Update, 01.10 photos (from Athens IMC) from today’s solidarity demo with Konstantina in her neighbourhood (Petralona, in Athens)
“Konstantina is not alone, ISAP-OIKOMET, murderers”
The ticket validation machines of the local metro station, smashed during the demo
(outside a bank) “Burn me! I’m drinking your blood”
On the 23d of December Konstantina Kuneva, a migrant cleaner and militant union organiser at the Athens Piraeus Electric Railway (ISAP), had sulphuric acid thrown at her face as she was returning home from work. She is still in critical condition. Even if there is no hard evidence for this, people here know the attack against Konstantina was ordered by her employing company, Oikomet SA, a subcontracting company working with ISAP. Since the attack people in solidarity have occupied and hold the headquarters of ISAP in Athens (here is the occupation’s blog). In Thessaloniki, the local Labour Centre (i.e. the mainstream trade union headquarters) has been occupied (their blog). Both occupations have organised a series of demonstrations, solidarity concerts and counter-information actions (occupying, for example, the speaker system of metro stations to read out communiques on the attack). A solidarity demonstration is taking place now (2pm) in Petralona, Konstantina’s neighbourhood.
A few minutes into 2009 prisoner solidarity demonstrations were held across the country. In Athens up to 1,000 people gathered outside the Korydalos prison, firing fireworks and chanting solidarity slogans with the prisoners inside. People say it was one of the most moving demonstrations in a long, long time.
The next big meeting seems to be the January 9th education demo. This is called for by high school and university students and teachers, yet it is considered as an important first gathering in the year that might determine how things will go from now on. The date of the demonstration is anything but coincidental as it marks the 18th aniversary of the assassination of Nikos Temponeras: Nikos, a high school teacher, was assassinated by right-wing thugs (members of what is now the governmental party) outside his high school in Patras, which was at the time occupied by its students. There are demos called for in Athens and Patras and we’ll carry live reports from both on the day.
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May the revolution continue until all of us are free! I believe we should understand that even if these days are not a part of our final battle, the precedent that we are creating now is essential for the vitality of future movements. Giving up on liberty is like giving up on life. Solidarity from Portugal!
for those wondering what’s going on in Athens today – saturday:
demo in solidaruty with Konstatina held at the neighbourhood where the attack happened, had more than 400 people and lasted more that 2 hours.
Various leftist and palestinian organisations called for a demo of solidarity with Gaza, it had thousands of people and was peaceful, untill police blocked its way towards israeli embassy. Demo was heavily teargased and chased by police even as everyone was trying to return towards the center.
In occupied theater in the centre of Athens there was a general assembly at 7pm.
Solidarity and struggle from Toronto Ontario. We are mobilizing for a solidarity demonstration for the 9th of January.
***PLEASE FWD WIDELY***
**~SPARK IN ATHENS, FIRE IN TORONTO~**
Recognize the system as flawed and transform it!
What: Solidarity rally with the Greek uprising
When: THIS Friday Jan 9 at 12 NOON
Where: Outside the Consulate General of Greece at 365 Bloor St. E (at
Sherbourne)
Sponsored by: Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students, Common
Cause, CUPE 3903, CUPE 3907, No One Is Illegal Toronto and Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty
Why: Privatization of education, corporatization of campuses, barriers
to immigration, police repression, poverty and institutionalized
racism all led to the current uprising in Greece. We are struggling
here with the very same issues! This is why we stand with our brothers
and sisters in Greece.
Racist and Classist Police Brutality
Police murdered unarmed 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on Dec 6
in Athens, the latest outrage in a long string of brutality. His death
sparked an uprising by thousands of Greeks fed up with police
controlling their communities. In Toronto we also see police brutality
and impunity. Racial profiling is common practice and police actions
disproportionately target youth, racialized and poor people. Toronto
police regularly cover up and bury cases of brutality and corruption
while obstructing the complaints process. The police will not yield
their power or behave responsibly unless we fight back.
Unequal Access to Education
For many years in Greece, students have successfully fought off
attempts to end universal access to higher education by organizing
themselves, protesting and occupying their schools. In Canada,
undergrad tuition fees have almost doubled over the last decade. This
makes higher education impossible for many working class people
without taking on crippling debts. Schools like U of T and Queens are
moving towards self-regulation, allowing them to charge whatever they
want.
Unemployment
Anger in Greece is fueled by lay-offs and increasing rates of
unemployment among young graduates accelerated by the global financial
crisis. In Canada, we’re feeling these effects as we slide deeper into
recession. The unemployed and those at risk of eviction will find
gutted social assistance programs while banks and corporations, whose
greed caused this crisis, get bailouts. The government, banks and
corporations must be held accountable.
Attacks on Non-Status People and Union Organizers
In Greece, migrants and immigrants experience daily humiliation at the
border and even murder by police and vigilantes. In December they took
to the streets demanding justice and dignity. Organizers of
predominantly immigrant and migrant unions face threats, assaults and
death from company thugs. The rail company office has been occupied in
response to the violent acid attack on Bulgarian migrant worker
Konstantina Kouneva a militant syndicalist and general secretary of
the cleaner’s union of Athens (Panattic Union of Cleaners and Domestic
Personnel). Non-status people and migrant workers in Canada often face
deportation if they stand up for their rights. Immigrants and migrant
labourers face overwork, substandard accommodations, unsafe
conditions, unlivable pay and overt racism.
–
Common Cause
P.O. Box 347, Station E
772 Dovercourt Rd.
Toronto, ON, Canada,
M6H 4E3
Email: commoncauseontario@gmail.com
Web: http://linchpin.ca
Ontario Forum: http://anarchistblackcat.org/viewforum.php?f=61
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[...] #36, 14:11 Actions de solidarité anticarcérales pour le nouvel an à travers le pays; la solidarité avec K.Kuneva grossit; les préparatifs pour la manifestation du 9 janvier ont commencé 5 01 2009 Samedi le 3 janvier 2009 [...]
[...] #36, 14:11 Actions de solidarité anticarcérales pour le nouvel an à travers le pays; la solidarité avec K.Kuneva grossit; les préparatifs pour la manifestation du 9 janvier ont commencé 5 01 2009 Samedi le 3 janvier 2009 [...]
[...] On the Hellenic Riots › #36, 14:11 New assemblage captive solidarity … [...]
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