Murder.

 

Alexis Grigoropoulos

 

          I was in Athens on December 6th 2008 when 15 year old kid Alexis Grigoropoulos was out for a Saturday night coffee with his friend, Nikos Romanos, in the district of Exarchiea, when laughter turned to tragedy, when a police officer shot young Alexis dead, he died on the street in the arms of his friend Nikos. This brutal state murder brought the people of that country onto the streets in a display of united anger and disgust. I joined some of the protests in Athens during that December, and you could feel the anger. It was awe inspiring to see so many people demonstrating their fury at this callous murder of a youth. Greece was seized by riots for weeks on end.
        Jump forward almost 15 years to the day of that callous brutal act and it seems history repeats itself. In Thessoloniki, on the 5th. of December, this year 2022, a police officer shot a 15 year old youth twice in the head, shot for 20 Euros of petrol. Is there any wonder that the people of that country are angry, furious, disgusted at this repeat of the callous act of 2008. We too should be angry, for it is now common for the police armed like the military parading through our streets, we too have individuals shot and killed on our streets. The state says the police are there to protect us, when in fact they intimidate and terrorise the general public. 

 

Niko Romanos

  The following from Enough is Enough.

           It was during the early hours of Monday 5 December 2022, when a 16 year old kid was shot in the head by a greek police officer of the DIAS motorcycle unit during a car chase in Thessaloniki. He was accused that he filled his pick-up truck with 20 euros worth of petrol and left the petrol station without paying.
           Following the news and his dire physical condition, riots erupted in the city of Thessaloniki, located in the north of Greece, later on the same day. At the same time, in Athens, several different protests were held in the evening of December the 5th. The protest in Exarcheia, held in front of the memorial of Alexis Grigoropoulos, (a 15 year old kid that was shot dead by a cop on 6 December 2008, sparking the events that would lead to massive riots all over Greece, known as the December Revolt) soon turned into a march that led to a riot, as seen in the video.
        It has to be noted, that today 6 December, protests have been planned in dozens of cities and towns all over Greece, in remembrance of the December Revolt and the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos by the police in Exarcheia 15 years ago to this day.

 

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Attack----

          Back in December 6th 2008 Nikos Romanos was a teenage boy out on that Saturday evening for a coffee with his teenage friend Alexis Grigoropoulos. while having that coffee they had a few words with a police officer, who then drew his gun and in cold blood, shot and murdered young Alexis. Alexis died on the street in the arms of his friend Nikos. From that day on, Nikos Romanos has thrown himself relentlessly in to a constant struggle against the savage state and the violent exploitative system of capitalism that it supports. Even from the dark and brutal dungeons of that savage state he has continued to pursue that struggle for human dignity and freedom.
         The following is a short extract, taken from Nikos's booklet, "I Attack, Therefore I Am". You can find it on Act For Freedom Now,

 

 “Instead of an epilogue…”

        Comrades, the dawn of this new age arriving with the most relentless and revolting visage, while we are in the throes of condensed historical development, in this period of voracious capitalist development that destroys and flattens out all life on this planet, we simply can not speak of revolution and anarchy without promoting a consistent method of struggle that with its antagonism will make wounds on the seemingly invulnerable body of sovereignty. We live in changing times, from which can be born a liberating perspective. In this age in which we live we must make a definitive divorce with hesitation and procrastination; every lost minute,every wasted moment is ground won for the enemy. The war of all against all that capitalism promotes is not a figure from the apparently safe distance of the capitalist periphery, but a living reality experienced by millions of people who literally have had their lives thrown away on the trash heap, reported upon through statistical data extracted by technocrats and military analysts, all of which shows how economic policies and their developments are opening up fronts of a warzone. It is beyond my understanding how anyone who wants to be called an anarchist can remain unconvinced of the urgent necessity for the escalation and increase of revolutionary war, simply by taking a look at what is happening around them. Against the blind violence of wars between states, we propose the violence of insurrection that blows up social conventions. Let’s definitively break with the modern culture of subordination and degradation. The stances of each person are not views of an objective and standoffish neutrality, they demonstrate choices and attitudes related to the logic of societal conditions. Those who postpone for tomorrow in every possible way attacks against representatives of power, only give a breath of life to domination and its organization of mass extermination
       From our side, the proposal submitted did not assert a monopoly over anarchist action, but gave a view of informal organization and the possibilities we can get if we are serious and persistent in our intentions and our actions to cut the Gordian knot of introversion. We want to form an international informal coordination that will be the bridge between public and conspiratorial action, that will be the next developmental step for polymorphic anarchist struggle, attempting to fulfill and qualitatively deepen all the relevant historical experiences of the past. The fact that this text comes to an end does not mean that it dealt in detail with all the issues and thoughts it set out to deal with. Moreover, the aim is not to become one rigidly demarcated proposal, but a bet on a struggle that will be enriched and will move through actions, thus basing its direction on the one thing that can be held to be essential, the endless movement and creative destruction of the anarchist struggle.

        “Hm! And how the fools will scream: stubborn anarchists! Who can understand the storm that roars in our minds? Who could be aware of our hunger for pleasure, for life? Who can understand our defeat stemming from human cowardice? We are alone. We did not find comrades ready to participate in the struggle for the recovery of life. That is why we lost. And one of us vanished. The other remains with his eyes stuck on the horizon. He could not, and did not depart. This is our destiny. Will we find comrades? Otherwise, each of us in his own way will disappear silently or rowdily from the scene of the world. A chapter is closed. A chapter of struggle, hopes, illusions. The end, however, has not yet come. As these strange, unusual lives come to an end, we get to a point where we realize that it would have been better if they had never been born. And that’s all there was to say.” -Bruno Filippi

       Strength and solidarity to all anarchist prisoners! Let’s organize the uncontrollable freedom of human dignity! Anarchy means attack! 

    Nikos Romanos

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk    

Remember.

      Two dates that are enshrined in the minds of the people of Greece, one is the 1973 student uprising that preceded the overthrow of the Greek Military Junta, and the more recent brutal event on December 6th 2008 when 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos while out in Exarcheia having a coffee with with his friend, was shot by a Greek police officer, he died on the street in the arms of his 15 year friend Nikos Ramanos. Both these dates are marked by mass gatherings in Greece. Just prior to these events, the Greek government introduce a ban on gatherings of more than 3 people. The following report, shows some of the response by the people to this dictatorial measure. 

 

15 year old Alexis Grigoropoulos, 15 year victim of police murder.

 

Nikos Romanos being arrested some years after the police murder of his friend Alexis.
 

 

 

The following report was lifted from Anarchist-Communism site

Stratos Moraitis shared a link.

[Video] Riot in Athens
        The Orwellian ban on gatherings of more than 3 people leads to riots all over Greece.
       17 November 2020: On the day commemorating the bloodied student revolt against the dictatorship back in 1973, this is how the right-wing government in Greece honored the dead of the fascist regime. By banning all gatherings of more than 3 people, something that has happened in Greece for the first time in its modern history, on the 21 April 1967 when there was a fascist military coup d'état and on 17 November 1973 during a student revolt against the military junta of that same regime.
       The banning of public gatherings of more than 3 people on that particular day, (and on the 6th of December on the day commemorating the revolt that occurred back in 2008 following the murder of a 15 years old by a cop at Exarcheia in Athens), during the 9 months of the pandemic awoke memories of a fascist regime creating an incomprehensible precedent of banning protests. It is obvious to the people that the banning of public gatherings was imposed with one and only aim. To ban protests. While for 9 months since the pandemic other places around the world were preparing for the 2nd more dangerous and lethal wave of the pandemic, by strengthening their public health systems, hiring more doctors and nurses, setting up new hospitals and Intensive Care Units, the neoliberal right-wing government in Greece chose to hire thousands of policemen (true fact) and to provide the Mass Media with free money to promote the government’s propaganda. Hiring cops instead of doctors and nurses during a deadly pandemic! Imagine that!
      Faced with the complete incompetence of the greek government to handle the pandemic and a direct attack on people’s rights, many all over Greece defied the banning of public gatherings and symbolically took to the streets taking all health precautions, to protest, wearing masks and keeping distances (as it can be clearly seen in the video). These people were not anti maskers or anything of that sort. The essence of anarchism and communism is based on the notion that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
      And then the greek government and the police showed their true face. As it can be seen in the video, while all health precautions were being taken by the protesters, scores of policemen ruthlessly launched an attack with batons, flash-bang grenades, asphyxiating gas, water cannons and dozens of police bikers chasing protesters for many kilometres. The idiotic paradox of power. They injured and asphyxiated people to protect their health!
       Similar scenes like in the video above, (shot by @kinimatini on Twitter) took place all over Athens and other greek cities and towns. And yet in an Orwellian new life, as it is now being formulated by those power, people still managed to break the wall of fear being built around their lives, and take back the streets to show that this is going to be a long battle.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Nikos Romanos.

        On the recent post regarding the murder of Alexis Gigoropoulos by a police officer in Athens. It is difficult to assess the impact of such an act of brutal murder of such a young person. Obviously the family and friends have something die inside them after the event, a part that will never live again. We know that the people of Greece felt anger and outrage at this callous murder by a state minion, the weeks of riots and protests that followed are proof of that. However there was one person on who, not unexpectedly, this act treachery had a deeply profound impact. It was his teenage friend who was having coffee with Alexis that evening, Nikos Romanos.  Alexis died in the arms of Nikos on the street where we was shot dead. Think how that must have impacted on his young life, on his thoughts on the police and the system they protect. Nikos went on to become a very active and dedicated anarchist in Greece, and for his dedication to freedom and justice is now locked up in Korydallos prison in Athens. 

Some links regarding Nikos Romanos:

https://www.thepressproject.gr/article/70024/Video-Nikos-Romanos-just-after-the-murder-of-Alexandros-Grigiropoulos

https://greece.greekreporter.com/tag/nikos-romanos/

https://greece.greekreporter.com/?s=Nikos+Romanos

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/06/nikos-romanos-family-fear-martyr-greece-protests-hunger-strike

https://en-contrainfo.espiv.net/2015/12/29/nikos-romanos-requiem/

https://prisonersolidarity.net/prisoner/nikos-romanos

Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

Money, Oil And The End Of The World As We Know It.

 

From subMedia TV:

      This we bring you a recap of the COP21 climate clusterfuck in Paris, with Jim Hansen’s reaction to the historic non-agreement and 350.org’s condemnation of comrades who defied the protest ban. Over in Greece we look at the yearly riots that commemorate the police murder of Alex Grigoropoulos. On the music break, deceased Greek anarcho MC – Killah P with “I Won’t Cry, I Won’t Fear” Our featured interview is with three brave comrades who managed to stop the flow of dirty tar sands oil to the entire eastern seaboard of Turtle Island, with three bike locks and some egg sandwiches.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

The Many Paths Of Anarchism,

      The following is extract from a Reuters report on anarchist activity in Athens. Of course the anarchists in Greece, like anarchists the world over, are a many faceted bunch who cover the whole spectrum of direct action, with the same aim, to create a free, fair and just society, based on mutual aid, voluntary co-operation, justice and sustainability. It certainly will not come about by asking the authoritarians who oppress us and who try to govern us, "Please will you let us build our free new world?"

(Reuters) - Not far from the Athenian ruins where democracy was born more than 2,500 years ago, young anarchists intent on toppling Greece's political system run a cafe where the beer is cheap and the artwork features police cars set on fire.
     At first glance K*Vox, started a year ago by anarchists who occupied a shuttered building, looks like any other cafe in the bohemian Athens neighborhood of Exarchia. But inside posters show gun-toting guerrilla fighters and the symbol of anarchy - a circle with an A.

Read the full article HERE:

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IN SOLIDARITY, "WE DO NOT FORGET".

     The latest From Athens on the demonstrations marking the death of Alexis Gigoropoulos, the youth murdered by the Greek police in 2008.

From The Greek Streets:

Extended riots in Exarcheia four years after the killing of Alexandros Grigoropoulos by police

Thursday, December 6, 2012

      On December 6, 2012, four years on from the cold-blooded murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos by police, the Athens neighbourhood of Exarcheia saw yet another round of riots and clashes between people and the police.
       As of 22.30 GMT+2 (Athens time) intense clashes continued at Exarcheia square, as well as at Mesollogiou and Tzavela streets, which is where Alexis was murdered. Barricades have been set up in many side-streets leading to the square. Riot police have attempted to storm the square a few times, only to be fought back by the people. In one of those occasions an undercover policeman was discovered by the people and severely beaten.
      There is at least one heavily injured demonstrator. So far, at last 78 people have been detained of which 9 were arrested (i.e. charged).

ann arky's home.

"WE DO NOT FORGET" - "WE DO NOT FORGIVE".

       Police brutality is known the world over, however, in Athens one act of particular callous brutality by the police, sparked some of the biggest riots and protests Athens had seen in years. It was on December 6th 2008 young Alexis Grogoropoulos was shot dead by police in Athens, his crime, sitting in a cafe with some young friends and jeering at the police. This callous murder brought to a head the simmering hatred the people felt for the police. Four years on as the people prepare to march to mark this young boy's brutal murder the slogans on the streets are, “we do not forget” and “we do not forgive”,

    From The Greek Streets:

The shot still echoes and people will march again. Posters calling for marches today.
” We do not Forget, We do not Forgive, We are going on…the ghost of December is always here, Solidarity, Self-Organisation, Direct Democracy, Newspaper Drasi”

” The State continues assassinating, destroying everything -We struggle for everything, Authoritarian Movement of Athens (AK)”

” A Ghost is looming above the city” Thursday 6/12 March 10:30 on Democracy Avenue, Anarchists by the Schools of Agioi Anargyroi and Kamatero.”

” We do not Forget we do not forgive, Local march in St Tryfon Square, Terpsithea” (Glyfada: South Athens)

“We do not forget, We do not forgive, We go forward” March in Agios Dimitris Square, Antifascists of Arta”

“Did you forget? We do not forget, murderers in uniform killed Alexis” poster from Chios

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WORLD ANARCHIST UNITY DAY.

  

    On the 6 December 2008 in Greece the state's minders, the police, murdered teenager Alexis Grigoropoulis, sparking off a wildfire of rebellion across Greece that lasted for weeks. Now the Anarchist movement in Greece has suggested that anarchists across the world mark 6 December as World Anarchist Unity Day. Let's celebrate Anarkia 2010 on December 6th.

     I'm all in favour of making moves to to raise the profile of anarchism, its history and its philosophy. A world wide day of action, in what ever form your own group chooses, could well be used to bring a positive image of anarchism to the general public and counter their media generated stereotype image.

     However, the 6 December is almost upon us, not much time to get organised, but this year could be a rehearsal for future years.

ANARCHY's WORLD DAY/ANARKIA 2010

Time Monday, December 6 · 12:00am - 11:30pm

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Location WORLDWIDE

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More Info

JOIN THE ANTINATIONAL DEMO FOR ANARCHIST UNITY WITHOUT BORDERS!organise a local demo for global anarchist union!please spread and share ANARKIA 2010

6 DECEMBER 2010

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