[Berlin] 23.6.17: Demonstration “Hands off the squats” // 11h // Berlin

Wir veröffentlichen hier einen Aufruf aus Griechenland zu einem Internationalen Aktionstag am 23.6 gegen die geplanten Räumungen der Besetzungen Papoutsadiko, Zoodoxou Pigis 119, und City Plaza

— Am 23.6 um 11 Uhr wird es eine Kundgebung vor der Griechischen Botschaft in Berlin geben: Jägerstraße 54, Gendarmenmarkt U Hausvogteiplatz —

Bündnis Zwangsräumung verhindern
Griechenland Soligruppe

Hier der Aufruf:

Hands off the squats – Call for a gathering and international action day on  June 23rd

During the last month we witnessed the state escalating its anti-immigration policy of restrictions against refugees and the solidarity movement. In Addition to the EU management of migration issues which include forcing people to live in horrible conditions ,deporting them and denying them their basic human rights, the Greek government is revealing its totalitarian face by demonstrating its repression power through evicting political and housing squats for refugees. In the last days new information was leaked through newspapers, about court decisions focusing on the eviction of three more squats. Papoutsadiko, Zoodoxou Pigis 119 and City Plaza, one of the largest refugee squats that host around 400 people. It is clear that the state is focusing in shutting down every self organized free space, including all housing squats for refugees. An attack towards City Plaza or any squat is an attack to all of us. They know how to use the power of riot police forces, but we know how to use the power of solidarity! As long as they try to evict the squats, as long as they build camps and detention centers, as long as there are borders – we will also be there to fight back and fight for a better world! We won’t bend down, we won’t let them in, we stand united! We will show them again what we already proved, we live together, we struggle and we resist together – to defend the dignity of each individual, to defend our principles of solidarity and to keep our free spaces open. Therefore we call for a protest and a gathering on the 23rd of June, in front of the Ministry of Migration (Stadiou 27) at 7 pm. On the same day we call for an International Action of solidarity towards all squats and against evictions!

Keep the squats open!
Close the camps and detention centers!
Cancel the shameful EU-Turkey deal!
Open the borders!
You can’t evict a movement!

Coordination of Refugee Squats City Plaza, Notara 26, Oniro, Spyrou Trikoupi, Arahovis, 5th School, Jasmine School, Acharnon 22

[Athen] City Plaza Athen – Gericht ordnet Räumung an

Statement vom City Plaza zum Gerichtsurteil vom 8.6.2017, welches eine Räumung des “besten Hotels Europas” ermöglicht:

“Das City Plaza wird sich nicht beugen

“Wehrt euch gegen die Pass- und Ausländerbehörde,
gegen die furchtbaren Flaggen der Staaten
und die Diplomatie,
gegen die Fabriken für Kriegsmaterial”

Michalis Katsaros

Der Gerichtsbeschluss zur Räumung der Geflüchteten Unterkunft City Plaza ist ein weiterer Schritt in dem repressiven Management von Geflüchteten und Solidaritäts Bewegung. Von den Grenzschließungen bis zu dem EU-Türkei Deal der Schande – von den Gefängnislagern bis hinzu den Räumungen von Besetzungen, es wurde eine Politik Geflüchtete als Feinde zu vertreiben genutzt. Ein Feind der mit direkter oder indirekter Staatsgewalt bekämpft werden müsse. Gewalt an Körpern fremder Nationalitäten, die Angst in den Köpfen der Bevölkerung erzeugt und die Gesellschaft noch tiefer in die Barbarei stürtzt.
Über die letzten 14 Monate, ist das City Plaza, ebenso wie all die anderen Besetzungen zur Geflüchteten Unterbringung, ein Störfaktor im öffentlichen Raum, gegen eine Kulisse der konstanten Wiederholungen repressiver und rassistischer Diskurse gegen Geflüchtete. Denn das City Plaza hat nicht nur bewiesen, dass Geflüchtete und Anwohner*innen harmonisch und in Würde miteinander leben können. Es zeigt auch, gemeinsam mit anderen, ähnlichen Initiativen, dass da auch ein anderes Europa ist, dass anders ist als das Europa der Euro-Gruppe und Frontex. Ein Europa der Solidarität, des Widerstands, der Menchlichkeit. Und genau das ist es, was für die Machthaber*innen eine Störung darstellt. Wir werden keine Angst haben, wir werden uns nicht beugen, wir werden nicht klein bei geben.

Wir rufen auf zu massiver Unterstützung für das City Plaza und alle Geflüchteten Squats, auf jedem nur möglichen Weg.

Geflüchteten Unterkunft City Plaza”

Mehr Infos: http://solidarity2refugees.gr/city-plaza/

[Thessaloniki] Rettet das Social Centre – Immigrants Place (Steki) in Thessaloniki!

Wir als “You cant evict Solidarity”-Kampagne unterstützen finanziell das Social Center – Immigrants Place STEKI in Thessaloniki.

Mehr Infos findet ihr hier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilANbKoiTdA

Eine Erklärung von Aktiven des Steki – Thessaloniki:

Der Antirassistischen Initiative Thessaloniki und dem Social Centre – Immigrants Place (Steki) Thessaloniki droht in den letzten Monaten aufgrund von längst überfälligen Schulden die Schließung! Konkret handelt es sich um eine Summe von 85 000€ für die Public Power Corporation (PPC oder DEI auf Griechisch) sowie um eine Summe von 5 000€, die der Stadt Thessaloniki geschuldet werden. Beide sind durch eine inzwischen geschlossene Geflüchtetenunterkunft entstanden. Für die vergangenen 6 Jahre trugen sowohl die Antirassistische Initiative sowie das Steki die Last der Schulden, da stets die Schließung der einzigen Geflüchtetenunterkunft drohte. Zu dieser Zeit gaben wir unsere eigenen Namen her, um die Elektrizitätskosten der Unterkunft zu tragen. Es war die einzige sofortige Lösung, um die Unterkunft zu erhalten und Geflüchtete davor zu bewahren, obdachlos zu werden.
Hier der Link, der zu einer Crowdfunding-Kampagne führt und nochmal Schlüsselpunkte der Soliarbeit des Projekts ausführlich beschreibt:  Spenden und mehr Infos

[Thessaloniki] Trial against Orfanotrofeio squatters: All found NOT GUILTY!

Today the third and final date of the trial against the squatters of the Orfanotrofeio-squat took place in Thessaloniki.

All 5 accused (one member of Orfanotrofeio and 4 internationals) were
found not guilty.

This was based on the fact that the wittness represanting the assembly
of Orfanotrofeio squat testifird that the Orfnaotrofeio member on trial
was not part of the initial group that squatted the place and she joined
later. Also, that the 4 internaltionals – participants in the NoBorder
camp, just slept in the squat the night before the eviction.

The accused member of Orfanotrofeio and the witness took full
responsibility for all the actions of the squat and the acrivities
inside it and defended politically Orfanotroeio. The fact that 10 months
after the demolition, the Greek church (temporary owner of the place)
has not done anything there. played its role in the courts decision.

The more than 100 comrades attending the trial started shouting slogans
when the decisdion was announced and then they held a demo towards the
center of Thessaloniki, in solidarity to migrants and the squats
threatened with eviction.

[Röszke11] Free Ahmed H.! Trial on 15. June 2017 in Szeged

Not guilty! We demand Freedom for Ahmed!

The date for the trial against Ahmed at the second instance court is set for Thursday, 15th of June. In November 2016 Ahmed H. was sentenced to 10 years of prison for “terrorism” and “illegal border crossing” in the court of Szeged after a series of extremely biased trial hearings.

Ahmed’s trial and the show-trials against the other Röszke 11, the police violence and the harsh policy changes are supposed to state an example and create an atmosphere of fear. They are part of the Hungarian state’s increasing racist propaganda against all migrants, especially Muslims and part of the European repressive migration policies.
But freedom of movement is not a crime!
We demand Freedom for Ahmed!

The court adress is: Szegedi Ítélőtábla, Sóhordó utca 5, Szeged
…or organise a demonstration in front of your local Hungarian consulate or embassy!

More Information here: http://freetheroszke11.weebly.com/
Download the Flyer here: Flyer Freedom For Ahmed H.

 

[Thessaloniki] Orfanotrofeio: The story of a house in Toumba

This Text was written by comrades from Orfanotrofio Squat, Thessaloniki in May 2017.

The story of a house in Toumba, Thessaloniki 2016

Last summer the Squat Orfanotrofio in Thessaloniki was evicted and demolished by the Greek government. One commerade faces repressions now for the squating alone, standing at court for all of us, on the trial on the 31.05.2017. We call for solidarity.

(Greek below)

The story begins with the squatting of the Orfanotrofeio in December 2015. Thousands of migrants have been declared illegal overnight and are stuck on Greek territory. Within a months they were also displaced from Idomeni, an massive self-made and to a great extent self-managed settlement near the border with the Rep of Macedonia. They were moved to isolated camps throughout the country, under the surveillance of the army and the NGOs.

Those of us who had been visiting Idomeni frequently during the summer of 2015 had seen a wall being built in front of our eyes, people practically living in the mud, being beaten up by the police, giving birth in offhand tents, burning anything they could find from the ruble for some heat in the freezing cold, being moved around from town to town and from camp to camp, in buses that would just show up and then disappear, being constantly stopped for pointless checks in the middle of nowhere on their way to the border. If when they made it to the border, they were often pushed back to Athens, where many of them fell into the hands of smugglers and even organ harvesting mafias.

The list gets longer as the plight continues. Migrants are becoming invisible again, while Greece is being transformed from a mere smuggler-State to an NGO/humanitarian fund collector. At the moment, refugees are concentrated in detention camps, prisons and police departments, where they are being murdered, psychologically crushed, and inevitably pushed towards self-abandon or structural illegality, since they have no opportunity to settle, to work, to get some education, to claim their dignity.

Who we are

Within this situation many people chose to act and stand by the migrants. Not our of pity, not for money, just like that. That is who we are. We came together from various parts of the city and of the world, from the social movement of struggles in the workplace, in our neighborhoods, at school and college, on the streets. We had the common need to create a place where locals and migrants could gather and meet, a collective space away from the surveillance and control of NGOs, of the State and its institutions, a space that would encourage equality and self-organization. This space was the abandoned former Orphanage (that had been occupied by the movement before). It was occupied so that it could provide shelter to migrants, people who are being repressed and marginalized simply because they were unlucky enough to be born on the wrong side of the earth, on the wrong side of a hierarchical bipolar value system for which some human lives are superior to others. They were unlucky enough to exist in a world that imposes and reproduces the repressive notion that divides people into privileged and disenfranchised.

What we became

We became an assembly, of privileged locals and europeans as well as migrants, with many different translations and even more languages among us, for a common struggle, not a struggle of representatives.

We squatted the former orphanage ‘Megas Alexandros’ and with our own hands we, (the migrants, the locals, the europeans) created bedrooms for up to 80 people, a kitchen, a pharmacy, a children’s space, a café, a garden. We held regular meetings with lawyers who took care of migrants’ papers, and regularly received food and clothes offered by neighbors (who often participated in the life of the house too). We organized talks and discussions within the house but also at open squares, squats and festivals about the Orfanotrofeio project, as well as about the rights of migrants to free mobility and papers. We organized actions against the evacuation and the demolition of the building, called meetings in front of migrant detention camps demanding their release, demanded free access to work and health services, several groups continued their regular visits to the camps and actively participated at antifascist initiatives. All decisions were made at the weekly assemblies that were translated in languages that covered all participants. We did not discriminate according to religion, country of origin or family status.

Most importantly, we did not and never will accept the distinction between legal and illegal migrants. For us, this squat became our vital space and the first safe place for migrants. It lasted for eight months and it was proof that we can live, work and struggle together.

Repression but not suppression

At the end of July, the police knocked on our door with cranes and bulldozers, arrested whoever they found inside and finally left the contractors finish off the holy business of the church and pulled down the entire building. It is amazing how well the town council, the SyrizANEL government, the police, the university, the mass media and the church can collaborate when it comes to the management and repression of migrants.

We had been threatened from the very beginning by the «charitable» priest mafia. There are reasons. Because the majority of migrants are muslim. Because these migrants were visible, they participated in the everyday life of a lively area, instead of being socially excluded, out of sight, as the State would want them.  Because the church wanted the estate without the building for a charitably profitable mega-project of its own.

After years of indifference, the church finally decided to demolish not only a historically significant building but most importantly a project of solidarity, that had managed to live up to the needs of society, against the logic of capital. It demolished a building that had become our home. A lot went down with it: A place for meeting, a place filled with stories and experiences, whole storage rooms with clothes and food, personal  belongings. But we will not give up. Some of us continued our journey, some have stayed here looking for a job or preparing their next move. For us, giving up would be denying the urge for freedom.

What has remained

Until today, the estate of the former squatted home at the Orfanotrofeio is full of rubble. There has been no «effective use» or «transformation» the church and  authorities were talking about. This proves what we knew already. The evacuation and the speed with which the demolition took place had nothing to do with the need to create an «institution for the common good» and everything to do with wanting to destroy a dangerous project, a community of struggle where locals and migrants lived and acted together.

The situation for migrants has not changed much. People have become accustomed to hearing about the drownings in the Aegean. The majority of refugee children did not start attending school. The camps are being “upgraded” so that they can receive more refugees, away from the city centres, isolated and marginalized. Deportations to the “safe country” of Turkey are going on, following the Greece-Turkey deal.

After the evacuation of the Orfanotrofeio squat we were lead to camps outside the city. We chose to return to the city and unite with other people in the struggle against repression, yet the State is determined to isolate and divide us. People in solidarity in court are facing serious sentences and huge fines. Our unity however is getting stronger, and we will always be together in solidarity and in a quest for a life of dignity and freedom.  We share what we have and we struggle together for what we deserve, against the devaluation of our lives and dreams. We might have lost one squat, but  above all we confirmed that the State and its lackeys are seriously afraid of self-organization, practical solidarity to the sans papiers, and common struggles of locals and migrants.

COMMUNITIES OF STRUGGLE WITH THE MIGRANTS IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
FOR A SOCIETY FREE OF EXPLOITATION, SEPARATION, BORDERS AND STATES
STOP ALL PERSECUTIONS NOW
SOLIDARITY TO OUR COMRADE WHO IS FACING INCARCERATION FOR THE ORFANOTROFEIO SQUAT

Meeting: THESSALONIKI COURT HOUSE, MAY 31, 9am

Former Occupied Home for Migrants ORFANOTROFEIO

If you want to support us and our commrade to pay that fine get in touch with us:
salonikasolihouse(ätt)espiv.net
facebook.com/katalipsistegismetanastonorfanotrofeio/
As well there is a solidarity campagin for all the repression put on activists in Thessaloniki:
https://cantevictsolidarityenglish.noblogs.org/

Μια ιστορία για την Τούμπα του 2016

Η ιστορία ξεκινά με την κατάληψη του Ορφανοτροφείου τον Δεκέμβρη του 2015. Χιλιάδες μετανάστ(ρι)ες κηρύχθηκαν ξαφνικά παράνομοι και εγκλωβίστηκαν στον ελλαδικό χώρο. Μέσα σε λίγους μήνες εκτοπίστηκαν και από την Ειδομένη –έναν υπαίθριο και σχετικά ανεξέλεγκτο, με στοιχεία πρόχειρης αυτοδιαχείρισης, χώρο εγκατάστασης στα σύνορα– σε απομονωμένα και επιτηρούμενα καμπς και κέντρα κράτησης σε όλη τη χώρα.

Όσοι/ες πηγαίναμε τακτικά στην Ειδομένη από το καλοκαίρι του 2015, είδαμε τον χειμώνα του 2015-2016 να χτίζεται ένας φράχτης, είδαμε ανθρώπους να ζουν μέσα στη λάσπη και να ξυλοκοπούνται από την αστυνομία, να γεννάνε σε σκηνές, να καίνε ό,τι βρουν μπροστά τους για να ζεσταθούν, να μεταφέρονται άσκοπα από πόλη σε πόλη με λεωφορεία, να «πετάγονται» από καμπ σε καμπ, να τους σταματάνε στο πουθενά ώστε να καθυστερήσουν την έλευσή τους στα σύνορα. Ακόμη και αν τα κατάφερναν, τους γύριζαν στην Αθήνα, με αποτέλεσμα πολλοί/ές να πέφτουν θύματα εμπορίου ανθρώπων, ακόμα και οργάνων. Ο κατάλογος της κακοποίησης συνεχίζεται επί μακρόν και για πάντα, αφού η κατάσταση μέχρι σήμερα δεν έχει αλλάξει. Συγκεκριμένα, οι μετανάστ(ρι)ες ξαναγίνονται αόρατοι, και η Ελλάδα, από αποκλειστικά κράτος-διακινητής, γίνεται σιγά σιγά και κράτος-εισπράκτορας κονδυλίων ανθρωπιστικής βοήθειας. Πλέον οι μετανάστ(ρι)ες σε όλη τη χώρα βρίσκονται σε καμπς, φυλακές, στρατόπεδα συγκέντρωσης και τμήματα, όπου δολοφονούνται ή εξοντώνονται, ωθούνται αναγκαστικά στην παραίτηση ή τη στημένη παρανομία, αφού δεν έχουν καμία δυνατότητα να εγκατασταθούν, να μορφωθούν, να δουλέψουν και να ζήσουν με αξιοπρέπεια.

Ποιοι-ες είμαστε

Μέσα σε αυτές τις συνθήκες κινητοποιήθηκαν πάρα πολλοί άνθρωποι στο πλευρό των μεταναστ(ρι)ών. Όχι έμμισθα, ούτε από οίκτο. Είμαστε λοιπόν κάποιοι/ες από αυτούς. Συναντηθήκαμε από διάφορα σημεία της πόλης και του κόσμου, άνθρωποι που χρόνια τώρα αγωνιζόμαστε στους χώρους εργασίας, στις γειτονιές και τις σχολές μας, άνθρωποι που συμμετέχουμε ενεργά στα κινήματα και στους κοινωνικούς αγώνες. Κοινή μας ανάγκη υπήρξε η δημιουργία ενός τόπου συνάντησης ντόπιων και μεταναστ(ρι)ών, ενός συλλογικού χώρου, μακριά από την επιτήρηση και τη διαχείριση του κράτους, των θεσμών του και των ΜΚΟ, ενός χώρου που θα προτάσσει την ισοτιμία και την αυτοργάνωση. Πρόκειται για ένα κτίριο που είχε καταληφθεί για να στεγάσει μετανάστριες και μετανάστες, στο πλαίσιο της αλληλεγγύης προς ανθρώπους που υπόκεινται την καταπίεση και την περιθωριοποίηση επειδή είχαν την «ατυχία» να μην γεννηθούν στην κυρίαρχη (καθώς και κυριαρχική) Δύση, επειδή είχαν την «ατυχία» να βρίσκονται στην υποτιμημένη πλευρά ενός διπόλου που είναι δομημένο ιεραρχικά, ορίζοντας και διαχωρίζοντας τις αξίες ανθρώπινων ζωών σε ανώτερες και κατώτερες. Επειδή είχαν την «ατυχία» να υπάρχουν σε έναν κόσμο που επιβάλλει και αναπαράγει την ύπαρξη της καταπίεσης, διακρίνοντας τους ανθρώπους σε προνομιούχους και μη.

Ποιοι-ες γίναμε: δημιουργήθηκε έτσι λοιπόν μια συνέλευση που δεν αποτελούνταν μόνο από «προνομιούχους», ντόπιους και ευρωπαίες, που οι μεταφράσεις ήταν πολλές και οι διαφορετικές γλώσσες ακόμα περισσότερες, που αγωνιζόμασταν μαζί και όχι γι’ αυτές/αυτούς.

Από τη θεωρία στην πράξη

Έτσι, κάναμε κατάληψη στο χώρο του πρώην ορφανοτροφείου «Μέγας Αλέξανδρος» και φτιάξαμε μέσα σε αυτό με τα ίδια μας τα χέρια (ντόπιοι, ευρωπαίοι και μετανάστες) δωμάτια φιλοξενίας (για έως και 80 άτομα), κουζίνα, φαρμακείο, χώρο για τα παιδιά, καφενείο, κήπο, κάναμε τακτικές συναντήσεις με δικηγόρους που φρόντιζαν για τα χαρτιά των μεταναστ(ρι)ών, με τη στήριξη της γειτονιάς σε είδη πρώτης ανάγκης αλλά και τη συμμετοχή της. Ταυτόχρονα, κάναμε εκδηλώσεις με ομιλίες μέσα στην κατάληψη αλλά και έξω από αυτήν, σε πλατείες, καταλήψεις και φεστιβάλ, μιλώντας τόσο για το ίδιο το εγχείρημα όσο και για τα δικαιώματα των μεταναστ(ρι)ών για ελεύθερη μετακίνηση και χαρτιά. Προχωρήσαμε σε παρεμβάσεις ενάντια στην εκκένωση και την κατεδάφιση του κτιρίου, καλέσαμε έξω από στρατόπεδα συγκέντρωσης με αίτημα την απελευθέρωσή τους, διεκδικήσαμε έμπρακτα την ελεύθερη πρόσβαση στην περίθαλψη και την εργασία, ομάδες ατόμων πήγαιναν συνέχεια στα καμπς και συμμετείχαμε ενεργά στα αντιφασιστικά καλέσματα. Όλα αυτά τα αποφασίζαμε και τα διεκπεραιώναμε όλες/οι μαζί, με εβδομαδιαίες συνελεύσεις σε όλες τις γλώσσες, ώστε όλοι/ες να μπορούν να συμμετέχουν. Δεν κάναμε διαχωρισμούς βάσει θρησκείας, ούτε χώρας προέλευσης, ούτε οικογενειακής κατάστασης. Επίσης, δεν αναγνωρίζαμε και δεν αναγνωρίζουμε το διαχωρισμό των μεταναστ(ρι)ών σε νόμιμους και παράνομους. Για εμάς, λοιπόν, αυτή η κατάληψη αποτέλεσε τον ζωτικό μας χώρο, καθώς και τον πρώτο ασφαλή χώρο για τους/τις μετανάστ(ρι)ες για περίπου οχτώ μήνες, και ήταν η απόδειξη ότι μπορούμε να ζούμε, να δουλεύουμε και να αγωνιζόμαστε μαζί.

Καταστολή, αλλά όχι αναστολή

Στα τέλη Ιουλίου 2016, η αστυνομία «χτύπησε την πόρτα» του Ορφανοτροφείου με ΜΑΤ, φαγάνες και μπουλντόζες, προσήγαγε όποιους/ες βρήκε μέσα (εκτός από τις οικογένειες με μωρά και μικρά παιδιά, που δεν θα έγραφαν καλά στις κάμερες). Στη συνέχεια, άφησε την εργολαβία να ολοκληρώσει το έργο της Εκκλησίας, με την κατεδάφιση του κτιρίου. Τελικά, κατηγορίες για την κατάληψη αποδόθηκαν μόνο σε ντόπιους και ευρωπαίους, ενώ όσοι μετανάστες είχαν προσαχθεί οδηγήθηκαν σε καμπς έξω από τη Θεσσαλονίκη. Η συνεργασία που επιτυγχάνουν ο δήμος, η κυβέρνηση Συριζανέλ, η αστυνομία, το πανεπιστήμιο, τα μμε και η Εκκλησία στον τομέα της διαχείρισης και της καταστολής των μεταναστ(ρι)ών είναι εντυπωσιακή.

Βέβαια, από την πρώτη κιόλας μέρα δεχτήκαμε απειλές από το κατά τα άλλα «φιλάνθρωπο» παπαδαριό, για πολλούς λόγους: Γιατί η πλειοψηφία των μεταναστ(ρι)ών είναι μουσουλμάνοι. Γιατί ήταν εμφανείς στην τοπική ζωή και καθημερινότητα και όχι κοινωνικά αποκλεισμένοι, όπως θέλει το κράτος. Γιατί η Εκκλησία διεκδικεί το οικόπεδο, χωρίς το κτίριο, για να χτίσει «φιλανθρωπικό» μεγαθήριο για τα κέρδη της. Έτσι, μετά την χρόνια απραξία της, τελικά προχώρησε στην καταστροφή όχι μόνο ενός ιστορικού κτιρίου, αλλά και ενός εγχειρήματος, που με όλα του τα προβλήματα στάθηκε αλληλέγγυο και στο ύψος των περιστάσεων απέναντι στις πολιτικές των συμφερόντων που εξυψώνουν το κέρδος και υποβαθμίζουν τον άνθρωπο. Ένα κτίριο που κατάφερε να γίνει το σπίτι μας. Με αυτήν την κατεδάφιση χάθηκε ένας χώρος συνάντησης, γεμάτος ιστορίες και βιώματα, αποθήκες γεμάτες είδη πρώτης ανάγκης που είχαν συγκεντρωθεί και πολλά προσωπικά αντικείμενα, αλλά όχι η επιμονή μας. Κάποιοι συνέχισαν το ταξίδι τους, κάποιοι παρέμειναν ακόμα εδώ ψάχνοντας για δουλειά ή προετοιμάζοντας την επόμενή τους κίνηση. Αν δεν συνεχίζαμε, θα ήταν σαν να αρνιόμαστε το ίδιο το ένστικτο της ελευθερίας.

Τι έμεινε

Φυσικά, μέχρι και σήμερα ο χώρος όπου στεγαζόταν η κατάληψη στέγης μεταναστ(ρι)ών Ορφανοτροφείο είναι γεμάτος μπάζα. Τελικώς δεν έγινε καμία αξιοποίηση του χώρου. Το γεγονός αυτό δείχνει ότι η εκκένωση και η ταχύτητα με την οποία ξεκίνησε η διαδικασία κατεδάφισης δεν επαληθεύει τα λεγόμενα κράτους και Εκκλησίας για αξιοποίηση του χώρου για το κοινό συμφέρον, αλλά δηλώνει την πρόθεση να χτυπηθεί ένα «επικίνδυνο» εγχείρημα, ένα κέντρο αγώνα όπου ντόπιοι και μετανάστ(ρι)ες ζούσαν και πάλευαν μαζί.

Σήμερα η κατάσταση για τους μετανάστ(ρι)ες δεν έχει αλλάξει. Οι πνιγμοί έχουν γίνει συνήθεια, τα παιδιά των μεταναστ(ρι)ών στη συντριπτική πλειοψηφία τους δεν πηγαίνουν σχολείο, και τα καμπς «αναβαθμίζονται» για να στοιβάξουν και άλλες/ους, περιθωριοποιώντας τους μακριά από τη ζωή της πόλης. Κόσμος συνεχίζει να απελαύνεται μαζικά στην «ασφαλή» Τουρκία με βάση το σύμφωνο ΕΕ-Τουρκίας. Τα 70 στα 100 ευρώ που αντιστοιχούν σε κάθε μόνιμα εγκατεστημένο αιτούντα άσυλο δεν ξέρουμε πού πήγαν.

Ως μετανάστ(ρι)ες μετά την εκκένωση οδηγηθήκαμε σε καμπς εκτός πόλης, και ανεξάρτητα από την επιλογή μας να γυρίσουμε στο κέντρο της πόλης και να ενωθούμε με τους υπόλοιπους/ες στον αγώνα κατά της καταστολής, φάνηκε ξεκάθαρα η πολιτική διαχείριση, της απομόνωσης και της διάσπασης, που ακολουθεί το κράτος. Ως αλληλέγγυες/οι αντιμετωπίζουμε μεγάλες ποινές φυλάκισης και υπέρογκα ποσά σε δικαστικά έξοδα. Οι σχέσεις μας όμως δυναμώνουν και θα μας συνδέει πάντα η αλληλλεγγύη και η ανάγκη για αξιοπρεπή ζωή. Μοιραζόμαστε όσα έχουμε και αγωνιζόμαστε μαζί για όσα μας ανήκουν, ενάντια στις αιτίες που γεννούν την υποτίμηση των ζωών μας. Σίγουρα επιβεβαιώσαμε το πιο σημαντικό: ότι τα εγχειρήματα αυτοοργάνωσης των μεταναστ(ρι)ών, η έμπρακτη αλληλεγγύη στους/στις χωρίς χαρτιά και οι κοινοί αγώνες ντόπιων και μεταναστ(ρι)ών είναι και παραμένουν η μεγαλύτερη απειλή για το κράτος και τα τσιράκια του.

 

ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΑΓΩΝΑ ΜΕ ΤΙΣ/ΤΟΥΣ ΜΕΤΑΝΑΣΤ(ΡΙ)ΕΣ ΣΕ ΟΛΕΣ ΤΙΣ ΓΕΙΤΟΝΙΕΣ

ΓΙΑ ΜΙΑ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΗ, ΧΩΡΙΣ ΕΚΜΕΤΑΛΛΕΥΣΗ, ΔΙΑΧΩΡΙΣΜΟΥΣ, ΣΥΝΟΡΑ ΚΑΙ ΚΡΑΤΗ

ΚΑΜΙΑ ΔΙΩΞΗ ΤΩΝ ΣΥΛΛΗΦΘΕΙΣΩΝ

ΑΛΛΗΛΥΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΗ ΣΥΝΤΡΟΦΙΣΣΑ ΠΟΥ ΑΝΤΙΜΕΤΩΠΙΖΕΙ ΠΟΙΝΗ ΦΥΛΑΚΙΣΗΣ

ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΚΑΤΑΛΗΨΗ ΤΟΥ ΟΡΦΑΝΟΤΡΟΦΕΙΟΥ

 

Πέμπτη 25 Μάη, 7 μμ: Συγκέντρωση – Εκδήλωση, πλατεία Αγ. Θεράποντα, Τούμπα

Τετάρτη 31 Μάη, 9 πμ: Δικαστήρια Θεσσαλονίκης

 

Πρώην συνέλευση κατάληψης στέγης μεταναστ(ρι)ών Ορφανοτροφείο

Thessaloniki: Trial for the eviction of the squat Albatros postponed

Report by comrades from Thessaloniki.

The trial against the arrested at the eviction of the squatted house Albatros on April 5th 2017 that was supposed to happen last Thursday 4th of May was postponed again to December 15th 2017.

The weeks between the trial and the day of the trial the Greek mainstream media has built up a campaign targeting autonomous solidarity movements. “Alpha TV” has tried to link demonstrations against the closing of the borders to the international acivists that have been arrested during the eviction. This narrative is used to victimize and mute people that are rising up against the injustices they are facing on the one hand and is on the other hand trying to criminalize structures and movements that refuse to participate in the management of migration movements by only providing humanitarian aid and that struggle against the political and systematic roots of this situation. Like this the media and the governments are trying to delegitimize resistance against the system of borders and nations and the connection of the struggle for freedom of movement with other social struggles, like the struggle for housing or the struggle against capital.

The owner of the former squat Albatros is using this media attention to depict herself as the victim. She is still refusing the former inhabitants of Albatros the possibility to take their belongings from the house.

This is the statement of the accused for the squatting of the house Albatros:

“The legal situation and the living conditions of people forced to migrate in Greece and other countries in Europe are not giving people a chance to have a life in dignity. The conditions in the camps on the islands and the mainland of Greece are not even providing people with their basic needs, not to mention the freedom to make choices about one’s own life or participating in a society or community. The EU Turkey deal and the closing of the so called “Balkan route” have led to people being stuck here and even dying because of the horrible conditions in the camps, prisons and detention centers they are forced to live in. These circumstances have also led to the fact that they are forced to choose dangerous ways of traveling when a safe and “legal” way was made impossible.

The current system of only being able to obtain a legal status via Skype leads to a situation where people are divided in having legal papers and not having legal papers and is therefore excluding an ever growing group of people from access to any form of humanitarian aid structures. People are forced to live on the streets and due to racist police practices like racial profiling, they live in constant fear of police brutality, being controlled, put in jail and deported either to their home countries or third countries like Turkey, where their life can be in danger and their living conditions are even worse.

There is clearly a need for adequate housing and conditions that allow people to be human again and not the object of the political despotism of the EU migration policy. The occupation of a house that has been abandoned for years like many others in Thessaloniki is a reaction to these circumstances and an attempt to give people back the dignity they are deprived from. It is also a political act against the capitalist right for property, a system that is establishing and maintaining inequality. We do not see the squatting of this house as a criminal act but a form of political resistance against a humanitarian crisis that was created on purpose in order to scare people from overcoming the divisions of rich and poor, europeans and non-europeans, that the system of capital and nation state needs in order to reproduce itself. The squatting of the house was considered a danger for this system and the eviction of it was therefore a political act by the authorities and not just an act that wants to give back the house to it’s “owners”. It is a part of an ongoing war against self-organized and autonomous projects as it already became obvious in the evictions of three houses in Thessaloniki in summer 2016 and the recent evictions on Lesvos and in Athens. The treatment of us by the authorities and media during the eviction and in the police station as well as the treatment of us and supporters in the courthouse last Thursday where we were constantly exposed to verbal and physical violence, is just another proof that the authorities want to make an example of us against autonomous solidarity structures. Since the beginning of the so called “refugee crisis” this strategy has not changed.

It is the first time that the people without a european passport are also accused for squatting and this has the purpose of scaring others from becoming politically active against their oppression and isolation in the society. This is targeting a group of people that has been labeled as “economic migrants”, which means they are already facing a huge discrimination in the asylum procedure and are more threatened with deportations than others. We do not agree with the accusation of the destruction of the house. The house was in a very bad condition when it was found with the walls falling off and dirt everywhere. The more than 100 people that have called this house their home over the time of it’s existence as a squat have put constant work and effort into rebuilding and improving the conditions of the house.

We demand all charges against us and our friends that still have to face trial for the events last Wednesday to be dropped. We condemn the imprisonment of our friend Aziz, who was held prisoner for two more weeks for not being able to obtain legal papers and demand an end of the practice of imprisonment of people practicing their right to freedom of movement in Greece and elsewhere. FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHERE AND HOW WE WANT TO LIVE!”

In order to cover the costs that are following with the trial there is a need for support. Also physical support in order to keep independent and autonomous solidarity structures with people stuck in Greece ongoing is needed. If you want to support the people of Albatros in their struggle write an email with your pgp encryption key to antirep-thessaloniki@riseup.net.

We also support the accused of Albatros squat with the ‘cantevictsolidarity’-campaign.

[Thessaloniki] About the eviction of Albatross squat

We report an article of comrades from evicted albatross squat in Thessaloniki (8.4.2017):

In the morning of Wednesday the 5th of April, the police, led by an OPKE unit, evicted a house in Ano Poli, Thessaloniki. Under the threat of fire-weapons, 13 people were arrested and brought to the police station in Monastiriou.

The cops refused to let the arrested use their right to contact a lawyer and get translators for 5 hours.

9 people that came to in solidarity were also brought to the “megaron” and kept 3 hours for identity control. One of them now faces the charge of resistance after the pigs beat him up.

During the day, 2 people had to be transferred to the hospital : one with a severe head-wound after the treatment he received in the police station (the physical and psychological violence of the cops following him even in the walls of the hospital) ; the other because of his health, the pigs refusing for hours to take in consideration his signed appointment with a doctor for this precise day, and for hours refusing giving their prescribed medication to him and another person.

After 32 hours, only 12 people were set free before the trial, one being kept imprisoned for having no paper. He may stay in up to six month for this only, and is also accused, like the others, of both squatting and damaging private property. The asylum process in Greece is still so insufficient that thousands of people are not able to obtain a “legal status” and have therefore no possibilities to get access to accommodation or other forms of support. Living in a squat is often the only option they have.

Over the time, Albatros was a home for a lot of people. Their “nationalities” do not matter.

We live together, we fight together against the violent oppression of a society that wants us unequal and divided.

We fight racism by building free association based on affinity and common interest instead of the stupid categories that are “nations” “races” and “cultures.”

We fight the oppression of a police-state and its system of borders and papers ; we refuse its authority like any other kind of power. Albatross was not a squat formigrants opened by western europeans, the house was opened by people with and without a “legal” status in Greece. By creating a home and a community where there’s space for everyone who wants to be part of it, we want to show an alternative for this cage that has been created and that has to be kept up with guns and walls. We do not need and we do not want authorities to govern us, we organize ourselves, because we know and we can see every day that humans are very well capable of living without hierarchy.

We live and create together with people that have been stripped of their rights and that are refused a part in this society, because we believe that the only way of counteracting a system of closed borders and an always-growing militarization of society is if we are claiming back what they want to take from us: our voices, our dignity and our humanity.

We fight the property system that divides us between rich and poor by using the houses left empty when so many people live in the street. Property is not safety, it is violence.

This house was made suitable for living again without money, using material found in the streets and in the trash. We did this because we want to show that in this society people do not have to be poor (as we are told by our governments), but that on the contrary this system is creating tons of “trash” on the one side, while on the other side people are left to starve.

Without money, hierarchy or a “legal status”, a house left abandoned to fall in ruin was made into a home for free people willing to self-organize.

Albatros was an answer to the politically motivated evictions of three squats in the summer 2016 in Thessaloniki that left many without a roof.

The eviction of Albatros is also a political decision, considering the context of repression against squatting (and especially the “migrant squats”) and the fact it happened on the very next day after a protest about this precise topic, when the accusation of the “owners” apparently dates back to December.

Repression will not stop our struggle. You can take our house and you can try to deprive us from our liberty but you will not silence us from speaking out and struggling against fascism, racism and every kind of violence and injustice.

We call everyone interested to show support this Tuesday 11th of April at 12 at the courthouse of Thessaloniki.

No people without a house, no house without people

No house in the hands of the capitalists !

CityPlazaAthen: In Bezugnahme auf die Gerüchte um eine immanente Räumung von Flüchtlingsamps und die Eskalation der Anti-Flüchtlingspolitik

http://solidarity2refugees.gr/regarding-rumors-imminent-ev…/

In Bezugnahme auf die Gerüchte um eine immanente Räumung von
Flüchtlingsamps und die Eskalation der Anti-Flüchtlingspolitik
SCHLIESST DIE CAMPS DER SCHANDE, NICHT DIE SQUATS ZUR UNTERBRINGUNG VON
GEFLÜCHTETEN

Es scheint als sei der Angriff der Regierung auf squats zur
Unterbringung von Geflüchteten eskaliert. Nach der Räumung der besetzten
Häuser in Thessaloniki im Sommer, wurden der refugee squat Alkiviadou
und die Villa Zografou ebenfalls vor ein paar Wochen geräumt. Nach den
Aussagen des Ministers für öffentliche Ordnung der letzten Woche, Nikos
Toskas, bezüglich der Räumung besetzter Häuser, die zur Unterbringung
von Geflüchteten genutzt werden, zirkulierten Gerüchte, die eine weitere
Stufe einer neuen Runde von Angriffen einleiten.

Statt zu planen Festnahmezentren für Geflüchtete zu schließen, die
Apartheid zwischen griechischem Festland und den Inseln zu beenden und
festsitzende Geflüchtete in den Städten würdevoll unterzubringen,
beschleunigt die Regierung Maßnahmen gegen die festsitzenden
Geflüchteten, bereitet die Öffnung weiterer Festnahmezentren und
Massenrücksendungen vor, und, um eine “Politik der Abschreckung” zu
implementieren, organisiert die Regierung ein völlig autoritäres
neoliberales Programm gegen die festsitzenden Geflüchteten und ist dabei
ein begeisterter Implementierer des EU-Türkei Abkommens der Schande.

Wir sind uns sicher, dass der geplante Angriff auf die squats zur
Unterbringung von Geflüchteten Teil genau dieser Anti-Flüchtlings -und
Anti-Migrationspolitik ist. Dies ist weder eine Ausnahme, noch eine
Ablenkung. Es ist völlig logisch, dass eine Regierungspolitik, die
Geflüchtete als Feinde darstellt, jetzt eine Politik der Feindschaft
gegen alle Beispiele des menschenwürdigen Wohnens einsetzt.
Selbstverständlich ist das eine Weiterführung der allgemeineren
Anti-grassroots Politiken der Regierung.

Als Refugee Accommodation Space City Plaza sind wir strikt gegen diese
rassistische Politik und sind nicht gewillt einen Schritt zurück zu
machen im Kampf für Würde, soziale Integration und Gleichheit, dem
Zusammenleben zwischen locals und Menschen aus anderen Ländern,
Solidarität mit allen, die vor Krieg und Armut fliehen, von Syrien zum
Senegal und von Afghanistan nach Marokko. Über den Zeitraum eines Jahres
hinweg organisierten über 1500 Geflüchtete sowie hunderte lokale und
internationale solidarische Menschen ein Modell für soziale
Selbtorganisation und multi-ethnisches Zusammenwohnen. Ein verlassenes
Hotel in Archanon ist ein Zentrum für Kampf und Solidarität auf
internationaler Ebene.

Wir fordern nichts weiter als die Bewegungsfreiheit von Menschen,
menschenwürdiges Wohnen, das Gewähren von Asyl, Gleichheit und Freiheit
für alle Menschen, die aus ihrer Heimat geflohen und hier angekommen
sind. Wir akzeptieren nichts anderes.

Wir sind hier und wir bleiben hier! Denkt nicht mal dran…
Refugee Accommodation Space City Plaza
Athen, der 3. April 2017

[Thessaloniki] Erneute Raeumung // griech. Regierung eskaliert

Nach den Raeumungen dreier Refugee-Besetzungen in Thessaloniki im letzten Jahr und der zwei weiteren Haeuser in Athen vor drei Wochen, scheint der griechische Staat seine Ankündigung alle Besetzungen raeumen zu wollen wahrmachen zu wollen und eskaliert die Situation weiter.
Wir dokumentieren den Bericht eines Aktivisten:
Albatros squat was evicted yesterday. During the eviction, there were 13 arrests inside the house (activists from various countries and 5 migrants). 8 more activists gathered outside the building during the police raid and were brought by force to a police station but were released after 3 hours of checking their IDs. One of the arrested activists had to be carried to a hospital, because he was wounded during the eviction. All the arrested were freed earlier today, as the court could not provide translators. Their trial will take place on coming Tuesday,

Albatros was a privately owned house in the old town of Thessaloniki, that was squatted past autumn by internationals.

This is an image of Albatros squat, publishing in a local web site six days ago, in an article announcing coming evictions of squats.

Albatros was a rather small squat, mainly internationals were living there, but also a good number of migrants, especially the period after the eviction of Orfanotrofeio and the other squats in Thessaloniki, while the “refugee camps” around Thessaloniki were still full (during last July NoBorder Camp there were 27,000 migrants living in camps around Thessaloniki, now there are less than 3,000).

We call for your solidarity!