Solidarity demonstration in Attiki Square (Athens)

October 8, 2010 – Attiki Square

Big solidarity protest against fascists & state racism, organized by anarchists and antiauthoritarians

This is one of the seldom afternoons that the afghans reconquer the square. A group of 1000 people, among them many Afghan refugees, women and children gathered in the afternoon in Attiki Square to protest against the fascist movement that is occupying the place since more than a week and that already has expulsed all forms of human life from the St. Panteleimon Church. Among the many speeches were mainly Afghan refugees talking: “what have we done to you, that you treat us like this? We were forced to leave our country, we came here for saving our lives. Whose mother would send her own children away in the danger of crossing borders in the dark and with the fear of loosing them to the streets of Greece – to hopelessness, homelessness and drug addiction? Which mother travels through all that dangers with her small children if she has another choice. We came here to be saved, but instead be get beaten and kicked. Why does the government not gives us a place to sleep? We never chose to spend all our time on this square. We have nowhere else to go. Why do they take our fingerprints here if they cannot offer us anything? Why don’t they let us go, if they don’t want us? Why do they want us back, when Austria asks them to? I was deported from Austria back to Greece with my husband and my two small children. Three days ago we lost our flat, because we could not afford to pay the landlord anymore. Now we sleep in the park. Why is nobody taking his responsibilities and helping us?” A small girl says: “I want to go to school! I want to become an educated women!”

At dusk the bulk of people sets of towards St. Nicholaos train station demonstrating and shouting slogans such as: “Fascists assholes – the gallows are coming” and: “Nobody in fear never and nowhere – break the fascists in each neighbourhood” Greeks and Afghans walk together while the police is not far. The fascists hide. The demonstration ends peacefully and gets dissolved.

Riot police violently attack migrants after demonstration

Fascists were hiding during the protest. But when the demonstration ended, riot police did the fascists’ job…

On their way back a group of 50 Afghans and a few Greeks was suddenly attacked by two dozens of police. Riot police wanted to give the Afghans a lesson, so they suddenly just started beating them, blindly attacking a group of demonstrators. The first Afghans attacked fell to the ground from the beatings and were arrested thereafter for unknown reasons. Most people ran away, but at least 10 people were injured – some of them badly. Among them were also minors. One of them had to be brought to hospital, while there were rumours that another Afghan had been attacked by fascists near St. Nicholaos with a metal pipe. His leg was broken in two places…

More info about the situation in Attiki Square:

http://w2eu.net/2010/10/05/the-jungle-of-athens