Greek Embassy Shut Down

Icon_article Published: Monday 08 December 2008 15:39 by Me

Tagged as: alexandros greece murder police police_violence repression_surveillance shot violence

After police shot and killed a teenage boy last Saturday, protests have errupted all over Greece. The international community has responded with solidarity actions all over Europe. Today the Greek Embassy in London has been blockaded since the early morning hours. Clerks were sent home, and police closed off the road.

There have been reports of some arrests and police violence, one officer being caught on tape when hitting a handcuffed protester. After being obstructed by officers, the press was forcibly removed from the site of the protest.

Photos: 1 | Report on Indymedia UK: 1 | 2 | Corporate Press: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | BBC Video |

Places: greek_embassy holland_park west_london

Photos

on the doorstep

and on greek ground

being pushed again

they do like to get close

Showing up at Speakers Corner at 9:30 am, it looked like just another typical London protest with 20 people holding up a banner for an hour or two. But after a short delay and more people arriving, we were informed that there had been a change of plans. The group headed for the tube and got off at Holland Park, where the Greek Embassy is located. On arrival we were greeted by 20 protesters already well established literally on the doorstep, effectively blocking the entrance. The newly arrived tried to join their comrades, but only few made it through the police line. The Greek flag on the pole was hauled in and replaced with a red one, before being burned whilst protesters where shouting slogans in Greek and English.

Amazingly the FIT did not show up untill around noon, presumably they were being kept busy at Stansted. Instead there was the Met and diplomatic police, who are fully armed with semi-automatic carbines.

People kept arriving, raising the head count to about 70 protesters untill police closed off the street and did not allow people to join the protest, while escorting selevted persons past the protest as if they were expecting the crowd to charge at random people on the street.

At 11:30am the embassy staff was sent home, followed by an increase in police numbers. The protesters stepped from the sidewalk onto embassy grounds, but police moved in and pushed them forther down the street, leaving only the 20 protestors on the steps. Two arrests were made and one of the officers assaulted two journalists, pushing them around and grabbing their cameras. One protester was hit in the head by an officer while already being handcuffed and the press was forcibly removed from the site of the protest to behind the police line further down the road.

At 3pm the last blockaders agreed to leave after negotiating not to be searched for weapons, while marching away from the embassy with their banner, they were then attacked by the police. One or two more arrests were made and police were randomly pushing people around. Again police also attacked the press.

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Comments

Communique by the Polytechnic School Occupation

Comment Published: Monday 08 December 2008 18:49 by grexo

THE STATE MURDERS!

On Saturday December 6, 2008, Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year old comrade, was murdered in cold blood, with a bullet in the chest by a cop in the area of Exarchia.

Contrary to the statements of politicians and journalists who are accomplices to the murder, this was not an “isolated incident”, but an explosion of the state repression which systematically and in an organised manner targets those who resist, those who revolt, the anarchists and antiauthoritarians.
It is the peak of state terrorism which is expressed with the upgrading of the role of repressive mechanisms, their continuous armament, the increasing levels of violence they use, with the doctrine of “zero tolerance”, with the slandering media propaganda that criminalises those who are fighting against authority.
It is these conditions that prepare the ground for the intensification of repression, attempting to extract social consent beforehand, and arming the weapons of state murderers in uniform!

Lethal violence against the people in the social and class struggle is aiming at everybody’s submission, serving as exemplary punishment, meant to spread fear.
It is part of the wider attack of the state and the bosses against the entire society, in order to impose more rigid conditions of exploitation and oppression, to consolidate control and repression. From school and universities to the dungeons of waged slavery with the hundreds of dead workers in the so-called “working accidents” and the poverty embracing large numbers of the population… From the minefields in the borders, the pogroms and the murders of immigrants and refugees to the numerous “suicides” in prisons and police stations… from the “accindental shootings” in police blockades to violent repression of local resistances, Democracy is showing its teeth!

From the first moment after the murder of Alexandros, spontaneous demonstrations and riots burst in the center of Athens, the Polytechnic, the Economic and the Law Schools are being occupied and attacks against state and capitalist targets take place in many different neighborhoods and in the city centre. Demonstrations, attacks and clashes erupt in Thessaloniki, Patras, Volos, Chania and Heraklion in Crete, in Giannena, Komotini and many more cities. In Athens, in Patission street –outside the Polytechnic and the Economic School- clashes last all night. Outside the Polytechnic the riot police make use of plastic bullets.

On Sunday the 7th December, thousands of people demonstrate towards the police headquarters in Athens, attacking the riot police. Clashes of unprecedented tension spread in the streets of the city centre, lasting until late at night. Many demonstrators are injured and a number of them are arrested.

We continue the occupation of the Polytechnic School which started on Saturday night, creating a space for all people who fighting to gather, and one more permanent focus of resistance in the city.

In the barricades, the university occupations, the demonstrations and the assemblies we keep alive the memory of Alexandros, but also the memory of Michalis Kaltezas and of all the comrades who were murdered by the state, strengthening the struggle for a world without masters and slaves, without police, armies, prisons and borders.

The bullets of the murderers in uniform, the arrests and beatings of demonstrators, the chemical gas war launched by the police forces, not only cannot manage to impose fear and silence, but they become for the people the reason to raise against state terrorism the cries of the struggle for freedom, to abandon fear and to meet –more and more every day- in the streets of revolt. To let the rage overflow and drown them!

STATE TERRORISM SHALL NOT PASS!

IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL THE ARRESTED IN THE EVENTS OF SATURDAY AND SUNDAY (7-8 DECEMBER).

We are sending our solidarity to everyone occupying universities, demonstrating and clashing with the state murderers all over the country.

The Occupation of the Polytechnic University in Athens

Inappropriate comment?

Any update?

Comment Published: Monday 08 December 2008 21:21 by reformas

Any update? What were the charges? Were they released with a caution?

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actions?

Comment Published: Monday 08 December 2008 21:49 by 1

any news on more actions in london?

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Updates

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 00:46 by Sid

There;s been rioting in all major Greek cities today. In Athens especially the riots are out of control. In the centre of Athens about thirty buildings were set on fire including government buildings and apartment blogs.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Alexandro's funeral. Schools and universities will be closed so expect more riots. Also the official report will be coming out.
The autopsy report says that its a case of manslaughter. It appears that the officer who shot is being charged with intentional manslaughter but no one knows for sure until the ballistic report comes out

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evening standard post

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 02:44 by Southern

Guys sorry to hijack, but in the press links you have an article from the Evening Standard. I don't live in London, so I ve never read this newspaper and I don't know what to expect from it.

Judging from the article and the fact that it only has the arrested guards' version of the facts its clear that I shouldn expect much.

But that is not my concern. As a Greek who lives three years in Britain, I find the last comment there deeply offensive:
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This is England, not Greece.

If these people want to protest, let them exit England and protest in Greece.

I don't want this behaviour in my town

- Cap, london
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Even more, I tried to reply in a very civilised way but my posts do not make it through.

Anyway, just to let you know, I think you shouldn't put links to papers that host these opinions without any dispute.

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papers, opinions...

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 07:22 by r

Southern, one more reason for us to demonstrate. and one more reason for us to have as many international, english, british, uk friends alongside us.

unfortunately papers like this exist everywhere and will twist everything to fit their narrow minded political agendas. But don't let some mindless idiots suffocate you and crash you down. Police brutality is all over the world and a boy murdered is NOT just an issue of the greeks. Enough is enough.

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...

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 11:15 by Alan

Southern - the Evening Standard is pretty right wing and reactionary, I guess it's quoted here due to its proximity to events (being a London paper and all). In general terms, people who bother to comment on newspaper articles (especially local ones) and mainstream news sites say incredibly reactionary things (Have Your Say on the BBC news site for example). I wouldn't worry about it too much, this event is an example of British showing solidarity with the Greeks.

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yup

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 11:42 by bubble

there sure was solidarity by british and others, not even half of us there where greek. apparently britain is a police state, taking to the streets is n't the mentality here, but i m sure people will keep joining, if we plan and organize good things.

one of the greeks.

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press links

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 12:18 by IMC London

I've changed the title of these links from "other press" to "corporate press" so people get a better idea of what to expect.

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New demostration?

Comment Published: Tuesday 09 December 2008 12:31 by sid

there's been talk on the greek indymedia of a new demonstration at the embassy on wednesday noon. I'm trying to find out if this will actually take place because the Greek Communist Party is also planning a demonstration on wednesday morning and the Greek anarchists have no intention of being associated.

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