1 00:00:00,493 --> 00:00:04,342 My name is Panagiotis Varthalis, I am a squatter at Lelas Karagiannis 37, 2 00:00:04,408 --> 00:00:08,317 and a member of the anarchist collective "Circle of Fire", which is part of the 3 00:00:08,361 --> 00:00:12,501 Αnarchist Political Organization / Federation of Collectives. 4 00:00:12,993 --> 00:00:18,816 Squat "Lelas Karagianni 37" counts 32 years of life, struggle and creation. 5 00:00:18,856 --> 00:00:23,386 It is a point of reference for the anarchist and anti-authoritarian movement, 6 00:00:23,506 --> 00:00:29,101 as well as for wider social and class struggles, while simultaneously being a gathering point 7 00:00:29,151 --> 00:00:32,279 for the intervention in local neighbourhood struggles, 8 00:00:32,319 --> 00:00:34,664 in the wider area around the centre, 9 00:00:34,664 --> 00:00:37,014 as well as in Kipseli district where the squat is. 10 00:00:37,022 --> 00:00:42,127 The squat is home to numerous social, political, cultural activities. 11 00:00:42,180 --> 00:00:46,200 While simultaneously being the ground where anarchist assemblies and collectives 12 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,987 are based and operate. 13 00:00:50,679 --> 00:00:55,713 The elections on July 7th, were the point of renewal and acceleration 14 00:00:55,823 --> 00:00:59,273 of the attack by state and bosses against the majority of society. 15 00:00:59,500 --> 00:01:02,170 The law and order dogma attempted to be enforced 16 00:01:02,230 --> 00:01:04,644 by the neo-fascist government of New Democracy 17 00:01:04,741 --> 00:01:08,652 stands on the actions of the previous social-democratic management. 18 00:01:08,706 --> 00:01:12,496 It stands on the attempt to neutralize social and class struggles. 19 00:01:12,545 --> 00:01:15,143 It stands on the dozens of repressive blows, 20 00:01:15,190 --> 00:01:18,130 for which the previous government was responsible. 21 00:01:18,199 --> 00:01:22,379 It stands on the fatalism and defeatism, left behind by the delusions 22 00:01:22,527 --> 00:01:25,747 of a different management of state and capitalism, 23 00:01:25,828 --> 00:01:29,135 by the social-democratic version of modern totalitarianism. 24 00:01:29,505 --> 00:01:33,075 This new cycle of repressive operations against the squats 25 00:01:33,164 --> 00:01:35,794 and self-organized structures of refugees and migrants, 26 00:01:35,864 --> 00:01:42,484 began on August 26th, with the eviction of four squats in the Exarhia neighbourhood. 27 00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:49,179 This was followed by the invasion and camping of police forces in Exarhia, 28 00:01:49,357 --> 00:01:52,142 aiming at terrorising the entire neighbourhood, 29 00:01:52,192 --> 00:01:57,292 given that they have carried out a series of homophobic and sexist assaults 30 00:01:57,398 --> 00:02:01,398 against customers, residents and workers. 31 00:02:01,582 --> 00:02:06,108 At the same time, the police raids and operations continued in Athens 32 00:02:06,159 --> 00:02:09,189 as well as other cities in Greece. 33 00:02:10,812 --> 00:02:16,106 On November 15th, the police forces invade the Economic University's yard, 34 00:02:16,255 --> 00:02:21,531 and the beating of the students who were protesting the school lock-out. 35 00:02:21,588 --> 00:02:24,698 While there also is the brutal police violence 36 00:02:24,797 --> 00:02:28,477 every time a large demonstration in the centre of Athens ends. 37 00:02:28,599 --> 00:02:31,178 Characteristic examples are 38 00:02:31,304 --> 00:02:34,646 the demonstration in solidarity to squats on September 14th, 39 00:02:34,736 --> 00:02:40,306 the demonstration on November 17th, and the demonstration on December 6th. 40 00:02:40,695 --> 00:02:44,625 In each one of those cases, the police violence that followed 41 00:02:44,723 --> 00:02:47,823 the end of the demonstrations, in the Exarhia neighbourhood, 42 00:02:47,903 --> 00:02:52,224 the torturing, the persecutions, and the mass detainments 43 00:02:52,341 --> 00:02:56,441 were the rule, throughout this period. 44 00:02:57,767 --> 00:03:02,347 The ultimatum issued by the ministry of Public Order against the squats, 45 00:03:02,488 --> 00:03:04,958 did not surprise us as to its substance, 46 00:03:05,014 --> 00:03:07,933 as we have already been in a process of mobilization 47 00:03:07,993 --> 00:03:12,883 since last summer, against this repressive operation which directly targets us. 48 00:03:13,143 --> 00:03:15,503 Neither, however, did it terrorize us. 49 00:03:15,548 --> 00:03:18,118 On December 5th, the day the ultimatum ended, 50 00:03:18,186 --> 00:03:21,725 we were in the streets, demonstrating our solidarity to the squats, 51 00:03:21,855 --> 00:03:25,496 as well as on December 6th, where we had a dynamic presence 52 00:03:25,539 --> 00:03:28,386 together with other comrades in the demonstration 53 00:03:28,426 --> 00:03:32,380 for the 11th anniversary of the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos. 54 00:03:34,755 --> 00:03:39,111 The social and class uprising that broke out in December 2008 55 00:03:39,261 --> 00:03:42,831 because of the state murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos in Exarhia, 56 00:03:42,888 --> 00:03:46,756 is a major political, historical, and social event. 57 00:03:47,863 --> 00:03:50,883 It is proof that society is not dead. 58 00:03:50,958 --> 00:03:55,368 It is proof that the authority of state and capital is not invincible. 59 00:03:55,512 --> 00:03:58,409 The anarchists contribution to the eruption of the uprising 60 00:03:58,502 --> 00:04:02,762 and to the struggles that preceded while preparing it, was determining. 61 00:04:02,890 --> 00:04:09,420 In this uprising, we saw our proposals being socialized and embraced by the masses. 62 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,081 However, as anarchists, our aim is not to repeat the uprising 63 00:04:14,151 --> 00:04:16,601 or ourselves within it. 64 00:04:16,752 --> 00:04:20,195 Our aim is to transcend the fragmentation of action 65 00:04:20,254 --> 00:04:23,944 the aformalism, the denunciation, and rebellionism. 66 00:04:23,993 --> 00:04:29,174 Our aim is to set the prospect of the social revolution in realistic terms. 67 00:04:29,404 --> 00:04:33,464 That is why it is necessary to upgrade our structures, 68 00:04:33,495 --> 00:04:36,709 our political and organizational processes. 69 00:04:38,502 --> 00:04:42,662 The entire repressive operation against social and class struggles, 70 00:04:42,791 --> 00:04:46,197 and especially against the anarchist and anti-authoritarian movement 71 00:04:46,267 --> 00:04:49,545 will, in our opinion, intensify and escalate in the coming period. 72 00:04:49,656 --> 00:04:53,106 Moreover, the aim of this attack is the crushing blow against 73 00:04:53,172 --> 00:04:56,142 the anarchist and anti-authoritarian struggle in its entirety. 74 00:04:56,247 --> 00:05:00,638 However, we believe that no matter how many blows the anarchist movement receives 75 00:05:00,748 --> 00:05:04,208 there are fighters all over the greek territory 76 00:05:04,333 --> 00:05:07,423 who are neither terrorized or are faint-hearted. 77 00:05:07,546 --> 00:05:11,656 The anarchist movement in Greece already counts 50 years of history, 78 00:05:11,742 --> 00:05:16,164 it has its own casualties, its own prisoners, its own tortured. 79 00:05:16,351 --> 00:05:19,834 The blood cannot be washed away by the water-cannons of the greek police. 80 00:05:19,887 --> 00:05:24,146 Memory is not garbage. In the end, we will win.