are both renown for cases of expropriation of private property and illegal declassification [of listed buildings]. The most extravagant case of such was the enormous Haragioni building at the junction of 3d September and Ioulianou street, which turned overnight from a plot designated for the construction of a school building into a shopping mall.

In contrast to them, who see buildings and spaces as yet another arena for profit, the Villa Amalias squat and its activity is a concrete example of its premise for the creation of free social spaces that oppose financial exploitation of any kind; that are set upon anti-hierarchical, self-organised, solidarity and horizontal structures; that respect humans and support those at the bottom end of the calss pyramid, to which we also belong.

This is why the maintenance of the building, as mentioned above, is undertaken by the squatters and those in solidarity with them – in the last 4 years in particular, after the two murderous arson attacks that the squat received from para-statists, whether waged or not. These particular attacks caused gross material damage which nevertheless did not form an obstacle in Villa continuing its action. To the contrary, they boosted the morale of the people that comprise it. With the aid of all comrades, the facade of the building on the side of Cheiden Str was renovated while the restoration and further improvement of the building have commenced with the aid of architects and civil engineers.

The continued attacks are not the only ones that the project has been subject to in all these years. Due to its location but also due to its ideological values and political characteristics, Villa has oftentimes found itself targeted by the state and parastate alike. In all these attacks we always responded with our words, publicizing the events and propagandizing our positions and our beliefs through open social interventions.

On 20/12/12, at 7.00 am, men of the state security raided our Squat under the pretext of an investigation concerning “drugs” and “explosives”, following a supposed anonymous complaint. They arrested 8 people who were inside the Squat at the time, of which three were guests. They confiscated objects from the squat which the state security then used as evidence for the fabrication of charges including felonies and misdemeanors - charges that we reject. Especially when our felony acts are based on some empty beer bottles and on a tiny amount of petrol that was discovered next to the heater.

For us, this move is an explicit political choice by the state. At a time of financial and systemic crisis, the state launches an attack in all directions, degrading the life of those from below and trying to wipe out any cell of resistance and of creation of negation: this may translate in the botching of labour rights, in the promotion of racist ideals that contribute to a fascist turn of society, in the creation of conditions of insecurity aimed at us accepting the constant surveillance of our lives, or in the persecution and slandering of political spaces and subjects that rise against all the above.

WE DENY ALL CHARGES

OUR WORDS ARE OUR WEAPONS

WE SAID IT BEFORE AND WE’LL SAY IT AGAIN:

“WE’VE BEEN GAME ALL THESE YEARS AND THE END IS STILL NO-WHERE IN SIGHT”

SOLIDARITY TO ALL SQUATS (AND TO OURS)

22/12/12
The arrested of Villa Amalias

Click to expand...

blog.occupiedlondon.org/tag/villa-amalias-raid/
internationalsocialist.org.uk/index.php/blog/solidarity-with-villa-amalias/

punkmar77 · Jan 5, 2013

I believe in order for Golden Dawn to thrive as it has the state is in complicit collusion, it's no coincidence that after the bombing of the GD offices the state comes down on this most important anarcho-squat...

dmol · Jan 6, 2013

Solidarity with Villa Amalias - new video

http://vimeo.com/56264264

http://latuffcartoons.files.wordpress.c ... -squat.gif

ErC · Jan 9, 2013

Hello everyone, today morning there's been an attempt by 200-300 people to reoccupy the squat but, after having succeeded so, they 've confronted cops' severe repression. Specifically, at first they somewhat dispersed the crowd, "choking" them with their gasses and later some elite forces broke into (without the presence or official order from a DA, for what that matters) and abducted 101 people that were there defending their space. Moreover at the same time 40 people who had taken over in protest an office of the miserable leftist co-governmental party " democratic left " were also arrested by the cops. It's great to find some solidarity here as well...

THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THE PRISON

dmol · Jan 12, 2013

One by one Athens key anti-authoritarian spots, like the central Skaramaga squat, are getting attacked by the police. More people arrested, more trials. A great demonstration counting a few thousand shouted out solidarity to all squats today in Athens. Interesting pix and videos you can see here http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/

dmol · Jan 12, 2013

Following is a statement by the 93 people arrested in the new take-over attempt at Villa Amalias.

Solidarity to all squats!

Nobody ↑ :

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

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

Click to expand...

dmol · Jan 12, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BGnPpPi ... r_embedded

dmol · Jan 12, 2013

Comrades in San Francisco paint-bombed the Greek consulate. Way to go guys!

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/0 ... 729797.php

ErC · Jan 13, 2013

ok some more news...
All the comrades from Villa Amalias are now free under loose terms (having to present once a month in the local police station, not allowed to leave the country)
It's been reported that the things from the squat were packed in a truck.
In their recent announcement the people from Skaramaga square have highlighted that it was Fotiou (president of the Merchant Seamen’s Pension Fund that claims ownership of the building) who applied a lawsuit, the previous day, that gave the green light for the assault. They reckon that he's been trying to set up amicable relations with the crypto-fascist mayor of Athens, Kaminis, and of course with the cop minister Dendias. His role just as well might be even broader: there's been a plan for the MSPF's buildings to be granted to a station fund that's easier to loot for the government and subsequently for the investors, the nation's anticipated saviours.
In a concerted attempt medias have tried to target 40 more squats in Athens. The leftist Syriza's leftist leader, Tsipras, "admitted not knowing there's been that many..." and succumbing to the media dialectics clarified he's against every centre of anomie...but maybe Amalias is not one. In response five journalists' houses have been attacked with incendiaries.
You can see here, among else, many of the counter-actions in protest and solidarity http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/

dmol · Jan 15, 2013

Bad news, once more.

Just a couple of hours ago police raided Lelas Karagianni, Athens' oldest squat, with a helicopter hanging over it and special police units entering from the roof, taking about 15 people in. Plus, violently arresting 2 more comrades protesting outside the squat.
People keep swarming in in solidarity, defying the strong police presence that dominates the area.
You can read/see more here http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/

Hands off the squats!

dmol · Jan 15, 2013

All comrades from Lelas Karagianni are now free. People have started getting back into the squat for support, and a crowd is still gathered around the building.
Apparently police had no legal right nor permission to enter, and they found nothing incriminating in the house. They just orchestrated a true Hollywood mission in service of their fascist/capitalist friends \m/

punkmar77 · Jan 16, 2013

thank you for the updates dmol!

THEBLACKNOVA · Jan 22, 2013

Our homes

This video was made in response to the recent wave of evictions of squats and of repression of the anarchist movement by the greek State.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGpB7I5AcaY[/video]

dmol · Jan 22, 2013

You beat me to it Theblacknova. This video should be here - vive les squats!

THEBLACKNOVA · Jan 22, 2013

dmol said:

You beat me to it Theblacknova. This video should be here - vive les squats!

Click to expand...

It's a beautiful video

It reminded me on this one:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVc8auO1vuA[/video]

Viva las tomas!

dmol · Jan 23, 2013

Nobody ↑ :

It's a beautiful video

Click to expand...

Cool, I didn't know this one. I'll spread!

THEBLACKNOVA · Jan 23, 2013

Anarchists Storm A TV station To Broadcast Statement Of Solidarity With Those Arrested At Villa Amalias. 16/01/2013

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kgPcmjR1Hw[/video]

Translation here:
On Wednesday January 16, 2013 a group of anarchists went live on the set of a television channel of the Greek city of Kavala and read a statement in which it denounced the recent evictions of occupied social centers, the police and fascist Golden Dawn and media manipulation.

This translation is through google translate from a spanish transcript....

TRANSLATED ADDRESS:
"The state attack against Villa Amalias, the self-managed ASOEE faculty, the 98FM radio station, squat Skaragmagka, the squat Lelas Karagianh and Delta in Thessaloniki are not accidental. These spaces served as a major obstacle to dam racist programs and fascist attacks in Athens center. That's why the state ordered the fascists state troops to the center of Athens to do the dirty work for those who could not do the same, to return the favor by throwing the fascist attack on behalf of the law, when they know very well that the light bulbs without law are the ministers, offices in Parliament, the police, the courts, the camps for migrants, television channels, the vilas patterns and of those offering starvation wages. occupations, self-managed spaces and dens advocate equality and solidarity, contrary to the fascists and parastatals that we want to work for employers in the name of unity and national economy.

We decided to be intervention, first, because the TV channels and more generally the mass media distort reality and facts. Second, because the journalist Yannis Komninos, who in his program in front of all the cameras, gives court to racist views in the name of freedom of expression, supports the city's fascists, enemies of freedom. Each Komninos is a tentacle of a system that systematically criminalized occupations and self-managed spaces precisely because these spaces are part of the social struggles and pockets of resistance to this rotten regime. A regime that every day in collaboration with the mass media and quasi-fascist gangs does what he can to break our essence and integrity as workers.

The state, the fascists and always unable to master patterns that are not able to understand.

Solidarity with occupations and persecuted fighters.

Lumber, tele, neo-Nazis, all working together cocoons.
Ten, a hundred, a thousand occupations against this world of boredom. "

punkmar77 · Jan 23, 2013

terrible translation... :/

dmol · Jan 24, 2013

Call for international solidarity action. From this website http://fightnow.noblogs.org/call-for-a-black-february/

Nobody ↑ :

CALL
Solidarity campaign for liberated spaces and anarchist comrades worldwide

We call for a worldwide campaign of direct actions in solidarity with liberated spaces from the 2nd to the 12th of February 2013.

But we don’t want to stop after a couple of actions, because this is much more than just a reaction to repression. This is a call out to all anarchists and anti-authoritarians to fight now across the world.

Even though the recent onslaught of the Greek State against the anarchist/anti-authoritarian spectrum was the initial spark for writing this call, several examples around the globe show us that the police and municipal authorities along with giant corporations are cooperating excellently with each other, attacking solidarian structures and pacifying societies at a transnational level. During the past few weeks and months, in parts of the world, where people suffer from the systematic impoverishment and extended gentrification plans, it increasingly came to State/Capital’s attacks on radical movements, including repression against concrete forms of resistance such as land occupations, autonomous projects, company headquarters’ occupations, or strike actions. It thus deems important that we also connect our struggles worldwide, and fight back in the here and now. Action in response to attacks on squatted spaces at your location could be the spark for you. Take action on the streets and let your imagination run wild to spread the message of active resistance.

Our comrades are still imprisoned across the world. Many of our self-organized spaces are being raided or evicted, our infrastructure is under siege, and our counter-information media are censored or hindered. Whenever we express our ideas in public, uniformed robocops are lurking everywhere. Surveillance machinery follows every single move we make, while the State counts on the support of an armed fascist mob… But our existential fight is more than defence of solid spaces.

So, it’s time we say enough with permanent defeatism. Social war is waged independently from evictions or detentions. There are no borders in our hearts. For each project destroyed, two new ones should arise across the globe. For each imprisoned comrade, our actions should do the talking.

Wake up, jump in, get wild – War on the rulers’ war!

FOR A BLACK FEBRUARY

Click to expand...

ErC · Feb 3, 2013

one "political advertistment" by "work crew-underground productions" filmed in yfanet squat in Thessaloniki
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi5wtQzcxcg[/video]

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