boubourAs translation for actforfreedomno
22 December 2010
Since the 29th of November, we the three political prisoners of the underground special wing 6 of Koridallos, defendants for the case of Revolutionary Struggle, participated in the mobilizations of the prisoners of all prisons who either with prison food abstention, or with hunger strikes are fighting for the improvement of certain provisions of the C.C. (Correctional Code) regarding the leave days, the probations and disciplinary matters, decent treatment and improvement of the conditions of detention, the abolition of certain draconian penal provisions, special detainment conditions, reduction of the life sentence as well as the release of disabled prisoners and cancer patients.
In the frames of these demands it is also claimed that the special antiterrorist legislations that occasionally have been voted are abolished, with the most recent that passed in August which the “progressive” Kastanidis passed secretly and where it's allowed for anonymous witnesses to testify in trials of cases of armed revolutionary organizations and “organized crime” as well as the penalization of violent action of demonstrators in mass mobilizations as “terrorist actions”.
The situation in which they passed these two provisions is not accidental since the present minister of “Justice” Kastanidis participates in a government of traitors of the Greek people that executes the commands of the lenders of the international economic elite.
It is natural that along with the application of the Memorandum, there is State repression for the defense of the regime since they await social explosions that can put at risk its very existence.
Also among the demands of the prisoners is the abolishment of the special regime of detention of political prisoners whether it's the special wing in the F.P.K. (female prisons of Koridallos) where those sentenced for the 17N (17November organization) are detained, or the basement of the 6th wing.
The 6th wing is an isolated small wing and the basement in which we are kept has 8 cells of 2 people.
The 6th was a building - warehouse which was transformed into a detainment space in 2002 when the 17N arrests happened.
For many months, the arrested of the 17N experienced a regime of isolation where they were locked in the cells 23 hours a day, without free access to information and correspondence, while to the courtyard - grave 20 x 10 meters that sees only to the sky through a barbwire, they came out 1 hour 2 people at a time escorted by a prison guard.
Even though this special regime was abolished, the basement of the 6th continues to function despite all the insufficiencies of the building infrastructure in air, lighting and the great lack of space since outside the cells there is only a narrow corridor 10 x 2,5 m for the prisoners to walk.
As anyone can realize we have the same space that the domestic animals have in a cage or in a pen.
To the basement of the 6th, the prison authorities sends either prisoners like us political, with the decision of the Ministry, or prisoners that are branded dangerous (e.g. could escape) and are sent here for isolation, or prisoners who have problems with other prisoners from other wings.
Despite all this, recently, the prison authorities have crammed 20 detainees into the basement of the 6th, putting a third person in the cells of two, who slept on the floor, while the maximum capacity is 16 individuals in such a narrow space.
On Friday the 10th of December in the afternoon, some of us protested this situation to the sergeant on shift who although justified us regarding that this situation offends human dignity, declared to us he cannot do anything because there is no other space to put the extra prisoners.
After few hours and just before the prison closed, we were informed that the minister of “Justice” of the troika, Kastanidis, was visiting the prisons of Koridallos to “discuss” with a “delegation” of detainees the demands which have been placed with the mobilizations that are taking place all over Greece in all prisons.
Then we decided the 19 prisoners of the basement, in common defiance, to refuse to enter the cells at 8.00pm in the evening as is the regulation of the prison and demanded that the minister himself to come and visit the basement of the 6th and see the situation for himself.
Since we realize that the minister came to Koridallos in order to make another political “communication funfair” meeting with a non-existent “elected self-organized committee of struggle”, we refused as it was proposed to us by the prison authorities that 2 individuals go as representatives of the basement of the 6th and we insisted that he should come down to the basement and that we would not enter the cells if he did not come. We had no intention of “discussing” with someone that, because of his political identity, the fake promises and the “I will” of his profession, e.g. he had promised when he was in the opposition to abolish the “hoodlaw” (law which says that if you cause damage while wearing a hood or mask, it's a terrorist action) while now as minister of the troika of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank. and the E.U. applies even more draconian laws.
Naturally our demand that the minister comes to the basement of the 6th was not accepted either because the “honorable” minister denied, or because the sergeant denied to transmit our demand.
We then decided that we are not going to enter the cells all night if the basement of the 6th is not relieved of the overcrowding, which means the transport of the extra prisoners, something that finally happened at 11.30 at night.
Nothing of course guarantees that we will not have similar situations in the future.
The obvious that we demand is dignity and this consists of the abolishment of the Basement of the 6th wing, the abolishment of the special division where they keep the sentenced of the 17N, the abolishment of every special regime of detainment for any category of prisoners, while we support all the demands of our fellow prisoners that are participating in the mobilizations.
The most and real criminals are not behind the prison walls. The real robbers and murderers, those that rob the Greek people, that plunder the wages and the pensions, those that deprive care and health, are in the “Megaro Maximou” (Maximou mansion, the Greek equivalent of the White House, in the ministerial offices, in the seats of parliament, in the bourgeois districts, in the villas and in the luxurious offices of the bankers, the businessmen and the shipowners.
K. Gournas, S. Nikitopoulos, N. Maziotis
Showing posts with label Nikos Maziotis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nikos Maziotis. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
9 December. Revolutionary StruggIe: International call for solidarity
actforfreedomnow!
9 December 2010
INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY
Comrades,
We are three political prisoners, members of the armed group Revolutionary Struggle [Epanastatikos Agonas], and we send you militant greetings from the Greek prisons.
We were arrested in April 2010 along with other three comrades who are being accused of involvement in the organization. Since then, we have been on pretrial detention [under the terrorism act], waiting to be referred to a trial in the first months of 2011.
In an open political letter to society, the three of us claimed political responsibility for our participation in the organization of Revolutionary Struggle. In this way, we defended our actions which were directed against the Capital and the State, and contributed through practice and speech towards the overthrowal of the State and capitalism, aiming at social revolution, at a non-statist, anti-authoritarian, communal and communist society, in which assemblies and councils of the people will undertake social, political and economic operation and management.
By claiming political responsibility, we also want to defend armed struggle, and to highlight its timelessness and importance within the broader struggle for overthrowal and social revolution. Most importantly, we want to highlight its relevance and necessity for our times. It is our belief that the appropriate objective conditions for the overthrowal of capitalism have developed in this era of global economic crisis more than in any other time since the Second World War.
Also, by undertaking political responsibility we wanted to restore the memory and honour of our comrade Lambros Foundas, who was a member of the Revolutionary Struggle and was killed in an armed clash with cops in March 2010 during an attempted expropriation of a car – a preparatory action of a wider action plan of our organization.
The political, economic and social environment in which the Revolutionary Struggle was formed and has developed its action is very different from that of the Western-European urban guerrilla groups, which were active from the 1970s and 1980s up until the early 1990s. Back then the bipolar, the competition between the US-USSR and their political-economic systems were dominant. It was the time when the model of Keynesianism was sinking into crisis and political devaluation, as Capital regained its strength against the proletariat, governments of Western countries one after the other abandoned state intervention in the economy – the so-called ‘economics of demand’ – and replaced them with ‘economics of supply’, while the States began the assault on labor and social gains, defending the interests of the economically powerful and imposing the neoliberal financial and political model of governance.
The economic and political environment in which Revolutionary Struggle was formed was set by the USA monocracy, economic globalization, neoliberalism and the fight against terrorism, which is the peak of political-military globalization. Because, for us, both the “fight against terrorism” and the totalitarianism of the markets are two sides of the same coin; they are the political and economic nature of globalization. Whenever and wherever globalization is not able to be imposed by the weapons of the capitalists and international financial institutions (IMF, WB, WTO, ECB, FED), by the financial tools of international stock markets, by poverty, hunger and marginalization, it is imposed by the sharpening of state violence and power, by repression, war and military incursions, by fire and iron.
The period from 2003, when the Revolutionary Struggle started its action, up to 2007, while the growing social crisis was creating strong social dissatisfaction, the neoliberal consensus was strong, due to the fact that capitalist development was continued ‘smoothly’ using bank loans, as a global scale bubble growing against the successive financial crises that were shaking the planet (Southeast Asia crisis, economic collapse in Argentina, Dot.com crisis in the US).
Since 2007, year of the first ‘bursting of the bubble’ of the residential mortgage loans in the US, which gave the onset of the global financial crisis, the failure of the neoliberal consensus started, leading to deeper and deeper political and social scorn for the regime.
During its first period Revolutionary Struggle set as cutting-edge issues the ‘fight against terrorism’ with the military operations of the US and their Western allies to the countries of the region, and with the intensity of state violence, repression and terrorism in the countries of the capitalist centre and the semi-periphery, in which substantially Greece belongs (rocket attack against the US Embassy, attack against the former minister of Public Order, against police targets and courts), the neoliberal invasion, the marketization of all the economic and social functions left, the attack of Capital against labor gains (bomb attacks against Ministries of Employment and Economy).
Then, since 2008, the global financial crisis was a true challenge for us in order to upgrade our action, making attacks against economic structures and institutions such as the stock market, Citibank and Eurobank. Our ambition was to hurt the vulnerable – due to the crisis – system as long as possible, to strongly sabotage the political choices of the Greek government and the ‘rescue-of-the-country’ plans imposed by the troika (IMF, EU, ECB).
This was the reason that PASOK government was so afraid of Revolutionary Struggle, since – according to the statements of a member of the government – the organization ‘could blow up the financial measures.’ That’s why our arrests, which took place a few days before the IMF, the EU and the ECB entirely take the reins of power in Greece, were characterized by the Greek government and other European and American political factors as a great success.
For us, the financial crisis we live today is the first truly global crisis in history and the only one since the Great Depression of the early 1930s that affects so intensely all the countries of the capitalist centre, while its character is systemic; it concerns the nature of capitalism itself and the nature of the market economy, and it is multi-dimensional, because other than financial it is political, social and environmental.
On the occasion of the current crisis, both economic and political elites around the world are conducting a frontal attack against societies; former achievements of the labor movement are permanently buried in the name of competitiveness, the welfare state is long past, while institutions of the system such as the nation state lose their importance, concepts such as sovereignty have no real meaning, and representative democracy in many countries such as Greece, which come under the supervision of the transnational elite and economic institutions (IMF, Central banks, etc.) is humiliated, since in fact a series of constitutional provisions are cancelled, and it becomes the vehicle for the establishment of a globalized totalitarianism, that of markets, multinationals, bankers and their political institutions.
Against this charge of the political and economical elites there is no room for the implementation of Keynesian experiments and reforms. This has been obvious by the governments’ respond to the crisis, by unleashing their wildest neoliberal attack against the middle and lower classes, against the willing of the majority of people. On the occasion of the financial crisis, they forward the greatest robbery and looting in human history and the greatest transaction of wealth from the basis to the top of the social hierarchy, driving more and more people to hunger, impoverishment and death.
For vast parts of the societies both of the periphery and the centre of the capitalist world, the neoliberal model of development has bankrupt alongside the general economic regime. Next in line to fall is the political system of representative democracy.
The lack of social consent doesn’t stop the European governments from a series of political coup d’état with the excuse of over-passing the crisis while supported only by minorities. In this way, they provoke the rage and exasperation of the social majorities, which quite often are expressed in violent ways on the streets of European cities (of France, England, Greece, Ireland, Italy…).
All the above record a series of political and social conditions that, for us, are the most appropriate in order to put into practice the international proletarian counterattack, to accomplish the overthrowal of capitalism and the State, to undertake the revolution. Because today the dilemma of the fighters but also the people repressed is one: social revolution or total submission and death.
Our obligation is to create the subjective circumstances, namely to contribute to the creation of a polymorphic revolutionary movement at national and international level that will form the conditions for the realization of the social revolution.
Within this political and social situation, the armed struggle can be of particular importance and may hold a central role, as it may reflect the overall political conflict with the regime, to herald the armed proletarian counterattack of peoples and to propagandize in the most dynamic way the overthrowal and social revolution.
We want our trial to be a political step to express in public these political positions; we want it to be registered in history as a moment of the struggle for freedom. To highlight the importance of the social revolution as the only answer to the crisis that condemns the largest parts of society to economic and social devastation.
[We want our trial] to become a public condemnation of the system and all its collaborationists no matter their political accession. To highlight that the armed struggle, despite the attacks by the system, is vivid and well-timed but also important in our days in order to promote the revolutionary process. We want to speak out the need for the formation of revolutionary movements everywhere, which will persuade the accomplishment of the social revolution.
In such a trial we believe that the best ‘witnesses of defense’ are the comrades who have chosen their dynamic clash with the system. These are the fighters who have been members of guerilla groups and have remained immovable and impenitent in their choices, by defending their struggles, their comrades who died in prison, those who were imprisoned for many years.
With their political statement in court, they will testify their own experiences, their own struggles as these were expressed through different social and economical conditions. They will speak about the timelessness and historical continuity of the social and class struggle that will be waged until the total destruction of the capitalist system. They will also speak about the struggle that is continued inside prison cells by the prisoners of this war. Because we do not choose the path of struggle to accept the conditions of imprisonment imposed by our enemy in order to morally defeat us and lead us to political or even physical extermination.
For us, that would be the best expression of solidarity; to make this trial a cry for freedom.
Pola Rupa, Nikos Maziotis, Kostas Gournas
9 December 2010
INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY
Comrades,
We are three political prisoners, members of the armed group Revolutionary Struggle [Epanastatikos Agonas], and we send you militant greetings from the Greek prisons.
We were arrested in April 2010 along with other three comrades who are being accused of involvement in the organization. Since then, we have been on pretrial detention [under the terrorism act], waiting to be referred to a trial in the first months of 2011.
In an open political letter to society, the three of us claimed political responsibility for our participation in the organization of Revolutionary Struggle. In this way, we defended our actions which were directed against the Capital and the State, and contributed through practice and speech towards the overthrowal of the State and capitalism, aiming at social revolution, at a non-statist, anti-authoritarian, communal and communist society, in which assemblies and councils of the people will undertake social, political and economic operation and management.
By claiming political responsibility, we also want to defend armed struggle, and to highlight its timelessness and importance within the broader struggle for overthrowal and social revolution. Most importantly, we want to highlight its relevance and necessity for our times. It is our belief that the appropriate objective conditions for the overthrowal of capitalism have developed in this era of global economic crisis more than in any other time since the Second World War.
Also, by undertaking political responsibility we wanted to restore the memory and honour of our comrade Lambros Foundas, who was a member of the Revolutionary Struggle and was killed in an armed clash with cops in March 2010 during an attempted expropriation of a car – a preparatory action of a wider action plan of our organization.
The political, economic and social environment in which the Revolutionary Struggle was formed and has developed its action is very different from that of the Western-European urban guerrilla groups, which were active from the 1970s and 1980s up until the early 1990s. Back then the bipolar, the competition between the US-USSR and their political-economic systems were dominant. It was the time when the model of Keynesianism was sinking into crisis and political devaluation, as Capital regained its strength against the proletariat, governments of Western countries one after the other abandoned state intervention in the economy – the so-called ‘economics of demand’ – and replaced them with ‘economics of supply’, while the States began the assault on labor and social gains, defending the interests of the economically powerful and imposing the neoliberal financial and political model of governance.
The economic and political environment in which Revolutionary Struggle was formed was set by the USA monocracy, economic globalization, neoliberalism and the fight against terrorism, which is the peak of political-military globalization. Because, for us, both the “fight against terrorism” and the totalitarianism of the markets are two sides of the same coin; they are the political and economic nature of globalization. Whenever and wherever globalization is not able to be imposed by the weapons of the capitalists and international financial institutions (IMF, WB, WTO, ECB, FED), by the financial tools of international stock markets, by poverty, hunger and marginalization, it is imposed by the sharpening of state violence and power, by repression, war and military incursions, by fire and iron.
The period from 2003, when the Revolutionary Struggle started its action, up to 2007, while the growing social crisis was creating strong social dissatisfaction, the neoliberal consensus was strong, due to the fact that capitalist development was continued ‘smoothly’ using bank loans, as a global scale bubble growing against the successive financial crises that were shaking the planet (Southeast Asia crisis, economic collapse in Argentina, Dot.com crisis in the US).
Since 2007, year of the first ‘bursting of the bubble’ of the residential mortgage loans in the US, which gave the onset of the global financial crisis, the failure of the neoliberal consensus started, leading to deeper and deeper political and social scorn for the regime.
During its first period Revolutionary Struggle set as cutting-edge issues the ‘fight against terrorism’ with the military operations of the US and their Western allies to the countries of the region, and with the intensity of state violence, repression and terrorism in the countries of the capitalist centre and the semi-periphery, in which substantially Greece belongs (rocket attack against the US Embassy, attack against the former minister of Public Order, against police targets and courts), the neoliberal invasion, the marketization of all the economic and social functions left, the attack of Capital against labor gains (bomb attacks against Ministries of Employment and Economy).
Then, since 2008, the global financial crisis was a true challenge for us in order to upgrade our action, making attacks against economic structures and institutions such as the stock market, Citibank and Eurobank. Our ambition was to hurt the vulnerable – due to the crisis – system as long as possible, to strongly sabotage the political choices of the Greek government and the ‘rescue-of-the-country’ plans imposed by the troika (IMF, EU, ECB).
This was the reason that PASOK government was so afraid of Revolutionary Struggle, since – according to the statements of a member of the government – the organization ‘could blow up the financial measures.’ That’s why our arrests, which took place a few days before the IMF, the EU and the ECB entirely take the reins of power in Greece, were characterized by the Greek government and other European and American political factors as a great success.
For us, the financial crisis we live today is the first truly global crisis in history and the only one since the Great Depression of the early 1930s that affects so intensely all the countries of the capitalist centre, while its character is systemic; it concerns the nature of capitalism itself and the nature of the market economy, and it is multi-dimensional, because other than financial it is political, social and environmental.
On the occasion of the current crisis, both economic and political elites around the world are conducting a frontal attack against societies; former achievements of the labor movement are permanently buried in the name of competitiveness, the welfare state is long past, while institutions of the system such as the nation state lose their importance, concepts such as sovereignty have no real meaning, and representative democracy in many countries such as Greece, which come under the supervision of the transnational elite and economic institutions (IMF, Central banks, etc.) is humiliated, since in fact a series of constitutional provisions are cancelled, and it becomes the vehicle for the establishment of a globalized totalitarianism, that of markets, multinationals, bankers and their political institutions.
Against this charge of the political and economical elites there is no room for the implementation of Keynesian experiments and reforms. This has been obvious by the governments’ respond to the crisis, by unleashing their wildest neoliberal attack against the middle and lower classes, against the willing of the majority of people. On the occasion of the financial crisis, they forward the greatest robbery and looting in human history and the greatest transaction of wealth from the basis to the top of the social hierarchy, driving more and more people to hunger, impoverishment and death.
For vast parts of the societies both of the periphery and the centre of the capitalist world, the neoliberal model of development has bankrupt alongside the general economic regime. Next in line to fall is the political system of representative democracy.
The lack of social consent doesn’t stop the European governments from a series of political coup d’état with the excuse of over-passing the crisis while supported only by minorities. In this way, they provoke the rage and exasperation of the social majorities, which quite often are expressed in violent ways on the streets of European cities (of France, England, Greece, Ireland, Italy…).
All the above record a series of political and social conditions that, for us, are the most appropriate in order to put into practice the international proletarian counterattack, to accomplish the overthrowal of capitalism and the State, to undertake the revolution. Because today the dilemma of the fighters but also the people repressed is one: social revolution or total submission and death.
Our obligation is to create the subjective circumstances, namely to contribute to the creation of a polymorphic revolutionary movement at national and international level that will form the conditions for the realization of the social revolution.
Within this political and social situation, the armed struggle can be of particular importance and may hold a central role, as it may reflect the overall political conflict with the regime, to herald the armed proletarian counterattack of peoples and to propagandize in the most dynamic way the overthrowal and social revolution.
We want our trial to be a political step to express in public these political positions; we want it to be registered in history as a moment of the struggle for freedom. To highlight the importance of the social revolution as the only answer to the crisis that condemns the largest parts of society to economic and social devastation.
[We want our trial] to become a public condemnation of the system and all its collaborationists no matter their political accession. To highlight that the armed struggle, despite the attacks by the system, is vivid and well-timed but also important in our days in order to promote the revolutionary process. We want to speak out the need for the formation of revolutionary movements everywhere, which will persuade the accomplishment of the social revolution.
In such a trial we believe that the best ‘witnesses of defense’ are the comrades who have chosen their dynamic clash with the system. These are the fighters who have been members of guerilla groups and have remained immovable and impenitent in their choices, by defending their struggles, their comrades who died in prison, those who were imprisoned for many years.
With their political statement in court, they will testify their own experiences, their own struggles as these were expressed through different social and economical conditions. They will speak about the timelessness and historical continuity of the social and class struggle that will be waged until the total destruction of the capitalist system. They will also speak about the struggle that is continued inside prison cells by the prisoners of this war. Because we do not choose the path of struggle to accept the conditions of imprisonment imposed by our enemy in order to morally defeat us and lead us to political or even physical extermination.
For us, that would be the best expression of solidarity; to make this trial a cry for freedom.
Pola Rupa, Nikos Maziotis, Kostas Gournas
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Hunger strike of Nikos Maziotis and prisoners in solidarity ends after Panagiota Roupa gives birth to a son without presence of cops.
from :actforfreedomnow!
25/07/2010, 17.42 - A couple of hours ago today, 25 July the hunger strike of comrades Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas and the abstinence from prison food of about 90 prisoners across the country in solidarity with Nikos Maziotis to see his newborn child, all ended.
Nikos was transferred this morning to Alexandra hospital to see his partner Panagiota Roupa who gave birth to their son yesterday with PROPER CARE from their doctors and WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ANTI-TERRORISM COPS AT ANY STAGE.
Almost certainly the second request, to visit Pola at Korydallos women's prison, is being considered.
The mobilization succeeded. The hunger strike and abstension from prison food has ended.
Our best wishes to the baby!!
Solidarity to all the comrades!
25/07/2010, 17.42 - A couple of hours ago today, 25 July the hunger strike of comrades Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas and the abstinence from prison food of about 90 prisoners across the country in solidarity with Nikos Maziotis to see his newborn child, all ended.
Nikos was transferred this morning to Alexandra hospital to see his partner Panagiota Roupa who gave birth to their son yesterday with PROPER CARE from their doctors and WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ANTI-TERRORISM COPS AT ANY STAGE.
Almost certainly the second request, to visit Pola at Korydallos women's prison, is being considered.
The mobilization succeeded. The hunger strike and abstension from prison food has ended.
Our best wishes to the baby!!
Solidarity to all the comrades!
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Athens, Koridallos prison - comrade Nikos Maziotis' declaration of hunger strike in the face of the revenge of the State against his unborn child
actforfreedomnow! / From the Greek Streets
July 19, 2010 -
Hunger strike against vengeance.
The treatment that the state reserves for imprisoned revolutionaries and its political enemies is a given. Vengeance, sadism, physical and psychological violence, disrespect for human dignity, indifference about their health, their physical wellbeing, for human life itself.
For the security of the state and power, the denial of freedom is above everything, above life itself and "human rights".
For state officials, the political and financial elite and the rich, "human rights" only concern themselves and those of the same class.
They do not concern the people, the poor, the workers, the unemployed, the veterans of work, the immigrants, those who search in the garbage of the local markets to eat.
Neither do they concern prisoners - social prisoners, of which the overwhelming majority come from the poor social strata and whose life is worth absolutely nothing for the system.
And they do not concern, of course, revolutionaries and political prisoners, for which the system has always pursued their physical and ethical annihilation.
In this framework, my partner, comrade and co-fighter Panagiota Roupa and myself, who are members of Revolutionary Struggle, are denied the right of prison visits thanks to the attorney of Koridallos prison, who has rejected for "reasons of security" my transfer to the maternity clinic "Alexandra" in order to visit my partner, who will bring our son into the world, the youngest political prisoner of Greek "democracy".
She has also rejected, for the same "security reasons", my application to visit the female section of Koridallos because, due to her condition, my comrade is unable to visit the male prison as would normally happen.
Demanding, therefore, the "obvious" as a partner and as a father to visit my partner-cofighter and our son, I am going on hunger strike from the 15th of July in order for my two following demands to be met:
1. To be transferred for a visit to the maternity clinic "Alexandra" on July 25th in order to visit my partner Panagiota Roupa and our son, since the birth has been planned by Caesarean section for July 24th and she will remain in the clinic for a few days and
2. That I be transferred for visits to the female prison for the first period after the birth because my partner and our son will inevitably be too weak to be moved.
If the repressive mechanisms believe that by imprisoning us they’ll get done with us, they are wrong.
Either outside or inside the prisons the struggle for us is a question of honour and dignity; it will continue.
Revolutionary struggle continues.
NIKOS MAZIOTIS
July 19, 2010 -
Hunger strike against vengeance.
The treatment that the state reserves for imprisoned revolutionaries and its political enemies is a given. Vengeance, sadism, physical and psychological violence, disrespect for human dignity, indifference about their health, their physical wellbeing, for human life itself.
For the security of the state and power, the denial of freedom is above everything, above life itself and "human rights".
For state officials, the political and financial elite and the rich, "human rights" only concern themselves and those of the same class.
They do not concern the people, the poor, the workers, the unemployed, the veterans of work, the immigrants, those who search in the garbage of the local markets to eat.
Neither do they concern prisoners - social prisoners, of which the overwhelming majority come from the poor social strata and whose life is worth absolutely nothing for the system.
And they do not concern, of course, revolutionaries and political prisoners, for which the system has always pursued their physical and ethical annihilation.
In this framework, my partner, comrade and co-fighter Panagiota Roupa and myself, who are members of Revolutionary Struggle, are denied the right of prison visits thanks to the attorney of Koridallos prison, who has rejected for "reasons of security" my transfer to the maternity clinic "Alexandra" in order to visit my partner, who will bring our son into the world, the youngest political prisoner of Greek "democracy".
She has also rejected, for the same "security reasons", my application to visit the female section of Koridallos because, due to her condition, my comrade is unable to visit the male prison as would normally happen.
Demanding, therefore, the "obvious" as a partner and as a father to visit my partner-cofighter and our son, I am going on hunger strike from the 15th of July in order for my two following demands to be met:
1. To be transferred for a visit to the maternity clinic "Alexandra" on July 25th in order to visit my partner Panagiota Roupa and our son, since the birth has been planned by Caesarean section for July 24th and she will remain in the clinic for a few days and
2. That I be transferred for visits to the female prison for the first period after the birth because my partner and our son will inevitably be too weak to be moved.
If the repressive mechanisms believe that by imprisoning us they’ll get done with us, they are wrong.
Either outside or inside the prisons the struggle for us is a question of honour and dignity; it will continue.
Revolutionary struggle continues.
NIKOS MAZIOTIS
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Defense excerpts from six arrested in Revolutionary Struggle case (plus update and chronology)
6 05 2010
From Liberación Total:
April 30, 2010
Nikos Maziotis
Responding to the question “Do you accept or deny the charges?”:
“I am a revolutionary, and I am fighting an unjust, criminal regime known as the state and capitalism. If anyone should make a plea in defense, it is not me but those who are accusing me: the police and judges who serve the rich. I, for my part, am in the right, and I will not apologize for myself.”
Panagiota “Pola” Roupa
Responding to the same question:
“I am a revolutionary, and I do not recognize your proceedings. The criminals and terrorists are you and the system you serve: the state and capitalism.”
Sarandos Nikitopoulos
“I am being singled out for my political activity. I have been politically active in the anarchist and antiauthoritarian milieu ever since I was very little, and I can assure you that I as well as hundreds of others before me were already in the authorities’ sights, and that will continue. I consider the criminal prosecution against me to be based on and a product of my own political activity, as well as that of the entire anarchist milieu. Cases like Thessaloniki—in which even video recordings show police planting bags containing “illegal” items near people in order to charge them—or the imprisonment of demonstrator Mario Z. in Athens, and many others, must put an end to this blind faith in police accusations.”
Kostas Gournas
The prosecutor: “What do you say in your defense? Do you accept or deny the charges?”
Kostas: “I am not going to answer. I do not recognize these proceedings. Since the age of 20, I have been a worker and have taken part in the social and class struggle in Greece. I am against the regime, the political system, and the economic system. I am not a terrorist. The terrorists are the ones on the 12th floor of police headquarters who gave me a beating and threatened to kill my children.”
Vaggelis Stathopoulos
“Mixing me up in the Revolutionary Struggle case is a consequence of my political convictions. I do not condemn any type or method of struggle. My political activity has always taken place in broad daylight.”
Christoforos Kortesis
Through his lawyers, he said that he will testify alone under certain specific conditions. He demanded in writing that “they have to clearly specify the charge common to all six of us that refers to my involvement in specific actions claimed by Revolutionary Struggle.” He also demanded an itemization of the evidence for each action.
_____
Our comrades were quickly transferred to different prisons: Kostas Gournas and Vaggelis Stathopoulos to Trikala, Christoforos Kortesis to Corinth, Panagiota “Pola” Roupa to Eleona womens’ prison near Thebes (let’s remember that our comrade is seven months pregnant), and Nikos Maziotis and Sarandos Nikitopoulos to Korydallos prison in Athens. On Sunday, April 25, simultaneous solidarity demonstrations and marches took place outside Trikala, Corinth, and Eleona prisons (where, apart from Pola, Konstantina Karakatsani is also locked up after her arrest in the Fire Cells Conspiracy case).
On April 29, three of the charged comrades (Maziotis, Roupa, and Gournas) published a statement in which they proudly claim their participation in the actions of Revolutionary Struggle (Epanastatikos Agonas) and recognize that comrade Lambros Foundas, who was murdered by police bullets over a month ago, was part of the group. The letter is very long (11 pages; excerpts here), and a translation will be attempted in the coming days.
_____
Revolutionary Struggle are thought to be responsible for the following attacks, all in Athens:
September 5, 2003: Bombing at courthouse.
March 14, 2004: Bombing at Citibank subsidiary in Psychico neighborhood.
May 5, 2004: Bombing at police station in Perissos neighborhood.
October 29, 2004: Bombing of police buses.
June 2, 2005: Bombing at Labor Ministry.
December 12, 2005: Bombing at Finance Ministry in Syntagma Square, near Parliament.
May 30, 2006: Attempted assassination of Georgios Voulgarakis, former Minister of Public Order, now Minister of Culture.
January 12, 2007: Wasp 58 LAW rocket attack on United States Embassy.
April 30, 2007: Shots fired at police station in Nea Ionia neighborhood.
October 24, 2008: Bombing at Shell offices in Palaio Faliro neighborhood.
December 23, 2008: Shots fired at riot police bus near Athens University in Goudi neighborhood.
January 5, 2009: Shots fired at police guarding Culture Ministry in Exarcheia neighborhood. One riot cop critically wounded.
February 18, 2009: Car bombing at Citibank headquarters in Kifissia neighborhood. Bomb fails to detonate.
March 9, 2009: Bombing at Citibank subsidiary in Nea Ionia neighborhood.
May 12, 2009: Bombing at Eurobank subsidiary in Argyroupoli neighborhood.
September 2, 2009: Car bombing causes serious damage to Stock Exchange building.
From Liberación Total:
April 30, 2010
Nikos Maziotis
Responding to the question “Do you accept or deny the charges?”:
“I am a revolutionary, and I am fighting an unjust, criminal regime known as the state and capitalism. If anyone should make a plea in defense, it is not me but those who are accusing me: the police and judges who serve the rich. I, for my part, am in the right, and I will not apologize for myself.”
Panagiota “Pola” Roupa
Responding to the same question:
“I am a revolutionary, and I do not recognize your proceedings. The criminals and terrorists are you and the system you serve: the state and capitalism.”
Sarandos Nikitopoulos
“I am being singled out for my political activity. I have been politically active in the anarchist and antiauthoritarian milieu ever since I was very little, and I can assure you that I as well as hundreds of others before me were already in the authorities’ sights, and that will continue. I consider the criminal prosecution against me to be based on and a product of my own political activity, as well as that of the entire anarchist milieu. Cases like Thessaloniki—in which even video recordings show police planting bags containing “illegal” items near people in order to charge them—or the imprisonment of demonstrator Mario Z. in Athens, and many others, must put an end to this blind faith in police accusations.”
Kostas Gournas
The prosecutor: “What do you say in your defense? Do you accept or deny the charges?”
Kostas: “I am not going to answer. I do not recognize these proceedings. Since the age of 20, I have been a worker and have taken part in the social and class struggle in Greece. I am against the regime, the political system, and the economic system. I am not a terrorist. The terrorists are the ones on the 12th floor of police headquarters who gave me a beating and threatened to kill my children.”
Vaggelis Stathopoulos
“Mixing me up in the Revolutionary Struggle case is a consequence of my political convictions. I do not condemn any type or method of struggle. My political activity has always taken place in broad daylight.”
Christoforos Kortesis
Through his lawyers, he said that he will testify alone under certain specific conditions. He demanded in writing that “they have to clearly specify the charge common to all six of us that refers to my involvement in specific actions claimed by Revolutionary Struggle.” He also demanded an itemization of the evidence for each action.
_____
Our comrades were quickly transferred to different prisons: Kostas Gournas and Vaggelis Stathopoulos to Trikala, Christoforos Kortesis to Corinth, Panagiota “Pola” Roupa to Eleona womens’ prison near Thebes (let’s remember that our comrade is seven months pregnant), and Nikos Maziotis and Sarandos Nikitopoulos to Korydallos prison in Athens. On Sunday, April 25, simultaneous solidarity demonstrations and marches took place outside Trikala, Corinth, and Eleona prisons (where, apart from Pola, Konstantina Karakatsani is also locked up after her arrest in the Fire Cells Conspiracy case).
On April 29, three of the charged comrades (Maziotis, Roupa, and Gournas) published a statement in which they proudly claim their participation in the actions of Revolutionary Struggle (Epanastatikos Agonas) and recognize that comrade Lambros Foundas, who was murdered by police bullets over a month ago, was part of the group. The letter is very long (11 pages; excerpts here), and a translation will be attempted in the coming days.
_____
Revolutionary Struggle are thought to be responsible for the following attacks, all in Athens:
September 5, 2003: Bombing at courthouse.
March 14, 2004: Bombing at Citibank subsidiary in Psychico neighborhood.
May 5, 2004: Bombing at police station in Perissos neighborhood.
October 29, 2004: Bombing of police buses.
June 2, 2005: Bombing at Labor Ministry.
December 12, 2005: Bombing at Finance Ministry in Syntagma Square, near Parliament.
May 30, 2006: Attempted assassination of Georgios Voulgarakis, former Minister of Public Order, now Minister of Culture.
January 12, 2007: Wasp 58 LAW rocket attack on United States Embassy.
April 30, 2007: Shots fired at police station in Nea Ionia neighborhood.
October 24, 2008: Bombing at Shell offices in Palaio Faliro neighborhood.
December 23, 2008: Shots fired at riot police bus near Athens University in Goudi neighborhood.
January 5, 2009: Shots fired at police guarding Culture Ministry in Exarcheia neighborhood. One riot cop critically wounded.
February 18, 2009: Car bombing at Citibank headquarters in Kifissia neighborhood. Bomb fails to detonate.
March 9, 2009: Bombing at Citibank subsidiary in Nea Ionia neighborhood.
May 12, 2009: Bombing at Eurobank subsidiary in Argyroupoli neighborhood.
September 2, 2009: Car bombing causes serious damage to Stock Exchange building.
Update on "Revolutionary Struggle" case.
29/04/10 Today 3 of the accused comrades in the "Revolutionary struggle" case, admitted being members of the guerilla group. With a 16 page letter, N.Maziotis P. Roupa and K.Gournas took political responsibility for the group's actions. In the letter they mention that Lambros Foundas was also a member of Revolutionary Struggle and that he fell in the battle for freedom and the revolution, theyare proud of him and will always honour him. They also say that they are proud of their organization, of their history and of every moment of their political actions. They also say that they will continue their struggle whether it's outside or inside jail, because its a matter of dignity to them.
SOLIDARITY TO OUR COMRADES
THEY ARE NOT TERRORISTS,THEY ARE FIGHTERS
Three of the six arrested anarchists claim "political responsibility" for participation in "Revolutionary Struggle".
29/4 This morning, three of the six arrested anarchists for the Revolutionary Struggle case published a 16-page letter (in the Athens weekly "Pontiki", which has traditionally hosted a few of the armed guerrilla groups’ communiques) in which they claim political responsibility for their participation in the group Revolutionary Struggle. The three are Pola Roupa, Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas. Extracts of their letter follow
We claim the political responsibility for participation in Revolutionary Struggle. We declare that comrade Lambros Foundas, who died in [the Athens suburb of ] Dafni on March 10, 2010, after a shoot-out with the cops, also participated in Revolutionary Struggle.The fight he gave was one for materialising the subversive plan collectively decided by Revolutionary Struggle. It was a struggle for revolution and for freedom.
We also declare that we are very proud of our group, Revolutionary Struggle, we are proud of our history, of every moment of our political action. We are proud of comrade Lambros Foundas, who we honour and will always do so.
As much as the mechanisms of repression might believe that by imprisoning us they will do away with us, they are wrong.
Whether outside or inside prisons the struggle, which for us is a matter of honour and dignity, will continue.
As much as the two terrorists, [PM] Papandreou and [minister of public order] Chrisochoidis laugh smugly, as much as they believe they have safeguarded the security necessary for their social-fascist party to continue with the application of its criminal plans against society, wagging their tails now that their American superiors congratulate them, as much as they claim they are done with a serious threat for their regime, we assure them they will not do away with us easily. As long as we are alive, for as long as we live and breathe, we will do our best to pose problems to their antisocial and criminal plans.
And if our hunters and the political authorities of this country believe they have the entire society on their side, if they believe that the majority of the people consider us to be a social threat, they are mistaken. For the majority of the population, the social threat comes from the government passing one anti-social measure after the other, by dictation of the crows of capital which "bribe", with the cash they have at their disposal, the state mechanism.
Terrorism is the years-long neoliberal policy imposed by the parties in power with the toleration or support of smaller parties.
Terrorism is the application of the stability plan which has so far caused large segments of the population to watch this unprecedented attack against them in fear.
Terrorism is not having the most basic material to survive, having your wage and your pension taken away, the bank confiscating your house, living in lethal pollution.
Terrorism is living everyday under a regime of fear for your own survival. [...] The objective conditions are now ideal. Let’s form the subjective conditions required for us to attempt the revolution. This is our chance.
LONG LIVE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
HONOUR TO COMRADE LAMBROS FOUNDAS
LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION
POLA ROUPA
NIKOS MAZIOTIS
KOSTAS GOURNAS
SOLIDARITY TO OUR COMRADES
THEY ARE NOT TERRORISTS,THEY ARE FIGHTERS
Three of the six arrested anarchists claim "political responsibility" for participation in "Revolutionary Struggle".
29/4 This morning, three of the six arrested anarchists for the Revolutionary Struggle case published a 16-page letter (in the Athens weekly "Pontiki", which has traditionally hosted a few of the armed guerrilla groups’ communiques) in which they claim political responsibility for their participation in the group Revolutionary Struggle. The three are Pola Roupa, Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas. Extracts of their letter follow
We claim the political responsibility for participation in Revolutionary Struggle. We declare that comrade Lambros Foundas, who died in [the Athens suburb of ] Dafni on March 10, 2010, after a shoot-out with the cops, also participated in Revolutionary Struggle.The fight he gave was one for materialising the subversive plan collectively decided by Revolutionary Struggle. It was a struggle for revolution and for freedom.
We also declare that we are very proud of our group, Revolutionary Struggle, we are proud of our history, of every moment of our political action. We are proud of comrade Lambros Foundas, who we honour and will always do so.
As much as the mechanisms of repression might believe that by imprisoning us they will do away with us, they are wrong.
Whether outside or inside prisons the struggle, which for us is a matter of honour and dignity, will continue.
As much as the two terrorists, [PM] Papandreou and [minister of public order] Chrisochoidis laugh smugly, as much as they believe they have safeguarded the security necessary for their social-fascist party to continue with the application of its criminal plans against society, wagging their tails now that their American superiors congratulate them, as much as they claim they are done with a serious threat for their regime, we assure them they will not do away with us easily. As long as we are alive, for as long as we live and breathe, we will do our best to pose problems to their antisocial and criminal plans.
And if our hunters and the political authorities of this country believe they have the entire society on their side, if they believe that the majority of the people consider us to be a social threat, they are mistaken. For the majority of the population, the social threat comes from the government passing one anti-social measure after the other, by dictation of the crows of capital which "bribe", with the cash they have at their disposal, the state mechanism.
Terrorism is the years-long neoliberal policy imposed by the parties in power with the toleration or support of smaller parties.
Terrorism is the application of the stability plan which has so far caused large segments of the population to watch this unprecedented attack against them in fear.
Terrorism is not having the most basic material to survive, having your wage and your pension taken away, the bank confiscating your house, living in lethal pollution.
Terrorism is living everyday under a regime of fear for your own survival. [...] The objective conditions are now ideal. Let’s form the subjective conditions required for us to attempt the revolution. This is our chance.
LONG LIVE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
HONOUR TO COMRADE LAMBROS FOUNDAS
LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION
POLA ROUPA
NIKOS MAZIOTIS
KOSTAS GOURNAS
Three of the six arrested anarchists claim “political responsibility” for participation in “Revolutionary Struggle”
actforfreedomnow
29/4
This morning, three of the six arrested anarchists for the Revolutionary Struggle case have published a 16-page letter (in the Athens weekly “Pontiki”, which has traditionally hosted a few of the armed guerrilla groups’ communiques) in which they claim political responsibility for their participation to the group Revolutionary Struggle. The three are Pola Roupa, Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas. Extracts of their letter follow.
We claim the political responsibility for participation to Revolutionary Struggle. We declare that comrade Lambros Foundas, who died in [the Athens suburb of ] Dafni on March 10, 2010, after a shoot-out with the cops, also participated in Revolutionary Struggle.The fight he gave was one for materialising the subversive plan collectively decided by Revolutionary Struggle. It was a struggle for revolution and for freedom.
We also declare that we are very proud of our group, Revolutionary Struggle, we are proud of our history, of every moment of our political action. We are proud of comrade Lambros Foundas, who we honour and will always do so.
As much as the mechanisms of repression might believe that by imprisoning us they will do away with us, they are wrong. Whether outside or inside prisons the struggle, which for us is a matter of honour and dignity, will continue.
As much as the two terrorists, [PM] Papandreou and [minister of public order] Chrisochoidis laugh smugly, as much as they believe they have safeguarded the security necessary for their social-fascist party to continue with the application of its criminal plans against society, waging their tails now that their American superiors congratulate them, as much as they claim they are done with a serious threat for their regime, we assure them they will not do away with us easily.
As long as we are alive, for as long as we live and breathe, we will do our best to pose problems to their antisocial and criminal plans.
And if our hunters and the political authorities of this country believe they have the entire society on their side, if they believe that the majority of the people consider us to be a social threat, they are mistaken. For the majority of the population, the social threat comes from the government passing one anti-social measure after the other, by dictation of the crows of capital which “bribe”, with the cash they have at their disposal, the state mechanism. Terrorism is the years-long neoliberal policy imposed by the parties in power with the toleration or support of smaller parties. Terrorism is the application of the stability plan which has so far caused large segments of the population to watch this unprecedented attack against them in fear.
Terrorism is not having the most basic material to survive, having your wage and your pension taken away, the bank confiscating your house, living in lethal pollution. Terrorism is living everyday under a regime of fear for your own survival.
[...]
The objective conditions are now ideal. Let’s form the subjective conditions required for us to attempt the revolution. This is our chance.
LONG LIVE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
HONOUR TO COMRADE LAMBROS FOUNDAS
LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION
POLA ROUPA
NIKOS MAZIOTIS
KOSTAS GOURNAS
A letter from Christoforos Kortesis, an imprisoned comrade
30/4
The letter that follows was written in the prison of Corinth by Christoforos Kortesis (one of the 6 arrested anarchists on the “Revolutionary Struggle” case):
On 10th April, 6 people were arrested and taken to the Police Headquaters (GADA). I was one of them. We didn’t know why we were detained, and when we insisted to contact lawyers the cops told us that we couldn’t, because this was a case of adduction. After 56 hours – during which we were not even allowed to contact each other – we were taken to the courts on Evelpidon St. facing the charge of participation in the “Revolutionary Struggle”. The timing of my arrest coincided with the prime minister’s announcement (Papandreou) that Greece will possibly take a loan from the IMF. There is obviously no room left for coincidences here, as is also the case with the police raid in the alleged “Halandri safehouse” and the arrests, by the former ruling party Nea Dimokratia, of comrades only a few days before the elections of 2009.
Following our arrest, we were hardly surprised to see that instantly the leading role in misinformation was taken on by the usual tele-nosy parkers - among all the scum. They presented evidence that was not even written in the legal brief, and started to piece together a puzzle which went as far as… attacking the Twin Towers!!!
Soon afterwards, our guilt was taken for granted in the media that started competing who will be the one to give out more information on our personal lives; who will be the first to take photos of the apartment-safehouse and tell what motorcycles we prefer, what time we go to bed, what time and how many times we make love and things of this sort: nothing more than offerings on the altar of spectacle. However, none of this comes as a surprise to me. I am well aware that mass media in our ‘democratic’ society play exactly the same role as the ministries of propaganda used to play under totalitarianism.
People in Greece will inevitably realize that nothing has changed in their everyday life, even after those blood thirsty terrorists got arrested. If before capitalists were offering the remains of their affluent buffets to the people, at this point they will stop doing even that. But in those times of acute economic crisis and social despair, people can end up doing things that before we could not even imagine. The massive rebellion that spread all over Greece after the murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos, two years ago, was just a hint – offering hope for some and despair to others… Repression now will be harsher than ever aiming primarily at breaking the most radical part of society, its greatest internal enemy, the anarchist anti-authoritarian movement. That is why, at the same time as unemployment in general exceeds 15%, Chrisochoidis intends to employ even more people to join the security forces so as to ‘combat’ the growing menace of terrorism, while the only goal is to enforce the defensive lines of the state establishment.
But it is exactly at this time of crisis that we are presented with unique possibilities and diverse social groups can be radicalized. It is exactly at this time of crisis that tones of explosives are accumulated at the foundations of the capitalist establishment and the only thing missing, comrades, is to put fire on them!
On the other hand, I am not going to talk at all about the accusations laid upon us, since innocence and guilt give and go depending on the side that we have chosen to take in life. If the cops, the journalists, the politicians, the bankers, or the judges consider someone as guilty in the name of bourgeois democracy, then, all of them are guilty in the name of public justice.
In the same sense, I am not going to talk at all about the conditions of detention throughout those first days at GADA. As an anarchist, I consider myself and my comrades prisoners of war. This war, which Chrisochoidis became able to see only some months ago, has been actually conducted with rage during centuries between any kind of masters and the masses of revolted.
Everyone has already chosen sides and when some realize that they are at the wrong side of the camp, then, it will be too late…
Patience and determination for all those who chose to march through the troubled path of history towards social revolution…
Honour forever to the anarchist Lambros Fountas
Farewell, comrade
Monday, April 26, 2010
SOLIDARITY GATHERINGS FOR THE 6 ANARCHIST COMRADES PRISONERS
26/4/
Comrades gather outside Korinthos, Trikala, and Thiva prisons where some of the 6 anarchists accused of the "Revolutionary Struggle" case are held.In Korinthos prisons were Christoforos Kortesis is held,there were about 150 comrades.There were many cops, and they had closed all the roads with riotcopvans so there was no view of the prison and so no one could get close. At some point one van left and the people could see the prison yard.The comrades are chanting, throwing leaflets and a loudspeaker has been set up.In Trikala,where Kostas Gournas and Vaggelis Stathopoulos are held,100 comrades gathered and chanted while throwing leaflets,not a big police presence and after the gathering,there was a solidarity demo in the city of Trikala.In Thiva,where Panagiwta Roupa,who is 8months pregnant, is held (along with Kwstandina Karakatsani now since friday, accused of the "conspiracy cells of fire"case),150 comrades gathered. The cops shut the road from far away so noone could hear them inside the prison. The people then cut through some fields and came up right next to one wing of the prison,they chanted and they prisoners responded with chants from the inside. After a while,some riotcops showed up in the inside of the prison yard,where the people chanted and made fun of them.All demonstrations were very strong and emotional and finished with no trouble.THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THEIR PRISONSFREEDOM TO THE 6 COMRADES ACCUSED FOR THE"REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE" MORE
Thursday, April 22, 2010
FREEDOM NOW TO THE 6 ANARCHISTS COMRADES
Kostas Gournas is one of the six anarchists arrested recently in Athens, accused by the cops of participating in the urban guerrilla group'' Revolutionary Struggle.''Kostas has since been transferred to the prison ofTrikala in the north of the country where, together with another one of the six arrested anarchists (Vaggelis Stathopoulos) he is being held under ISOLATION – that is, with limited access to toilet and water and with many obstacles in his communication with relatives and lawyers. 19/4
The Philadelphia Experiment athens greece 19/4
Translator’s note: What follows is a communiqué by anarchists on the recent arrests supposedly linked to the organisation “Revolutionary Struggle” and the media-led hysteria that accompanied them here in Greece. Its title is a play of words on the well-known US naval military “Philadelphia experiment” and the Athens neighbourhood of Nea (New) Philadelphia, where the most recent police operations and arrests have taken place. Freedom to the Six, freedom to all of us.
Cops with machine guns in hands; police roadblocks at night, humiliating checks on every corner; secret agents of the regime knocking on doors, demanding from the population that they give names; willing informants rushing to offer their services; scared people walking on their streets trying to “mind their own business”. Is this 1936 Berlin or 2010 Philadelphia, Athens? A return to the past or an experiment for the future?
The only thing certain is that no coup d’état has been declared so far, nor has [greek prime minister] Papandreou decided to trim off his mustache to make it shorter. And the reason why this has not happened is simply because it is not at all necessary. Western democracies, in exactly the same way that they integrated those elements of nazism useful to them, also learned from its mistakes. The state of exception, that is, the condition imposed under the pretext of the capturing of the organisation “Revolutionary Struggle” does the job just fine, without a need for the eye-sore of tanks, let alone concentration camps or the suspension of constitution.
…. and the “job” is nothing else than the turning of a condition now presented as concerning very few into a vehicle for changes that will concern everyone. The state of emergency imposed at this moment in Nea Philadelphia is cementing its functioning as a normality, as something that can take place whenever the state deems necessary. The force of the state is never applied exclusively toward its occasional target. Rather, every time it is applied without meeting any resistance, it gets diffused toward all directions, further establishing itself, establishing its capacity to be applied again, anywhere, against anyone, under any pretext that will be presented as a “necessity”… the state of exception tends to become the rule.
And so, anyone believing that the state of exception imposed in Nea Philadelphia does not concern them, is asleep – and their awakening will not be pleasant at all. Anyone believing that the night road-blocks, the raids, check-points, police patrols on foot and the “friendly interrogations” of the counter-terrorism unit are the logical consequences of a “necessary capturing” [of the organisation Revolutionary Struggle], of a safe lead or at least, some grounded suspicions against someone who was “looking for trouble” does nothing else than to cheerfully saw off the branch they are sitting on.
Anyone calmly watching people in struggle being prosecuted, imprisoned and presented as some kind of beasts on TV screens simply because they are “terrorists” in the eye of sovereign power, must understand that this rationalising is part of the same strategy that names the politicians as innocent, shipowners as philanthropists, cops as citizen protectors, syndicalist leaders as protectors of the workers’ rights, migrants as criminals, strikers as illegal. They must understand that the “capturing of the Revolutionary Struggle” is in its essence a tool for the potential capturing and dismantling of any and all social disobedience. This of course concerns not only the urban guerillas nor just the anarchist/anti-authoritarian scene but rather, everyone for whom the alibi of the capitalist system have started to run out.
No sociology degrees are necessary for anyone to understand that the falling apart of the first-world consumerist euphoria, the emergency fiscal measures and the forthcoming subordination of the country to the IMF combined with the increasingly suffocating everyday reality of surveillance and control leave little leeway for people to remain oblivious. They leave little leeway for silent or scared inaction and most certainly, they should leave no leeway for the formation of a wiling, subservient reserve army and authority collaborators. A reserve army that personifies itself in one or the other scum who find an exit from their individual misery in the social “recognition” of the informant, the one willing to do the dirty job in some “common cause” against the “absolute Evil”.
All those willing to join the ranks of this underground army of the bosses must be isolated and routed immediately. Their position and motives must be exposed and pilloried. The sordid motives they present as a merit must be countered publicly. Every unsolicited protector of the law should take notice.
Zero tolerance against the terrorism of the state and mass media. Immediate release of everyone prosecuted in connection to the case of the organisation “Revolutionary Struggle”.
Anarchists / Anti-authoritarians
29/4
This morning, three of the six arrested anarchists for the Revolutionary Struggle case have published a 16-page letter (in the Athens weekly “Pontiki”, which has traditionally hosted a few of the armed guerrilla groups’ communiques) in which they claim political responsibility for their participation to the group Revolutionary Struggle. The three are Pola Roupa, Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas. Extracts of their letter follow.
We claim the political responsibility for participation to Revolutionary Struggle. We declare that comrade Lambros Foundas, who died in [the Athens suburb of ] Dafni on March 10, 2010, after a shoot-out with the cops, also participated in Revolutionary Struggle.The fight he gave was one for materialising the subversive plan collectively decided by Revolutionary Struggle. It was a struggle for revolution and for freedom.
We also declare that we are very proud of our group, Revolutionary Struggle, we are proud of our history, of every moment of our political action. We are proud of comrade Lambros Foundas, who we honour and will always do so.
As much as the mechanisms of repression might believe that by imprisoning us they will do away with us, they are wrong. Whether outside or inside prisons the struggle, which for us is a matter of honour and dignity, will continue.
As much as the two terrorists, [PM] Papandreou and [minister of public order] Chrisochoidis laugh smugly, as much as they believe they have safeguarded the security necessary for their social-fascist party to continue with the application of its criminal plans against society, waging their tails now that their American superiors congratulate them, as much as they claim they are done with a serious threat for their regime, we assure them they will not do away with us easily.
As long as we are alive, for as long as we live and breathe, we will do our best to pose problems to their antisocial and criminal plans.
And if our hunters and the political authorities of this country believe they have the entire society on their side, if they believe that the majority of the people consider us to be a social threat, they are mistaken. For the majority of the population, the social threat comes from the government passing one anti-social measure after the other, by dictation of the crows of capital which “bribe”, with the cash they have at their disposal, the state mechanism. Terrorism is the years-long neoliberal policy imposed by the parties in power with the toleration or support of smaller parties. Terrorism is the application of the stability plan which has so far caused large segments of the population to watch this unprecedented attack against them in fear.
Terrorism is not having the most basic material to survive, having your wage and your pension taken away, the bank confiscating your house, living in lethal pollution. Terrorism is living everyday under a regime of fear for your own survival.
[...]
The objective conditions are now ideal. Let’s form the subjective conditions required for us to attempt the revolution. This is our chance.
LONG LIVE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
HONOUR TO COMRADE LAMBROS FOUNDAS
LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION
POLA ROUPA
NIKOS MAZIOTIS
KOSTAS GOURNAS
A letter from Christoforos Kortesis, an imprisoned comrade
30/4
The letter that follows was written in the prison of Corinth by Christoforos Kortesis (one of the 6 arrested anarchists on the “Revolutionary Struggle” case):
On 10th April, 6 people were arrested and taken to the Police Headquaters (GADA). I was one of them. We didn’t know why we were detained, and when we insisted to contact lawyers the cops told us that we couldn’t, because this was a case of adduction. After 56 hours – during which we were not even allowed to contact each other – we were taken to the courts on Evelpidon St. facing the charge of participation in the “Revolutionary Struggle”. The timing of my arrest coincided with the prime minister’s announcement (Papandreou) that Greece will possibly take a loan from the IMF. There is obviously no room left for coincidences here, as is also the case with the police raid in the alleged “Halandri safehouse” and the arrests, by the former ruling party Nea Dimokratia, of comrades only a few days before the elections of 2009.
Following our arrest, we were hardly surprised to see that instantly the leading role in misinformation was taken on by the usual tele-nosy parkers - among all the scum. They presented evidence that was not even written in the legal brief, and started to piece together a puzzle which went as far as… attacking the Twin Towers!!!
Soon afterwards, our guilt was taken for granted in the media that started competing who will be the one to give out more information on our personal lives; who will be the first to take photos of the apartment-safehouse and tell what motorcycles we prefer, what time we go to bed, what time and how many times we make love and things of this sort: nothing more than offerings on the altar of spectacle. However, none of this comes as a surprise to me. I am well aware that mass media in our ‘democratic’ society play exactly the same role as the ministries of propaganda used to play under totalitarianism.
People in Greece will inevitably realize that nothing has changed in their everyday life, even after those blood thirsty terrorists got arrested. If before capitalists were offering the remains of their affluent buffets to the people, at this point they will stop doing even that. But in those times of acute economic crisis and social despair, people can end up doing things that before we could not even imagine. The massive rebellion that spread all over Greece after the murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos, two years ago, was just a hint – offering hope for some and despair to others… Repression now will be harsher than ever aiming primarily at breaking the most radical part of society, its greatest internal enemy, the anarchist anti-authoritarian movement. That is why, at the same time as unemployment in general exceeds 15%, Chrisochoidis intends to employ even more people to join the security forces so as to ‘combat’ the growing menace of terrorism, while the only goal is to enforce the defensive lines of the state establishment.
But it is exactly at this time of crisis that we are presented with unique possibilities and diverse social groups can be radicalized. It is exactly at this time of crisis that tones of explosives are accumulated at the foundations of the capitalist establishment and the only thing missing, comrades, is to put fire on them!
On the other hand, I am not going to talk at all about the accusations laid upon us, since innocence and guilt give and go depending on the side that we have chosen to take in life. If the cops, the journalists, the politicians, the bankers, or the judges consider someone as guilty in the name of bourgeois democracy, then, all of them are guilty in the name of public justice.
In the same sense, I am not going to talk at all about the conditions of detention throughout those first days at GADA. As an anarchist, I consider myself and my comrades prisoners of war. This war, which Chrisochoidis became able to see only some months ago, has been actually conducted with rage during centuries between any kind of masters and the masses of revolted.
Everyone has already chosen sides and when some realize that they are at the wrong side of the camp, then, it will be too late…
Patience and determination for all those who chose to march through the troubled path of history towards social revolution…
Honour forever to the anarchist Lambros Fountas
Farewell, comrade
Monday, April 26, 2010
SOLIDARITY GATHERINGS FOR THE 6 ANARCHIST COMRADES PRISONERS
26/4/
Comrades gather outside Korinthos, Trikala, and Thiva prisons where some of the 6 anarchists accused of the "Revolutionary Struggle" case are held.In Korinthos prisons were Christoforos Kortesis is held,there were about 150 comrades.There were many cops, and they had closed all the roads with riotcopvans so there was no view of the prison and so no one could get close. At some point one van left and the people could see the prison yard.The comrades are chanting, throwing leaflets and a loudspeaker has been set up.In Trikala,where Kostas Gournas and Vaggelis Stathopoulos are held,100 comrades gathered and chanted while throwing leaflets,not a big police presence and after the gathering,there was a solidarity demo in the city of Trikala.In Thiva,where Panagiwta Roupa,who is 8months pregnant, is held (along with Kwstandina Karakatsani now since friday, accused of the "conspiracy cells of fire"case),150 comrades gathered. The cops shut the road from far away so noone could hear them inside the prison. The people then cut through some fields and came up right next to one wing of the prison,they chanted and they prisoners responded with chants from the inside. After a while,some riotcops showed up in the inside of the prison yard,where the people chanted and made fun of them.All demonstrations were very strong and emotional and finished with no trouble.THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THEIR PRISONSFREEDOM TO THE 6 COMRADES ACCUSED FOR THE"REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE" MORE
Thursday, April 22, 2010
FREEDOM NOW TO THE 6 ANARCHISTS COMRADES
Kostas Gournas is one of the six anarchists arrested recently in Athens, accused by the cops of participating in the urban guerrilla group'' Revolutionary Struggle.''Kostas has since been transferred to the prison ofTrikala in the north of the country where, together with another one of the six arrested anarchists (Vaggelis Stathopoulos) he is being held under ISOLATION – that is, with limited access to toilet and water and with many obstacles in his communication with relatives and lawyers. 19/4
The Philadelphia Experiment athens greece 19/4
Translator’s note: What follows is a communiqué by anarchists on the recent arrests supposedly linked to the organisation “Revolutionary Struggle” and the media-led hysteria that accompanied them here in Greece. Its title is a play of words on the well-known US naval military “Philadelphia experiment” and the Athens neighbourhood of Nea (New) Philadelphia, where the most recent police operations and arrests have taken place. Freedom to the Six, freedom to all of us.
Cops with machine guns in hands; police roadblocks at night, humiliating checks on every corner; secret agents of the regime knocking on doors, demanding from the population that they give names; willing informants rushing to offer their services; scared people walking on their streets trying to “mind their own business”. Is this 1936 Berlin or 2010 Philadelphia, Athens? A return to the past or an experiment for the future?
The only thing certain is that no coup d’état has been declared so far, nor has [greek prime minister] Papandreou decided to trim off his mustache to make it shorter. And the reason why this has not happened is simply because it is not at all necessary. Western democracies, in exactly the same way that they integrated those elements of nazism useful to them, also learned from its mistakes. The state of exception, that is, the condition imposed under the pretext of the capturing of the organisation “Revolutionary Struggle” does the job just fine, without a need for the eye-sore of tanks, let alone concentration camps or the suspension of constitution.
…. and the “job” is nothing else than the turning of a condition now presented as concerning very few into a vehicle for changes that will concern everyone. The state of emergency imposed at this moment in Nea Philadelphia is cementing its functioning as a normality, as something that can take place whenever the state deems necessary. The force of the state is never applied exclusively toward its occasional target. Rather, every time it is applied without meeting any resistance, it gets diffused toward all directions, further establishing itself, establishing its capacity to be applied again, anywhere, against anyone, under any pretext that will be presented as a “necessity”… the state of exception tends to become the rule.
And so, anyone believing that the state of exception imposed in Nea Philadelphia does not concern them, is asleep – and their awakening will not be pleasant at all. Anyone believing that the night road-blocks, the raids, check-points, police patrols on foot and the “friendly interrogations” of the counter-terrorism unit are the logical consequences of a “necessary capturing” [of the organisation Revolutionary Struggle], of a safe lead or at least, some grounded suspicions against someone who was “looking for trouble” does nothing else than to cheerfully saw off the branch they are sitting on.
Anyone calmly watching people in struggle being prosecuted, imprisoned and presented as some kind of beasts on TV screens simply because they are “terrorists” in the eye of sovereign power, must understand that this rationalising is part of the same strategy that names the politicians as innocent, shipowners as philanthropists, cops as citizen protectors, syndicalist leaders as protectors of the workers’ rights, migrants as criminals, strikers as illegal. They must understand that the “capturing of the Revolutionary Struggle” is in its essence a tool for the potential capturing and dismantling of any and all social disobedience. This of course concerns not only the urban guerillas nor just the anarchist/anti-authoritarian scene but rather, everyone for whom the alibi of the capitalist system have started to run out.
No sociology degrees are necessary for anyone to understand that the falling apart of the first-world consumerist euphoria, the emergency fiscal measures and the forthcoming subordination of the country to the IMF combined with the increasingly suffocating everyday reality of surveillance and control leave little leeway for people to remain oblivious. They leave little leeway for silent or scared inaction and most certainly, they should leave no leeway for the formation of a wiling, subservient reserve army and authority collaborators. A reserve army that personifies itself in one or the other scum who find an exit from their individual misery in the social “recognition” of the informant, the one willing to do the dirty job in some “common cause” against the “absolute Evil”.
All those willing to join the ranks of this underground army of the bosses must be isolated and routed immediately. Their position and motives must be exposed and pilloried. The sordid motives they present as a merit must be countered publicly. Every unsolicited protector of the law should take notice.
Zero tolerance against the terrorism of the state and mass media. Immediate release of everyone prosecuted in connection to the case of the organisation “Revolutionary Struggle”.
Anarchists / Anti-authoritarians
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