Yes, again it’s the Anarchists in Greece that grace this post and rightly so. The BBC is reporting that the “riots” in Athens have subsided and that calm has returned. However, the social unrest caused by the Anarchists has united the country against the Greek government.
A poll has suggested most people think the riots are a social uprising rather than just a reaction to the shooting.
Sixty per cent of those questioned by the Kathimerini newspaper rejected the assertion that the disturbances have been merely a series of co-ordinated attacks by a small hard core of anarchists.
Another poll, in the left-wing Ethnos newspaper, suggested that 83% of Greeks were unhappy with the government’s response to the violence. Kathimerini put the disapproval rating at 68%.
The BBC’s Malcolm Brabant in Athens says the results appear to confirm what many commentators have been saying – that Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has pulled off the unique feat of alienating all sections of Greek society.
But as per usual, after the Anarchists take a break, the politicians step in and seek to exploit what has happened for their personal political gain. At least, this is the impression given according to the same BBC article.
Later, the leader of the opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) demanded elections and said the government “ignores the calls of society, is incapable of steadily driving the country towards change, and is afraid of the people.”
“It is wasting away, collapsing and dissolving into a dead-end… Its political time is finished,” George Papandreou told a party meeting.
Deadeye, the Greek Anarchist who has contributed information on the Anarchism.net forums had the following to say regarding the Unions, the strikes and the political climate from the Anarchist perspective.
The anarchist view regarding the strikes is generally positive, even though we hold little trust in those unions.
Without doubt, we have something more than just another riot going on.
It seems that all of our grudges found a way out through the murder of young Alex. There was a general discomfort among Greeks the past few years, partially because of the economic crisis, but it goes beyond that. The point is, the anarchists were brave enough to step up when the opportunity was given and now many more are following, regardless of political beliefs.
Our main concern focuses on the future of this outbreak. We all agree that it must not be allowed to die out. A way to preserve the flame is to channel this outbreak into our long demanded desires in order to transform it into a social movement, in which we will remain united not only against police brutality but against every aspect and value of the modern Greek society.
For that reason, we gladly support general strikes, preferably without expiration dates. It is also time to connect our outbreak with demands concerning the educational section. Students and pupils are under siege from the new educational measures and they will willingly join. After all, they’ve always been the core of anything revolutionary in Greece.
The first difficult stage has been completed, we have risen up. Inevitably, I think we will settle down sooner or later, but lets earn what we can while its still time. The state is in fear and it might be willing to exchange our content with the rope that it will be hung from tomorrow.
We’ll see.
Also, over the last few days, there have been claims from Anarchist sources that Neo-Nazis and fascists had joined up with the police to help in putting down the unrest.
Reports on indymedia this morning claim that Alexandros’ murderer was a member of the nazi group “Golden Dawn” in the late eighties/ early nineties (without cutting his ties since) and that his family was active in the nazi collaborationist forces.
This claim was made on the OccupiedLondon blog. The comments section of the blog point out that the claim was dropped without any link, which then resulted in links being provided. One of the links was this blog contained images of men, wearing civilian clothes and armed with sticks and one man who was hooded, dressed all in black, standing with police. The blog also claims that the reporter who took the images contained on that blog was subsequently fired from the newspaper he worked at. The same post also contains footage of plainsclothes police officers causing damage to property in an obvious attempt to infiltrate the Anarchist ranks and commit needless violence so as to portray the Anarchists as violent, indiscriminate rioters. Mainstream media outlets have even picked up on the violence, and ran the story that the Anarchists are indiscriminate, despite testimony from Deadeye that the Anarchists had been precise about their targets. I then questioned Deadeye on all this and asked for further confirmation if he could provide it. His response as follow,
There is a strong bond between Greek police forces and neo-nazi groups, mainly the one that goes by the name “Golden Dawn”. Their cooperation has been confirmed on both physical and informational level.
An example from a past event, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g1VdrYBECs
The murderer cop is said to be an ex member of Golden Dawn himself, but we’re on hold for a confirmation.
Your first link depicts a parastate scum, possibly a Golden Dawn-er.
In the second link, we see cops in uniforms and undercover cops.
All faces have been recognized.
Notice that one of them is hooded, resembling an anarchist and another one is holding a stick. I’ve explained previously how provocateurs attack non-political targets, mostly small stores and random cars, in order to damage the public support that favours us. We’ve chased away some, but enough damage has been done to arm reporters with venom.
In the city of Patra, around 600 undercover cops, neonazis and zealous government supporters unsuccessfully attempted to disperse a manifestation of around 5000. A protester was stabbed. Various incidents of violence from parastate groups have been confirmed, outside occupied universities throwing rocks, cars attempting to run down protesters etc. We’re expecting more.
Deadeye has said he will report back with more information if it becomes available, which I expect it will with the current lull in violence.
In addition to these claims, there have also been a number of reports regarding violent acts by police and other pro-state elements.
…riot cops attacked at Korai Str in Athens, arresting at least four students. One of the arrestees was a 13 year old girl; nearby journalists who reacted to her brutal arrest were also beaten up heavily.
As well as,
Earlier today, a car with unregistered license plates (i.e. belonging to the undercover police) drove into two students outside a high school in Ilioupolis, Athens, leaving them both injured.
I will leave you with more information regarding the possible neo-Nazi background of the cop who executed Alex, the young Greek boy, and initially started the violence.
As per Indymedia Athens, his family environment and family members, were participating in the right wing ProNAZI gangs during the German occupation in Greece (WWII), collaborating with the NAZI. (Tagmatasfalites). According to Indymedia Athens, his family members after the war and during the Greek civil war joined criminal gangs of “Maganas” and “Katsarea” that massacred the region of Kalamata after the period of Várkiza agreement. The killer Korkoneas was a member of the Core action group of the Pro NAZI Golden Dawn ( Hrysi Avgi) in Kalamata in the late 80s and early 90s. Then joined the Special army Forces (LOK) and in 1999 was one of the first that was recruited to the newly established body of “Special Guards” a special body within the Greek Police. He served in Exarhia and was of those who had the most provocative behaviour for years. The police and especially the MAT and Special Guards have close relations with Fascist organisations and Pro Nazis.
