French Anarchists Charged With Rail Sabotage

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Nov. 11, 2008 Time Magazine

Don't look now, but here comes Europe's violent extreme-left again. Two decades after French police busted the radical group Action Directe, which waged a bloody urban guerrilla war during the 1970s and 1980s against French business and military interests, French authorities on Tuesday nabbed a group of anarchists suspected of having sabotaged the nation's high-speed rail system over the last several weeks. The arrests aim not only to put an
end to the spate of vandalism that had wreaked havoc and panic among French travelers for the past two weeks; they may also derail any violent plans French anarchists might have been preparing with like-minded extremists with whom authorities say they were in contact in Germany, Belgium, and the U.K. (See Today in Pictures.)

The police raids took place early Tuesday morning in Paris and in four other
sites in France. A total of 20 people were arrested, and by mid-day 10 of
those had been officially placed under investigation for participating in
the spree of potentially deadly sabotage. In most of those incidents, hooked
metal bars had been attached to high-voltage electricity lines that power
high-speed trains; when the bars were snagged by passing locomotives, they
plowed a path of destruction through high-voltage power lines. A
total of six incidents of sabotage were recorded since Oct. 26, including a
coordinated operation Nov. 8 that targeted four different rail lines in
northern France and caused delays of nearly 160 high-speed TGV trains — including Eurostar service to London — leaving thousands of passengers
stranded.

The sudden spate of sabotage capped nearly two years of sporadic
vandalism to French rail lines that successive inquiries attributed to
isolated, disgruntled trouble-makers. But the recent incidents showed
more skill, and their perpetrators seemed able to act at will without
detection. For that reason, French rail users were already rattled even
before the coordinated attacks of Nov. 8. The saboteurs struck in
virtually all corners of the nation without warning, and applied a high
degree of knowledge and technical ability in putting the destructive
metal hooks in place without being killed by the 25,000-volt power
lines.

After a further act of sabotage was reported Monday in southwestern France,
a decision was made to group individual investigations under the direction
of France's centralized counter-terror operation in Paris, which collated
all the information police and intelligence services had related to the
inquiries. Within 24 hours, officials had narrowed their scope down to a
group of "autonomous anarchists" whose radical positions and increasingly
restless activity — including protesting during a G8 summit in Poland
last year — had led French intelligence services to place some of its
members under surveillance.

"They speak a very radical language, and have ties to groups abroad," said
French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie in announcing the arrests
Tuesday. "Since becoming minister, I've noted the risks of the resurgence of
a violent radical left (given) the radicalization we've observed in it over
the past three or four years."

French terrorism expert Roland Jacquard thinks Alliot-Marie is right to be
concerned — especially given similarities between the accused anarchist
group and Action Directe, which carried out the unit's robberies,
assassinations, and machine gunning attacks. "Like Action Directe, these
anarchists set themselves up in out-of-the-way, rural communities where no
one would suspect them of anything more troubling than perhaps a general
ecologist lifestyle," Jacquard says. "Like Action Directe, these anarchists
used that cover for their plots, and fled back under cover once operations
were over. But like Action Directe, that escalation of activity — and its
success — raised the potential of it sooner or later evolving into more
violent strikes targeting individuals or groups of people." (See pictures of riots in France.)

Guillaume Pepy, chairman of France's state-owned SNCF rail company, didn't
go so far as to speculate about what else the group might have done had it
not been arrested. But he did say the "central role of rail travel as a
collective means of travel that France has made a priority" was also what
made it an inviting target for saboteurs seeking "to strike a blow at a
well-functioning French society."

If so, France's counter-terrorism organizations may not have seen the last
of belligerent behavior by extreme leftist groups that have largely been
dormant since Action Directe was smashed in 1987. "The economic and
financial crisis the world is now experiencing is a dream come true to the
extreme-left, especially with mainstream leftist political parties unable to
mount any real opposition to ruling conservatives," Jacquard notes. "That
brings the possibility of social unrest radical leftists may seek to exploit
— or even provoke through violence of their own."

Belgium: Two Comrades Arrested

Sunday 9 November 2008

In the night of the 6th of October, Jürgen Goethals didn’t come home. He was picked off the streets by cops, put in front of a prosecutor and locked up in the prison of Ghent.

Earlier that day, a gang of fascists were hosted once more by the tolerant city of Ghent. Something, which, was apparently not appreciated by everyone. In several places, people expressed their discord by causing damage to symbols of this capitalist society. We found out later that Jürgen is alleged of having participated in these protest actions.

The following days, several people are harassed by cops. A week and a half later, a house search takes place at the house of Paolo Melis. He is requested to report two days later at the police station for an interrogation. On this day, the 21st of October, he is arrested in the afternoon on his way home. He as well, disappears behind the bars of the Nieuwe Wandeling.

On the 9th of November, the detention of Jürgen and Paolo was confirmed. The file was sent to the correctional court; they will appear before the judge within two weeks.

We will not rest until we can embrace our comrades, how and when we want to.

Jürgen and Paolo free!

Against every form of imprisonment!

For the destruction of prison and its world.

To write letters of support:

Jürgen Goethals Nieuwe Wandeling 89 9000 Gent Belgium

Gian-Paolo Melis Nieuwe Wandeling 89 9000 Gent Belgium

For financial support: 000-3244460-04 with the mention J+P

Ghent, the night of 6 on 7 October:

Splintered glass, dripping paint. The justice palace is damaged by vandals. Ten thousand euros worth of damage according to the court. What inspired the burst of fury against one of the pillars of democracy? Destructive flames are licking the plastic garbage bins all over the centre of Ghent. Money spitting ATMs, there for the comfort of the permanent consumer, are affected by the fire. Firemen and police are running everywhere at once. Chaos and sirens on all sides.

Regional television also reports that a few rightwing students are treated with a dose of physical demoralising critique (the president of the fascist student organisation NSV receives a few well directed punches). On the St-Pieterssquare, the KVHV [catholic rightwing student organisation] organises a debate on Islam in Europe. A clique of persistent rightwing “democrats”, among others Dewinter, Dedecker etc [rightwing politicians], countered by the Islamists of AEL [Arab-European League]. A few blocks away, in a university in the Voskes avenue, the NSV (the unofficial student club on the Vlaams Belang, fascist party), celebrates the beginning of the academic year. Last year, the NSV organised a debate with Filip Dewinter as speaker. The university building where this debate would have taken place was occupied by antifascists. An attack of the fascists, led by Führer Filip was countered. The obstruction of this alleged right of free speech for fascists was not to be repeated.

So, this year, an impressive police force was deployed to let the promoters of the Vlaamsche democracy do their thing without being bothered. Since a gathering on the place and time set by them would only fall flat against a blue wall, this year, the reaction took different forms. The parties didn’t go unnoticed; Ghent was startled by a spontaneous and wayward eruption of chaos.

The political advance of extreme right in Flanders is not a coincidence. The fact that fascist organisations such as the NSV and the NSA [National Socialist Action] get a free game and are zealously protected by the police forces has deep implications.

The extreme right tosses up all sorts of “problems” that have no factual base. All over the world, the rupture line between a small, superrich elite and the masses that fight daily to survive is becoming deeper every day. Everywhere, the protectors of this elite are more and more elaborated and better equipped. Hence the colourful variants of the cops who dirty our streets (grey, purple, black, …uniforms, each of them with their specialisation). Their working method ranges from a velvet ‘social’ way to hard repression.

The discourse of the extreme right; presenting Islam as a threat for the “lightened” western world, presenting people on the run for a miserable existence as parasites, not-working as scroungers,…is meant to deviate the attention from the daily war that repeats itself between the rich and the poor.

This story is brought to us by the media who act as mouth-piece of the ruling elite and continue to distract us with “tittytainment” on television and the internet, the cult of health and such. Flanders public opinion seems to have appropriated this discourse. At the bar as well, racism is never far away. The “others” are the enemy, not the puppeteers who manipulate this theatre.

The aftermath:

Justice and the government are of course not very pleased with expressions of resistance as were demonstrated that night. For a public opinion dominated by rightwing actors, somebody has to pay. That night, one person was arrested and accused of several arsons. Two weeks later, another person was arrested on similar charges.

Communique on the three day arsonist rampage (Athens-Thessaloniki, 2-3-4/11/2008)

Communique on the three day arsonist rampage (Athens-Thessaloniki, 2-3-4/11/2008)

The Conspiracy of Cells of Fire claims responsibility for the arsonist rampage that took place from Sunday night to Tuesday afternoon in Athens and Thessaloniki. Namely, in Athens, we set on fire a military jeep of the Nave at Halandri (something the cops hidden out), vehicles of the navy in the entrance of the building of Naval Command on Klafthmonos square, the company of digital systems ACE HELLAS at Agia Paraskevi that cooperates with the greek army, the club of retired army officers on Halkokondyli street, the union of retired army officers on Harilaou Trikoupi and Akadimias street corner, the political office of the minister of national defence Vaggelis Meimarakis.

In Thessaloniki we set on fire the club of reserve officers of the Armed Forces at Evosmos, a military private school on Margariti street and an ATM of Geniki Bank that cooperates with the army, at Kalamaria.

We also take responsibility for the attack at the military courthouse at Rouf on Tuesday October 28.

POLEMIC OF ECONOMY

In our era, as always, the military branch of every state consists an indivisible part of the development of its geo-political and economic interests. Conducting wars is an inevitable outcome of the intense economic crises of the capitalist system. A typical example of this condition was the exponential growth of the war industry in the beginnings of the 20th century and the economic crash of 1929 at the USA, accompanied with a long-term crisis of the world market, facts that contributed to the process of the first and the second world war, respectively. Military operations and management of the economic interests are an all-time, all-state direct relation in the route of human history.

From the NATO bases in european ground, to the "pacificatory" interventions in the middle East, army has the role of an essential force to maintain and expand the economic interests of the western states. To feed the machinery of war and the war industry it is needed to keep social peace inside the mitropoles of the western states. War and peace, two different faces, two different expressions of the capitalist dominion.

MILITARY-POLICE COMPLEX

When, a few decades ago capitalism was less stylish and more unconcealed there was some class resistance. Since even the most pittyful man when deprived of the nothing he posseses and considers of his own, in his face, fights with teeth and claws. To tame him back, and take out his eye teeth, the capitalist think tanks, came with the idea of the providence state. Social care, public medical care and supplies, retirement plans, popular politics, benefits and whatever could tame the "disordered" proletariat.

Simultaneously the hard machinery, the back bone of repression, police and military, developed though without being able to relief their "vulgar" past. In Greece they remained as social figures to the popular sense as the copper and the junta pig. One after another face-lifts, they are trying to get closer to the citizen. The gendarmerie and the city police got united and military service reduced, but in the mean time a new military-police complex appeared in the streets of the metropolis, the well known MAT and MEA (note: greek riot police units). In the midst of the 90es in during their second half, bosses and the state, are almost reassured that the workers do not pose a threat to the system anymore. The new religion of individualist-idiocy is established for good inside the heads of the new class of petit-owners, dissolving every imaginary workers front - That's for good, since illusions come always with a bitter taste in the end. The steam engine of neo-liberalism is motivated with a fast tempo and the "popular" politics is replaced by privatization. Thus the state becomes from a wild animal tamer to a mere appartment building manager, having every lodger as proprietor, working together for their "common" interest. But, what guarantees the existant isn't just the wilful servitude of the individual idiots. The state enriched with the experience of the past will always have a place for the iron whip of repression, since the carrot has convinced the proletarians and the coach is being draught, it can now reinforce its guards.

Today the state is militarized, by this time it "wears" plain clothes. The memory of an army causing coup-d-etats has now given its place to a new and improved image of professional greek army with mercenaries with shinny smiles. Besides, after September 11, militarization of the western world responds to the currency of a social demand for safety. Where the threat of islamic terrorism doesn't convince enough to legalize socialy the descend of the army in the metropoles, then the issue of illegal immigration or of the criminality of the immigrants will be enroled, as in Greece. The application of the border guard patrol in the borderline isn't random, and it corresponds to the best image of what we call military-police complex.

The army meets society not anymore in terms of repression, but to accompany it in its decadence, becoming from the drudgery of yesterday, the professional career of today. Military service is democratized, reduces, given as a right to woman to participate, police and military schools are a first class option, the old obedience process, as a method to subordinate the youth is useless anymore, since youth are already subordinated to the internet, tv, mobile phones...

So the army changes its face and becomes more dangerous. Besides an unwieldy army, with illiterate servicemen, heavy duties and pack drills, as well as a police with fat ass cops, doesn't correspond to the new aesthetic order and even more to the modern standards.

Professional militarism means smooth image, specialization, education, high tech systems, sence of safety on the citizen's side.

It is a new proposal for life. So, the "pacificatory" missions of the greek army with the humanitarian aid, of rapes, pillaging, arms, drugs and women trafficking, beyond the vast economic benefits for the state is translated by the mercenaries participating as an extreme sport, something that, beyond the money they are paid for, can take pride in. The army is marching today beyond the state borders to establish the murderous peace of the bosses, the lawful proprietors, the silent majority and in the same time getting ready to defend this same peace inside the metropoles, by any means. This is why the military-police complex lurks incognito having signed contacts of strategic importance. It isn't by accident that the ministry of public order became sub-ministry under the protective shield of the ministry of domestic affairs, while the place of the "field marshal" Polydoras was taken by a genuine army man, and ex chief of the general commandment of the army Hinofotis (recently our cells in Thessaloniki "saluted" the new minister, setting on fire the police station on Dodekanisou street.

SUICIDE IN SLOW MOTION

The army creates conditions where the individual isn't allowed to think as an individual, but as a wheel of the coach, as a stone of the building, a part of a complex. The existance of the individual is planned to be transformed into existance of the complex with a way that the complex would overcome in value the ego. A culture of annihilation of the self is cultivated, pulveriation of the ego, inforced by the screams of the superior, the pack drills, and the drudgery. In this culture, people that possibly had never developed a critic to the army (neither positive nor negative), people without personal will, unable to make decisions without someones advice, suffocate and drawn inside themselves. People that never cared of any nation, or did that with light heart, the army destroys their personal substance in such a degree, sinks their ego so low they lose every personal desire, they are carried with a surgeon's accuracy to suicide. It is childisness to consider responsible only the pack drill or the officer screaming brutally. The army is responsible, with its uniformity, obedience, national absorbsion, fanatism, turns humans into dispensable units of subgroups.

Some of them desert towards death, undersigning a swan song of egoism, that isn't enough for enything: I define my self absolutely, at least in suicide. This act may seem as the most ideal solution, as a last shelter for human dignity.

How ironic: the desire the explore the ego happens simultaneously with its total loss.

DOMESTIC HOSTILITIES

ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE SELECT TO ENLIST ANOTHER CAMP. THE CAMP OF REVOLUTION. WE SERVE THE DUTIES OF NEGATION AND CREATE MILITARY FACTIONS OF CHAOS. WE DON'T NEED THE DISCIPLINE OF AUTHORITY BECAUSE WE HAVE SELF-DISCIPLINE IN THE PROJECTS OF THE NIGHT. IN THE CAMP OF NEGATION AND DISOBEDIENCE WE FIND ON OUR SIDE OTHER COMRADES THAT SELECTED TO PAINT THEMSELVES IN THE COLORS OF WAR, WITH THEIR OWN WAYS.

WE DEDICATE THIS FIRE RAMPAGE, AS AN ACT OF WAR, TO THE FUGITIVE COMRADES DIMITRA SYRIANOU, KOSTAS HALAZAS, ILIAS NIKOLAOU. LASTLY, WE DON'T FORGET THE COMRADE GIANNIS DIMITRAKIS, WHO IS STILL KEPT CAPTIVE BY THE ENEMY.

PS. We send our signal of fire to the prisoners started a prison food strike since Monday 3 November.

NOTHING IS OVER-THE BATTLES RAGE-WE SEEK FOR ACCOMPLISHES

Conspiracy of Cells of Fire ATHENS-THESSALONIKI

ON THE PRISONER MOVEMENT AND THE HUNGER STRIKE ISSUE

Not many words are needed to describe the conditions that reign inside prisons. One word would fit: Dahaou.

Crushing incarcerations, equally exterminative penalties (the only ones really paying for the judge's racket scandal coming to light are the inmates), prolonged captivity through un unmeasured use of disciplinary charges, minimum or zero medical supplies (with the exception of constant drug pills dispensation, to produce Pavlov's dogs), overcrowding of the prisons (Concerning just the Dahaou of Ioannina where I am kept, more than 200 prisoners live in a prison built to "house" 80 persons. Prisoners are packed like sardines in a can, even in the corridors!).

This overcrowding could end with a few simple ways:

1) Reduction of pre-trial imprisonment
2) End of captivity of the vindictive disciplinary charges
3) Abolishion of the 4/5 of time rule for the drug cases (in Greece all drug addict prisoners are labeled as dealers, leading to the "dealers" being more than the users...)

Inside these miserable conditions we have millions of reasons to revolt, and none to remain passive. With full consciousness that whatever measures they take to disburden the prisoners are nothing more than painkillers, since for as long as this authoritarian/class society stands, the miserableness of prison will stand by it. I join forces with the prisoners struggle, as I did in solidarity with them, while I was outside the prison bars.

On the other hand, I can't keep to my self my disagreement on the weapon of hunger strike, that was suggested, and I regard as useful to express this disagreement open and in public. I regard as by NO means necessary to eliminate ourselves and move into actions that only waste our forces, the same time that there are still many other ways to resist and fight (as much for the inmates as for the out of prison bars solidarious). Our health, our bodies and our minds should be kept fit and strong our ENTIRE lives, and not surrender in a wilful decay.
Our clash with the society that gives birth to the prison misery should continue until we finally become food for the worms, and for this reason our full physical and mental health should be safeguarded as the apple of our eye.
Maybe a hunger strike will bring some short term positive results (draw some support, sensitizing), but in a long term it acts only as a deleterious effect. It's simply one step forward and two steps aback.

Moreover, it creates fighters of many levels. The same time that 50-100 persons in a self-sacrifice spirit risk their physical and mental health, thousands of other inmates will eat typically their "zwan" meat.

I consider more useful the decision making through collective processes, so that every means of struggle we use must concern EVERY prisoner in struggle.

By no means do I wish to break apart the unity that prevails among prisoners. This text was written aiming only to make clear my stance on the issue of the hunger strike (an issue the radical movement deals with for many years now) and not to criticise the comrades that selected this means. All I do is striving for the sportiness of words and actions I strived before my imprisonment, and nothing more than that.
It is obvious that I will put all my efforts in the prisoners fight for Dignity.

UNTIL THE DESTRUCTION OF EACH LAST PRISON

Polikarpos Georgiadis

(Ioannina Juridical Prisons) 31 Οκτωβρίου 2008 2:51 π.μ.

Incendiary attack against military courthouse of Rouf (Athens, 29/10/2008)

From the mass-media: Minor material damages were caused to the entrance of ROUF military courthouse at 2:35 in the night, after a combustion of an improvised incendiary device made of 10 home gas canisters. According to the first information, a fire erupted followed by an explosion breaking the entrances' glass windows. A little after 7:00 a.m. the police found near the barracks' entrance a hole in the fencing wire where the penetrators allegedly entered from. It is worth noticing that the arsonists weren't noticed, since the area is guarded by the army.

Update: According to "Eleftherotipia" newspaper(http://www.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=112,id=75353488), the «Conspiracy of Cells of Fire - Revolutionary Army cells» claimed with a phne call to "Eleftherotipia" the responsibility for the attack "in solidarity to Giannis Dimitrakis, who was facing a military jury on October 13".

Arson against national bank and communique (Thessaloniki, 29/10/2008)

Arson against national bank and communique (Thessaloniki, 29/10/2008)

In the night of Tuesday October 28, and by the time the dressed up with festivity national misery, we selected to turn into ashes for once again, the national bank on Venizelou street at Triandria, Thessaloniki.

Passing by quickly the dominant rhetoric of a financial crisis and the emergence of a new "socialism", the ashes we leave behind us yell that the mechanism of exploitation don't collapse on their own. Besides, the only ones losing in these occasional crisis are not the gangs of the big robbers and usurers that for centuries have been accumulating wealth and power, but the masses of the repressed. Just think of the millions of deads left behind at the second world war so as this wonderful capitalist system could recover from the '29's crash.

However, opposite to the financial colossi that kneel one after the other, stand the insurgents of the world. Opposite to the wage slaves that mind their own deposits stand with dignity the comrades Giannis Dimitrakis and Giorgos Voutsis-Vogiatzis that are found in prison for their selection to expropriate a few of what's stolen from us every day by the banks. Opposite to the generalized apathy and willful servitude the revolutionary action spreads.

Lastly, we can accept the national bank's gratitude for our help to reduce its subsidiaries, so as to strive accordingly to the crisis.

PS. We need to make clear that the actions offensive against the existant don't want nor need comrades in prison or on the run. We affirm though, that as long as this idiomorphic prison condition of I. Nikolaou, D. Syrianou and K. Halazas stretches, our rage overflows, with all that this may involve.

Attack against economics ministry office and claim (Athens, 27/10/2008)

A related report from the mass-media: "An improvised incendiary device with gas canisters, was placed by unknown persons the dawn of Monday, in an office of land property offices and American Express company, on Mesogion avenue, Holargos district. From the explosion, minor damages were caused to both offices. Police is investigating, while up to now there wasn't any claims from any organization".

Translation of a text sent via e-mail:


On 27/10/08 we selected to attack the offices of the ministry of economics on Mesogion Avenue at Holargos. Our target wasn't random.

The state's reorganization of economy, in complete harmony to the capital's order, is carried out to intensify even more the constraints, inequality and alienation.

The same moment we experience the totalitarianism of dominion and its acceptance, the lords of this country, in cooperation with the western states, report ready to provide vast amounts of money to save the prestige of the world financial system and the normal function of economy.

In this imposed normality, someones select servitude, some other idleness and some don't select at all. But, there are also others that select to assault. Our words are a testimony of soul: Negation. We don't ask for mildness, we don't give silence. We negate this world and all those helping it to stand. AS for us, we will always ride their dreams like ghosts, shadows in the delinquent underground.

This incendiary attack is just a block in the tower of aggresive solidarity and it is our own contribution to the crisis of the local and world capitalist system. We don't nurture illusions. The world won't change with arguements. Individuals are needed, ready to risk and set afire this world to shine. Violent revolutionary action will bring down every trace of compromise and peace within society.

This attack is dedicated to the comrade Giannis Dimitrakis who is found incarcerated for the expropriation of ETE bank on Solonos street.

WE ARM - WE AIM - WE FIRE...
BECAUSE WE ARE AT WAR

Black Fever Gang

Paints against "LAOS" party offices (Athens, 20/10/2008)

The fascist plague is crawling in the streets of the city and the neo-fascist party of LAOS tries to find its way opening offices in every neighborhood. Their offices appeared again at Kipseli, on the second floor of an appartment building, on Megistis street, where they hanged byzantine flags, and balloons (!), and also a banner with the ridiculous slogan "patriotic protectionism". Note that we 're talking for one of the most dense residential areas of Athens with a high population of african origin, and also balkanic, eastern european and asian. Many of those living in the appartments of the fascist LAOS party offices block are immigrants, and the local school is full of children from immigrants from all ovr the earth. On the occasion of Karatzaferis (translator's note: the party's "fuhrer") the fascists realised flyposting and sticter gluing around the area, spray painting "solidarity to greeks" (!!!) and other fascist and racist slogans. The posters and stickers of LAOS were destroyed, their slogans erased... And yesterday night, on Megistis street antifascist flyers were thrown and slogans as "KICK OUT THE LAOS FASCISTS", "SOLIDARITY TO IMMIGRANTS" and "FOREIGN WORKERS OUR BROTHERS!" and also red paints were thrown against the fascists' offices painting their walls and signs.
NEITHER IN KYPSELI NOR ANYWHERE - SMASH FASCISTS IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD!

Arson against bank at Exarchia (Athens, 13/10/2008)

Today, October 13, the anarchist Giannis Dimitrakis faces jury at the martial court of Rouf, for his decision not to give away any of his time to the murderous machinery of the army.
That's why we decided to hit the subsidiary of Geniki Bank on Vatatzi street at Exarchia. He still remains imprisoned for the expropriation of Ethniki bank on Solonos street. An action of re-appropriation of all that the bosses rob us from daily, and of negation to the barbarism of work.

FREEDOM FOR GIANNIS DIMITRAKIS.
SOLIDARITY TO THE 3 FUGITIVES FOR THE EXROPRIATION OF ETHNIKI BANK.

"Group of Revolutionary Desertion"

Attack against hayward-police offices and claim (Athens, 13/10/2008)

Attack against hayward-police offices and claim (Athens, 13/10/2008)

According to the mass-media "A group of 20 hooded persons attacked a while after 9:15 in the morning of Monday (13/10) the building holding the headquarters of hayward police and that used to be the internal affairs office, on 83, Syggrou avenue. The perpetrators approached on foot, without being noticed by the guard, and threw molotov cocktails, paints and stones, causing damages to the buildings entrance, and parked cars. Police forces sieged the area and realised investigations, but didn't make any arrests. This attack caused a big noise, since it was realised in the morning in one of the capital's most central places".

A related video: http://video.e-go.gr/default.asp?catid=11334&subid=2&tag=8349&pubid=1716663



Communique sent via e-mail:

KIDNAPPERS OR HOSTAGES

"The alienated character of labour is apparent definetly in the fact that when there is no natural or other constraint, labour is avoided as a social nuisance. The alienated labour where human alienates himself, is the labour of self-sacrifice, of devitalization".

Karl Marx


On 21 of August, P. Georgiadis, V. Paleokostas and another comrade are arrested, while the prisoner G. Haralambidis is also accused for the kidnapping of the big industrialist G. Mylonas.

In an opressive system where compromise, apathy and servitude reign, snitching becomes a virtue and rebellion a crime. The bosses are the only kidnappers of our wasted work-hours, with the state being their accomplish in crime, and accessories all those legalizing this system with their stance and by aiding the police. A new witch-hunt is started against those fighting against them. Being taken as captives in society's prison cells, our comrades selected where and why to attack, selected to pay with the same currency...

And as for us, we selected to attack the internal affairs office on Syggrou setting the seal on our choise to stand on the opposite side, negating every other path and selecting the only way of negation and active solidarity. We do not oppose only to the state and the one or other action of its, nor only the bigger of all slavers, we also oppose to every kind of silence.

Our offensive solidarity will be keep them company while they are kept HOSTAGES of the state.

SOLIDARITY TO THE COMRADES

P. Georgiadis
V. Paleokostas
G. Haralambidis
V.H.

Our comradely regards to Giannis Dimitrakis that was today facing another jury on his choise to negate the army.
.

Latest news upate 14/10/08

Latest news upate 14/10/08

Vaggelis is free. We was released 3 days ago after his application. The reason that the authorities gave his release was lack of evidence. we don' t know yet the exact charges that vaggelis is going to trial with, if it is under the anti-terrorist law or not. Also, we are not able to know when his trial is going to happen. It could be in a year, it could be also in 3-4 years. Τhe 3 comrades are still wanted, so we must focus our efforts to put an end to their indicment.

27.9.08

Latest news Update 26/09/08

During the next period we expect the exact accusations of Vaggelis and the 3 comrades on the run. This will be a critical moment because it will be clear if Vaggelis and the 3 will be accused under the anti-terrorist law or not. The next few months we will also know the date of the trial. Without being sure about it, we are expecting the trial during the first months of 2009. Due to the greek laws the trial must happen in a period of 18 months after the day of the arrest. So it will happen until may 2009, in any other case they must release Vaggelis.

About the case

About the case

Vaggelis Botzatzis is a Greek Anarchist who has been remanded into custody since the end of 2007. He is accused of setting fire to 2 company cars belonging to the Greek national energy company, setting fire to a Greek bank, and of an arson to a French car dealership. Vaggelis was arrested at 26 november 2007. Due to Greece’s laws, he can be held in prison for up to 18 months prior to trial. For the same case three more comrades are wanted by the police and they are still on the run. They are all accused under the greek anti-terrorist law and if they get convicted they are facing huge sentences. Vaggelis is claiming that he is innocent and he says that the reason for his arrest is his participation in the anarchist movement. It is important to mention that the only evidences that the greek state has is a testimony of a security guard and a fake testimony of woman that it was taken under threats and psychological pressure from the police. This last testimony was withdrawn after several days with a public statement.
The days after Vaggelis arrest we experienced a huge police movement in the city. Several comrades were taken to the police station for questioning, houses got searched and riot cops surrounded the neighborhood that vaggelis and the 3 comrades were living. Also some media of the country published the photos of the 3 wanted comrades. Against this situation a big variety of solidarity actions rised up from the first days and they are still going on all over greece.
This case of state repression is one of the most important cases for the greek radical movement the last years. Because the greek state is trying to accuse people under the anti-terrorist law for practices like arsons, that previously were not defined as so. If they succeed now, they will continue. The states effort is to reduce the possibilities of uncompromising and radical resistance, to spread fear and weakness to the population. Also to sell the image of security. Finally to "trim" the population to the current necessities of capital. The criminalization of resistance is one of their methods, the huge media propaganda is another. There are many more. The world is turning more and more in a totalitarian way, in this process anti-terrorism is a tool, a name for a state's tactic to confront its internal or external enemies, to secure and extend its power. Anti-terrorism is global strategy with similarities and differences appearing in every country. But the discrimination of resistance, the extension of repression and surveillance mechanisms, the strong ideological propaganda, the offensive social demand for security and the militarization are things that we experience everywhere.
We have to understand it and to fight against it on a local and an international level as well. That is why we think that there is need for international solidarity for the case of vaggelis and the 3. During the next months they will be calls for national and international solidarity action days and they will be also announced from this blog. Keep in touch to get informed.

P.S. Letters can be sent to Vaggelis at the address below. Vaggelis can receive short messages of support written in English or in french. When writing to Vaggelis, please remember the authorities do censor his mail so please do not write anything that could be regarded by the authorities as “dangerous”.
Komotini Juridical Prison ("Dikastikes Fylakes Komotinis")
T.K. 69100
GREECE

Mike Rann, the Premier of South Australia has recently announced that Adelaide will be host to the Asia Pacific Defence & Security Exhibition on 11-13

The Governments of France, Germany, Israel, Italy, South Africa, UK and USA have already booked major exhibition space for their military corporations to come to Australia and take up Mike Rann's offer to "survey the terrific business and investment opportunities" that APDSE will provide. No doubt many other nations will join the throng in the coming year.

These seven countries are together the source of at least 80% of all military equipment, from bombers and warships, through to cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions, down to the more mundane run-of-the-mill guns, boots, bullets and surveillance equipment used to in the dozens of wars around the world today.

They are responsible for 80% of all the pain & suffering caused by militarism. For the deaths, for the amputees, for the rapes at gunpoint, for the detainees and refugees, for the orphans and the parents denied the right of dying before their children. These people are the real terrorists.

In a cruel twist the organiser of this death fair, Alex Nicholl, who also organises similar atrocities in the UK, has set the date for APDSE as 11th November, the day we normally stop and reflect on the horrors of war. To these people the remembrance of war holds no horror, only profit.

The best we can hope for is that Remembrance Day reminds them of the last time the masters of war came to Australia to peddle their wares.

This is the first major weapons trade fair since the Australian people put an end to the AIDEX 89 & 91 exhibitions in Canberra. In coming months the campaign to stop Australia being turned into a shopping mall for the world's killers will begin in earnest. We urge you to join us in stopping this happening for another 17 years.

How a story that hasn't ended began for us

Wednesday morning, 23 April. We heard that a woman was run over by a prison van taking prisoners back from court to Brixton jail yesterday around 5.30pm. Rushed up to the area and got a newspaper.
“30 years old, she was drunk”, “she was always dancing”, the paper read.
Immediately I knew it – it was her, the girl who'd beckoned me to dance at 'food not bombs' in front of the Ritzy cinema a few weeks back, the day that K and L were arrested for giving away free food. The beautiful crazy black girl with the wide open smile! Some people enter your heart like a streak of lightening. Naomi was one of them.
Choking with pain and rage we reached the 'Brixton Oval' to find a shrine rigged up by her friends: the red Marlboro jacket she always wore, her beloved skates, a few furry toys, photographs, flowers, candle, joss sticks. Everyone was crying, men and women, young and old, black and white, tears of anger and despair pouring down their devastated faces. They are the people who hang out there like Naomi did, in that grassy area in the centre outside the Ritzy cinema. We hugged and cried together and all agreed – we were not going to sit still in a ritual RIP in front of candles. WE MUST ACT!!! NAOMI WAS MURDERED BY THE STATE!!! PORCO DIO!!!
The private cop driving a SERCO prison van had seen her dancing in the road and beating her fists on the van with its human cargo of eleven prisoners that he was in a hurry to unload. Don't take them to the prison!!! She had screamed.
He had seen her, yet, when the lights changed, he accelerated and knocked her down, drove over her and dragged her along the road. She died under the van, close to a friend who had crawled down to reach her. A crowd of about a hundred people gathered, stunned, screaming MURDERER!!! The windscreen of the van was smashed. Riot police were called to protect the killer, who is of course free on bail.
What is the life of a drunken black girl who always dances, to a brute in the service of State repression? As much as that of a comrade leaving a rock concert once was to a bus driver.
We need to scream our anger!! All of us!! Together!!
A quick dash to the local print shop and copies of the newspaper article are enlarged and laminated. They see the story and do more free. Passersby stop. People begin to arrive as the word goes round. A dive to Brixton market to get some cloth for a banner. The road is blocked as – vegans rejoice – a butcher has thrust an axe into a colleague's chest. Okay! 3 metres of black cloth. More people turn up. Quick! Some paint, brushes, sponges. Cloth is spread on pavement, a few steady-handed people set to it. The words, decided by Naomi's mates and agreed by all: AVENGE NAOMI, KILLED BY THE SYSTEM begin to emerge. 2 long sticks appear and the banner is rigged up. It's decided: up Brixton Road to the jail, block any prison vans along the way.
Tall black guys take the banner. They are in a hurry. Let's go! The march assembles hastily. Barely formed, it takes over the main road, some are straggling, others follow on the pavement. The heavy trafficof Brixton Road is forced to slow down to snail's place behind this motley crew of Naomi's friends, some clutching cans of beer, and a few anarchists, squatters, Rastafarians and punks: the 'scum' of Brixton out to denounce the KILLER of the System. For some people, this is their first ever demo. Cop cars arrive at the scene and follow the march. Shouts begin, tentatively at first: No justice! No peace! Then the whole march breaks out NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!! The shouting gets louder and louder. Everybody in unison at the top of their voices. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!!! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!!! THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THE PRISON!!! Hundreds of cars and buses pursue their slow journey up and down the road, traffic is nearly at a standstill, it is almost the rush hour. Cop vans are stationed discreetly in side streets, but the whole police operation keeps a low profile. Brixton is Brixton. People stare. Bemused black schoolchildren turn their heads. Fuck the police? Wow!
The march reaches the prison. It doesn't stop on the pavement but storms up the drive. Cop cars all around. Cops and screws form a line. A vanload of female ones arrives at the scene. Two emaciated women are staggering, almost falling to the ground. They throw out their anger and pain, screaming at the cops, who remain impassive. (All the Brixton cops knew Naomi. They know the score and clearly have been given strict orders.) Tears drench faces contorted by pain and alcohol. Naomi didn't need to die! It wasn't an accident! He could have stopped. She was murdered and the murderer is walking free! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLLLICE!!! THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THE PRISON!!! All sorts of flora and fauna emerge from within the prison area. Cops start to put on mild pressure, the march concedes, returns to the entrance on Brixton Road and stays there for ten minutes before taking over the main road again, walking slowly back down to the town centre, passing again over the spot where Naomi was callously crushed to death. The shouting continues all the way down to the centre.
The working day has ended and new people are gathering around the monument to Naomi, which is in evolution (there are more flowers and a Rastafarian flag has taken the place of the news article). Rows of cops try to clear the pavement without success and end up blocking it themselves. The inevitable local reporter has arrived, complete with cameraman. A group of authoritative people are lining up on the grass to be photographed and interviewed and Naomi's friends seem to be fading into the background. The atmosphere is changing and we're off, for now. Hugs to our comrades of the day. See you later.
J. and B. , proud to be 'scum'.

How a story that hasn't ended began for us

Wednesday morning, 23 April. We heard that a woman was run over by a prison van taking prisoners back from court to Brixton jail yesterday around 5.30pm. Rushed up to the area and got a newspaper.
“30 years old, she was drunk”, “she was always dancing”, the paper read.
Immediately I knew it – it was her, the girl who'd beckoned me to dance at 'food not bombs' in front of the Ritzy cinema a few weeks back, the day that K and L were arrested for giving away free food. The beautiful crazy black girl with the wide open smile! Some people enter your heart like a streak of lightening. Naomi was one of them.
Choking with pain and rage we reached the 'Brixton Oval' to find a shrine rigged up by her friends: the red Marlboro jacket she always wore, her beloved skates, a few furry toys, photographs, flowers, candle, joss sticks. Everyone was crying, men and women, young and old, black and white, tears of anger and despair pouring down their devastated faces. They are the people who hang out there like Naomi did, in that grassy area in the centre outside the Ritzy cinema. We hugged and cried together and all agreed – we were not going to sit still in a ritual RIP in front of candles. WE MUST ACT!!! NAOMI WAS MURDERED BY THE STATE!!! PORCO DIO!!!
The private cop driving a SERCO prison van had seen her dancing in the road and beating her fists on the van with its human cargo of eleven prisoners that he was in a hurry to unload. Don't take them to the prison!!! She had screamed.
He had seen her, yet, when the lights changed, he accelerated and knocked her down, drove over her and dragged her along the road. She died under the van, close to a friend who had crawled down to reach her. A crowd of about a hundred people gathered, stunned, screaming MURDERER!!! The windscreen of the van was smashed. Riot police were called to protect the killer, who is of course free on bail.
What is the life of a drunken black girl who always dances, to a brute in the service of State repression? As much as that of a comrade leaving a rock concert once was to a bus driver.
We need to scream our anger!! All of us!! Together!!
A quick dash to the local print shop and copies of the newspaper article are enlarged and laminated. They see the story and do more free. Passersby stop. People begin to arrive as the word goes round. A dive to Brixton market to get some cloth for a banner. The road is blocked as – vegans rejoice – a butcher has thrust an axe into a colleague's chest. Okay! 3 metres of black cloth. More people turn up. Quick! Some paint, brushes, sponges. Cloth is spread on pavement, a few steady-handed people set to it. The words, decided by Naomi's mates and agreed by all: AVENGE NAOMI, KILLED BY THE SYSTEM begin to emerge. 2 long sticks appear and the banner is rigged up. It's decided: up Brixton Road to the jail, block any prison vans along the way.
Tall black guys take the banner. They are in a hurry. Let's go! The march assembles hastily. Barely formed, it takes over the main road, some are straggling, others follow on the pavement. The heavy trafficof Brixton Road is forced to slow down to snail's place behind this motley crew of Naomi's friends, some clutching cans of beer, and a few anarchists, squatters, Rastafarians and punks: the 'scum' of Brixton out to denounce the KILLER of the System. For some people, this is their first ever demo. Cop cars arrive at the scene and follow the march. Shouts begin, tentatively at first: No justice! No peace! Then the whole march breaks out NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!! The shouting gets louder and louder. Everybody in unison at the top of their voices. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!!! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!!! THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THE PRISON!!! Hundreds of cars and buses pursue their slow journey up and down the road, traffic is nearly at a standstill, it is almost the rush hour. Cop vans are stationed discreetly in side streets, but the whole police operation keeps a low profile. Brixton is Brixton. People stare. Bemused black schoolchildren turn their heads. Fuck the police? Wow!
The march reaches the prison. It doesn't stop on the pavement but storms up the drive. Cop cars all around. Cops and screws form a line. A vanload of female ones arrives at the scene. Two emaciated women are staggering, almost falling to the ground. They throw out their anger and pain, screaming at the cops, who remain impassive. (All the Brixton cops knew Naomi. They know the score and clearly have been given strict orders.) Tears drench faces contorted by pain and alcohol. Naomi didn't need to die! It wasn't an accident! He could have stopped. She was murdered and the murderer is walking free! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLICE!!! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, FUCK THE POLLLICE!!! THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN THE PRISON!!! All sorts of flora and fauna emerge from within the prison area. Cops start to put on mild pressure, the march concedes, returns to the entrance on Brixton Road and stays there for ten minutes before taking over the main road again, walking slowly back down to the town centre, passing again over the spot where Naomi was callously crushed to death. The shouting continues all the way down to the centre.
The working day has ended and new people are gathering around the monument to Naomi, which is in evolution (there are more flowers and a Rastafarian flag has taken the place of the news article). Rows of cops try to clear the pavement without success and end up blocking it themselves. The inevitable local reporter has arrived, complete with cameraman. A group of authoritative people are lining up on the grass to be photographed and interviewed and Naomi's friends seem to be fading into the background. The atmosphere is changing and we're off, for now. Hugs to our comrades of the day. See you later.
J. and B. , proud to be 'scum'.

SOLIDARITY DEMO TO THE ANARCHIST COMRADES IN AT HENS AGAINTS TO THE FACSISTS AND TO THE COPS 26/02/08 IN LONDON

Dead Prez concert ends in a riot after arrest

Shields & Bombs | 16.02.2008 18:46

The incident began when a campus police officer arrested a suspect on misdemeanor assault charges... Rioters then smashed in the cruiser's windows, graffitied the car and looted its contents, which included a laptop and radar gun before flipping the car over.

Olympia, Washington, U.S. - A hip-hop concert featuring the revolutionary emcee duo Dead Prez ( http://www.deadprez.com) ended in a riot that saw tens of thousands of dollars in damaged and stolen police property. The incident began when a campus police officer arrested a suspect on misdemeanor assault charges. The show had ended but the performers, still onstage, allegedly egged on the crowd saying, “They’re taking one of our people. Go take care of it.”

A crowd of maybe two dozen concert-goers surrounded the police car, forcing them to release the arrested individual. The arresting officer and her backup was unable to start her patrol car and hastily abandoned it as the crowd swelled to 200 strong. Rioters smashed in the cruiser's windows, graffitied the car and looted its contents, which included a laptop and radar gun before flipping the car over. [1]Officers in riot gear later arrived on the scene and were greeted with a hail of bottles and rocks. More police cars were damaged but less seriously than the first. Police made no arrests, but said that they hope to find DNA on the destroyed cruiser that will lead them to suspects.

On Saturday, February 9th 2008 Natalja was arrested during the yearly demonstration against the NATO-Security-Conference in Munich (Germany). They acc

Natalja already was arrested during the G8-summit at summer 2007 in Germany and was sentenced to ten months of imprisonment. Furthermore she has a third trial because of being arrested at a demonstration at may 1th at the same year.

„For me, the imprisonment started with a kind of shock which slowly vanished. It is replaced by a condition of permanent grief in the background covered by a lot of tiredness, boredom and exhaustion.“ (Natalja)

On March 30th 2008 the trial against Natalja at the district court of Munich took place. She got five months of imprisonment without probation. (Natalja already got a total penalty of eleven months in Rostock because of the G8-protest and resistance on may 1st 2007, besides she got two months of suspended sentence because of antifascist resistance in Gräfenberg, which she has to serve now, too). Meanwhile, her arrest was shortened by 28 days.

„However I request – it should not sound snooty – to formulate all this a bit combative / defiant / ‚more than ever‘, so that national intimidation propaganda is not spread inadvertently thereby. Nobody should be discouraged and certainly not ‚brainwashed‘ on my account.“ (Natalja)

The imprisonment was shaped by repression and harassment. Apart from the attempt of „infiltrating“ a plain-clothes policewomen in her cell, Natalja was refused to get her post because it had political contents. On December 11th 2008 she was forced to sample a DNA-assay by using violence.
Out of her imprisonment Natalja took part in different demonstrations and meetings like the demonstration under the slogan „The system is criminal and not the resistance!“ by speech contributions and texts.

„The prison is said to intimidate, reeducate, criminalise and exclude… - And it presents itself each day, how unfair, inhuman, discriminating and destructive the ruling system is […]
Did the prison-system would function only one day long without the forced under-lowest work of the prisoners in the institutes?
Would prisons be maintained without the command and - obedience hierarchy of the execution people, by whom the repression of the prisoners is practically converted by the state daily?
Did a fair, free society would need prisons at all as instrument of class rule and as means, in order to divide exploited social classes by criminalization?
The experience of repression may also be horrible, but the experience of solidarity is much impressing and encouraging! Both encourages me in the conviction: Resistance against the ruling system is necessary. Nevertheless nothing shows as clearly as the coveringness, brutality and presumptuous increase of national repression that the system obviously has much fear before the social movement and active entering against fascism, racism and war!“ (Natalja)

June 6th 2009 is a day Natalja surely longs for and not only she herself… Because on this day Natalja will finally released.
Up to then it is still a long time. The fights in the prisons must further be developed and supported. Masshungerstrikes in the prisons in Europe and an organizing of antiprison-structures outside are a beginning.
On weekend from February 6th until 8th days of action in solidarity with Natalja and all prisoners in struggle will take place. It is the weekend of the resistance against the NATO-war-conference (officially called Security-Conference), the weekend when Natalja was arrested nearly one year ago.

„This is a meeting of political leaders, military representatives and members of the military lobby, who follows the invitation of the Quandt-Foundation. The Quandt family is the principal part owner of the BMW company, which manufactures motor vehicles, but also military equipment like vehicles and weapons. (The roots for their prosperity and influence are the chemical industry - including the exploitation of prisoners in the concentration camps during the 2nd World War). In spite of the ‚private‘ / ‚commercial‘ background of the conference, the people enjoy „the honour“ of a status as official guests of the Federal Republic of Germany. The German army (Bundeswehr) is responsible for the scene… “ (Natalja)

For all those who cannot participate in the protests against the Securityconference and the locally (Munich) organized actions in solidarity with Natalja and all prisoners in struggle, there is a calling for a decentralized weekend of action.
Let us organize in order to refuse the state including its prisons, cops, laws and military and to fight for a world without exploitation and oppression in solidarity with Natalja and all prisoners in struggle!

Freedom for Natalja and all prisoners! No prison, no state!
Revolutionary solidarity! For anarchy! For the social revolution!

ABC-Orkan (Anarchist Black Cross – Gruppe Norddeutschland) and northern Anarchists
(abc-orkan@riseup.net)

Anarchist Black Cross Berlin
(mail@abc-berlin.net)

Information and contact:
http://www.noprisonnostate.blogsport.de
http://www.natalja.blogsport.de

Solidarity means attack !

noprisonnostate.blogsport.de

Letter from Anarchist Vaggelis Botzatzis

From the judicial prison of Komotini (24/1/8)

I am already 2 months imprisoned in the galleys of democracy. In the prisons effigies of prison society. I am pre-trial imprisoned with a made-up bill of indictments which is based on the testimony of a security guard (who asserts that he saw my car license plates) and by black-mailing inhumanely my companion, the secret police after an hour-long detention and intimidation threatened her and forced her to sign a totally made-up deposition. This deposition after a few days was denounced and refuted by my companion on her own in front of the interrogator as a product of black-mail.

Imprisoned by the anti-terror law, a law that aims at de-sensing acts and practices of resistance of symbolic actions, so it can show them as a threat to society, hiding in the meantime the fact that the terrorists are those who put forward these laws. In these frames, warrants are issued for 3 other comrades who are wanted by the police now.

Nothing is new or unfamiliar for anyone that has open eyes and is not possessed by illusions. Judges, prosecutors and interrogators imprison people before trial for each case that reaches their hands and give life-long sentences in order to hide their involvement in para-judge groups, who use the 18 month long pre-trial imprisonment as a penalty for cases that they know will get acquitted in the auditorium, following orders of each of their masters. Police that humiliate human dignity in police stations, who shoot in cold blood unarmed immigrants at the borders, who shoot in the head to "save" insured money, who "suicide" prisoners, who spray with chemicals those who decide to go against the will of the rulers. Media and journalists, political party, ministry, MP, millionaire employees, show an objectiveness which is nothing but the interests of their bosses. Assignees who are not boggled to sell-out for money and job careers. And next to this hodge-podge of institutionalists, a diffused social informery. Truck drivers, shop-owners and guards, everyday informers, defenders of the "honest sweat" of the banks, security guards and uniformed men, everywhere supervision and social control. Across this silence and obedience that is forced by this whole meshwork of authority, there are those who stand with clear glance and with sure steps they walk on the roads of insurrection.

Whether from inside the galleys of society, whether inside the social galley, the struggle goes on...

FREEDOM to the anarchists Yannis Dimitrakis, Yiorgos Vousis-Vogiatzis, Marios Tsourapas, Hrisostomos Kontorevithakis, Nikos Kountardas

FREEDOM for the fighter Vaggelis Pallis

SOLIDARITY to the 3 wanted comrades

FREEDOM TO ALL PRISONERS

Vaggelis Botzatzis
Judicial prisons of Komotini

Letter from the 3 wanted (27/1/8)

-Early hours of Monday 26/11/07

Comrade V.Botzatzis is arrested by plain clothes police while he was at his friend's house in Ano Poli, Thessaloniki, and his car is confiscated. He is taken to the main police station of Thessaloniki, where he is held for over 48 hours, in total isolation and without legal coverage.

The same day, Monday morning, and while the cops have already forced entry in Vangelis house and in his friend's, she (companion of Vangelis) is arrested at her workplace.

In the afternoon and evening of the same day, 4 more arrests of comrades who are politically closely related with Vangelis. 2 of them as well while working and the 2 other ones from a cafe in the centre of Thessaloniki. Late at night the 4 are let free while there is a solidarity demo where we were more of 100 people outside of the police station where Vangelis and his friend are still held.

-Tuesday 27/11/07 after 35 hours of detention, Vangelis friend is free. The same afternoon, Ano Poli (the broader area around our places of residence) is surrounded by police forces. 2 riot police buses are lined up in the neighborhood limits and tens of undercover cops, motorbike police and cop cars are moving provocatively around in the area. At the same evening we are informed that the anti-terror unit is forcing entry in our houses (in one of the two houses without the presence of a lawyer or a resident while in the other one a comrade is arrested and let free after a few hours. This fact made it clear to us that the police is trying to set up a dirty game against us by inventing "guilty".

-On Wednesday 28/11/07, an unsubstantial, invented deposition of Vangelis friend, a product of black-mail, of threats, of psychological violence and pressure, an unbelievable list of charges is made up for Vangelis and 3 arrest warrants are issued against us.

The charges we receive are 5 felonies and 3 delinquencies, specifically: Complete arson and in attempt in a group and continuously, complete explosion and in attempt in a group and continuously, construction and possession of explosive mechanism, distinguished occasion of private property damage, formation of a criminal group, terrorist actions in a group and continuously, illegal possession of weapons.

Vangelis denies the charges, he states that he is an anarchist and gets imprisoned at the judicial prisons of Komotini. Alike, the 3 of us don't accept any of the charges.

The Media in an admirable collaboration with the agents of authority take action. Publicized on the newspapers Makedonia, Ethnos and on the channels Mega, ET3, Alter, Alpha are the pictures of the 3 of us. Only the word "wanted" was missing and a cash award that would be given to any possible informer.

Inside this entire atmosphere, from the beginning with having any doubts we chose to escape. A choice so conscious as also political. We are anarchists and as that we realize the world around us. For us the struggle for freedom is the only way. The labels of innocent-guilty, ethical-unethical, good-bad are not recognized by us and we don't attempt to do it now. That's why we choose to not be victims of authority, of the processes, of laws, of austerity or leniency.

We realize ourselves as political beings that belong in the anarchist-revolutionary movement. Our participation in this is a way to exist in the present without having to wait resignedly for an earthly paradise of social justice but by putting forward the everyday pursuit and the rupture between institutions and relationships for regaining human dignity.

We exist in a condition of today, without evangelizing a "better tomorrow", we live and struggle for today, while putting perspectives for the future. We consider the triptych "yesterday-today-tomorrow" a beginning for fertile criticism. We learn from our mistakes and move away from them.

We realize our existence-realization as an enemy towards the existing. Actively we stand opposed to all those who reflect this compromised society, which we see as a whole and not only to its authoritative factors and institutions but to the whole of its besotted citizens. Those who with their "neutral" stance which is not neutral at all because silence is complicity, are trying to gain a sure place in this system, ruled by complexes of micro-authorities. Whether those who voluntarily play their roles of lawful citizens-conscious informers where the rules, the laws and order gain ethical power alike the obedience to death of modern social cemeteries.

It was, it is and it will always be our choice to stand across all this scum, and the reason is no other than that our life and our freedom, nobody else except us can determine.

We were, we are and we will always be attackers on this world that the only it has to put front is apathy, sureness and self-slavery.

Our realizations look like impetuous waters that try to take with them the orders of authority whichever form they have. The rocks of the legality limits, which artily tries to force the radical components of this society, would not block their road.

We didn't compromise and we would never compromise with this old world. Because we never possessed a position in the authority corral. Because our dignity would never let us follow by our own will the tactic of being the sheep ready to be slaughtered. Because we know very well your "chaste" democracy, the democracy of totalitarianism, of control and security-insecurity. Because we are humans and we would never exchange our freedom at any cost.

See you at the theatrical show that you call court.

ON THE ROAD TOWARDS FREEDOM

NOTHING HAS FINISHED EVERYTHING CONTINUOUS

FREEDOM FOR COMRADE VANGELIS BOTZATZIS