Greece: Police raided occupation of Villa Amalias Squat, Athens

international | miscellaneous | other press Friday December 21, 2012 03:22 by Solidarity to Autonomic Spaces

Villa Amalias IS AND WILL BE

SQUAT / STATE REPRESSION 20 December 2012

You wont get Villa Amalias. Not even...in your dreams only

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT AN EVICTION: IT IS ABOUT A COMMON ACTION OF AUTONOMY & SELF-ORGANIZATION SOLIDARITY & SUPPORT
VILLA AMALIAS GIVES A SERIOUS BATTLE ; NOT FOR SUPPORTING SOME WALLS & BRICKS,
BUT FOR THE DESIRES & DREAMS & HOPES FOR A LIFE MORE FOR EVERYONE

Once again, the State is trying to terrorize by means of sudden raids against occupied self-organized spaces.

Villa Amalias squat is housed in the building of Heyden and Acharnon street for 22 years. Within the squat hundreds of political and cultural events have been held (concerts, theatrical performances, screenings etc), while the anti-commercial culture that opposes the culture of sale and profit, power and property has found its place. It is clear now, after so many daily attacks against the anti-authoritarian/anarchist movement, that the antisocial forces of economic and political authoritarianism aim at silencing the movement, at limiting the public discussion in the agenda that is determined solely by the mainstream media and the Nazis, at prohibiting self-organized actions that start from below and outside political parties.

According to info published on Athens Indymedia, 8 comrades from the occupation were detained, and a search is being conducted in the building by the forces of state repression. Already, 200 have gathered in solidarity at Acharnon Street opposite the occupation.
From 7 o'clock in the morning till late 6 in the afternoon, lawyers weren't allowed to get in contact with the people, which is against the Greek law (well, once again state shows its face)

We have to underline that THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT AN EVICTION. The building is property the City Council of Athens, and after a court case on 2000, the decision was to let the people live inside and maintain it, because of their social work in the region and the maintenance of it.
No decision was made by the City Council is behind this police attack, which is made by the police station of Agios Panteleimonas.
In the specific police department there have been reported several phenomena of tortures and violence by policemen, towards Greeks and foreigners, and many times neo-nazis of Golden Dawn and other groups had attacked with extreme violence in the region, with several days of pogroms, WITH the support of police (there are even videos of police attacking into houses).
Also, by invading in the historical Squat- known to all Greek protestors, with an anonymous complaint (a usual tactic that is used by the state, recent example Delta squat, Thessaloniki) and their furious tactic of accusing every part of the society that is confronting them, they are ready to charge for weapons the empty beer bottles part of the costs for concerts, performances, press, posters was covered by an autonomic basic 'bar')
The decision of attacking to squats and public spaces, where people create other modes and re-invent ways to co-exist in Solidarity economy schemes or even outside economy, is made made by the current temporary government. The right party governor Samaras has stated with the eviction in the 7yrs Delta Squat in Thesaloniki that it is the beginning of wiping out free spaces that remain upfront against their, EU & IMF politics.This is the actual reply of the government to Golden Dawn's Kasidiaris member request, two months ago, where he has pointed out Villa Amalias as the target to be vanished. And another proof of the current political situation in Greece, where state ignores the laws it is supposed to promote and promotes the police and parastatal violence to every single one who denies this slavery.

On 21/12/12 morning, at 10.30 Greek time, people will gather in solidarity outside the court.
Also on Saturday 22/12/12 an Anti-Fascist Protest is going to be held in a nearby Agios Panteleimonas region (included in this pogrom zone), that Villa Amalias Squat is also supporting

We express our solidarity to Villa Amalias and to the comrades who struggle in this free social space.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF VILLA AMALIA squatters

PS: We understand the joy of the faithful servants of the system of power, as we observe the far-right blogs, as well as the mainstream news sites joining forces, slandering and cheering for the “success” of the suppressive State. We promise that the delight of the enemies of society will not last forever.

Villa Amalias IS AND WILL BE