An urgent call for the United Nations, the government of the United States and the public opinion.
A call for attention and support of the people’s council of Minbiç to the United Nations (27 June 2016).
The objective of this report of the people’s council of Minbiç is to describe the situation of the people in the area of Minbiç, located in the north of Syria which finds itself since 32 days in a heavy war situation and to describe which support is needed to eliminate the sufferings of the people. At the same time this report is a call for support to the United Nations.
The people who live in the areas controlled by ISIS since four years, experience a high intensity of violence. The difficulties the people face, because of the usurpation of the economic resources and the spaces of vital needs, continue. The applied embargo in Rojava affects the whole population in Rojava.
The people in the war region of Minbiç who have been forced to leave their houses and livelihoods are in the first instance in an urgent need of support of food and health-care and of all humanitarian aid. Until now this support has been provided by the people’s council of Minbiç, which has restricted means and the support doesn’t suffice. There are still thousands of people who haven’t been reached and whose needs are not known. There is a shortage of clean water in the region. Dirty water, rotten food, insufficient nutrition and bad housing conditions are the cause of illnesses and the fast expansion of illnesses. Read the rest of this entry »
A dastardly darkness has targeted innocent people in Nice, France. They were watching the fireworks in remembrance of the Bastille Day, an honorable day for the revolution that was, alas, going to be hijacked by the bourgeois class later. Or they were just taking a stroll, an act that has been forbidden for many cities of the Middle East for long. Are the questions ‘How many?’, ‘How old?’, ‘What nationality?’, etc. important now? Politicians of states have already repeated the same old clichés that this was a heinous and horrific attack, that perpetrator(s) are the enemy of humanity, and that they will avenge this treacherous act etc. The journalists have tried to talk to the eye witnesses who have been traumatized by what they had seen and heard. Millions have shared videos of the moments in which the truck has become a death machine that crushed people to death. We had almost got used to shootings , stabbings, and bombings. But now the trucks too have become deadly weapons. What else? What unexpected ends do wait for hundreds or thousands? Will the people be able to look at the things that move around without suspicion from now on? The darkness seems to have terrorized millions irreversibly. But what about those who are fighting against the darkness? They are sending their revolutionary greetings and their condolences to the people of Nice. They try to tear the darkness apart from streets to streets and from the buildings to buildings. Their best answer to the darkness is to intensify the dignified fight against it. Because they know very well that to live is to resist.
Also see this update via Actforfree.
In Thessaloniki posters and flyers are spread with a call out for solidarity with the anarchist comrades accused of bank robbery in Germany. At Kamara there was a banner hung and stencils spayed arround the city with the text ‘Solidarity with the anarchist comrades in jail accused of bank robbery in Germany’.
Here the text of the flyer that was spread in Greek and English:
Solidarity with the anarchist comrades in jail accused of bank robbery in Germany
A call out for active solidarity
On July 6th 2016, an anarchist comrade got arrested in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She is accused of expropriation in Aachen, Germany and is now in jail awaiting extradition to Germany. The week before a comrade from Spain had already been extradited to Germany. We call out to anybody to make actions in solidarity with the imprisoned comrades! We are fucking angry, we want them free!
In the summer of 2015 she already spent 5 months in detention and was released, with all charges dropped and no conditions to her release. The very disappointed prosecution made recourse to the higher court, which granted a trial (date not set yet). In April 2016 a comrade from Barcelona was arrested with similar charges for an expropriation that took place in 2014, by the same prosecution office. She has now been extradited to Germany. Read the rest of this entry »
Having just read George Jackson’s ‘Soledad brothers. Two things have struck me, this book was written in 1960’s America during the black rights movement detailed the racism found in their prisons then but could quite easily depict the current state of English prisons today. Cowardly white prisoners colluding with the prison officers in order to subject the minorities to a worse quality of life than they face, rather than seeing their fellow prisoner as an ally in attempting to improve life for all, is a growing problem in England although those with Islamic beliefs are the main targets rather than the Blacks. The expansion of Nazi gangs which is facilitated by prison service personnel at all levels, with random unprovoked attacks on minorities being the result is successfully dividing the prison population, causing a distraction from the serious deterioration in conditions within prisons which are creeping behind the racists.
The book covers much wider ground, looking at capitalism and imperialism as the route causes for the exploitation of humans by America but it is within prisons where these effects are magnified. The fact that this conservative government are oppressing the masses today, demonizing immigrants and Muslims whilst dropping bombs all over the middle east is no different to the American government in the 60’s implementing Jim Crow, warring with Vietcong and misleading the public with propaganda. Read the rest of this entry »
Below is the statement of Athena Tsakalou (the mother of CCF anarchist prisoners Christos Tsakalos and Gerasimos Tsakalos) which was read out in Koridallos prison court by her defense lawyer in late June 2016, while the CCF escape case trial was still underway.
I haven’t chosen silence, even though it expresses me on many occasions because everyone interprets silence as it suits them. I’ve preferred to make this personal statement. And I call it personal because I don’t belong anywhere; I only belong to myself.
There comes a moment when you take a look back at the years in your life, and you realise you’ve left to live far fewer than the years you’ve already lived; that is, if everything goes well. And this is a strange but intense sensation, which makes me ask myself to be sincere. Not in the simple way we often think about it, but in an essential, deeper way.
I don’t like to say: where is this world going? It’s something that we – people at an older age – often do, but such a phrase conceals some sort of innocence that I refuse to accept. I prefer to ask myself: how do you yourself walk through this world?
And the truth is that all I want is to walk among people in a consolatory manner. It’s very important to be able to console people, especially your own people; to be able to tell them when they’re going through tough times: I’m standing by you; I’ll always stick with you. Nothing else. This is my only desire, and I’m glad whenever I’m able to do that.
So when Angeliki knocked on the door of my home, that’s exactly what I did. And it was a great pleasure for me that I was able to offer her refuge, even if only for a short while. The way the world is, the only place I want to live in is the place of defiance.
Assuming that, throughout the centuries, people have intended to live, if not a life of happiness, at least a joyful life, their history to date shows that they’ve failed. History books, either the official, inspected ones, or the secret ones that it’s hard to come by, show that people have failed. It may be that the conditions for survival or living standards got better – although ‘better’ is relative, as this is not the case in some parts of the earth – but the pain, the horror of wars, of hunger and oppression continue to rise.
Of course there’s a difference; a nightmarish difference. Nowadays, death is no longer caused just by hand-to-hand combat on the battlefields where, even from a distance determined by a firearm, you’re able to see the falling body and hear the cry of pain, and regardless of how much dehumanised you’ve become, this sight and sound leaves a peculiar imprint within you that, at some point, might make you not want war anymore. On today’s battlefields, we find ourselves in the era of smart bombs, and one is able to retain ‘their innocence’ by pressing a button which brings mass death; that’s the difference.
For some time now, more than 10,000 refugee children who were travelling unaccompanied have disappeared in Europe over the past 18–24 months. There are fears that many of them have fallen victim to exploitation by organised crime networks…
The world’s 62 richest people hold as much wealth as half the population on the planet…
The earth’s products are enough to feed its entire population, yet millions of people, millions of children die of hunger.
Some very few, like these 62 wealthiest people in the world, might say: ‘all this stuff about a joyful life is nothing but a trap set for the many to be lured into it, because the whole deal with the world is a game, a game of death. It’s not just the money that matters; besides, we have plenty of that; what really matters is the ability to use our power to play games with the entire world; all of a sudden, to drive thousands of people to death; to scare entire populations with wars, famine and diseases when we’re bored; because that’s also up to us, to cause diseases, thanks to scientists. In some sense, we’re a kind of gods; and gods are always almighty.’
And this is true, but it’s also true that there are no gods without believers. Gods cannot just live all by themselves; they want their faithful to walk quietly around their gardens, ready to execute their orders – all of their orders, even if it means killing one another. However, there are always those whose blood is resided by the first rebellion of Eve and Adam.
And it’s about time we said: after so much human blood watering the earth’s soil every day, after all this lament filling the earth’s air, if there’s no change of course for the human species, if the human mind isn’t crossed by a lightning at some point, so that we see everything differently… then indeed it’d be a brave decision if people eventually said: ‘for so many centuries, we’ve been unable to find joy; we might as well admit that as a species we aren’t capable of something like this; we might as well admit our failure and leave calmly; let us be the last of the humans; let us admit that only trees deserve life, continuity, eternity as they’re free of the instinct of war, of horror.’
Lately all I want to do is plant trees. And someone might ask me: but is this truly your deepest desire? No, I haven’t done well; I’m still determined by the ability to see as far as my eye can see, to keep my mind off things by taking pleasure in small joys; but when I open the eye of my mind to a worldwide wandering, a worldwide looking, and I see how small a share joy has in people’s lives, I say once more: if the dream doesn’t enter people’s lives, if there’s no change of course for the human species, only trees deserve continuity, life, eternity.
Athena Tsakalou
“Justice was born when we lost control over our lives” Bruno Filippi
My political status and conscience would never allow me to be standing here “apologizing” before a fixed trial-parody as played out recently in this court hall, hence the comments I am about to make will therefore relate to a purely political sphere rather than a procedural one. Political action neither begins nor ends under the Criminal Code, consequently in any case you, both as individuals and as an institution, are not able to judge it.
As anarchists, being against the state, we have to oppose the laws that underlie and justify its existence.
But what is the law?
Nothing more than a set of rules that define right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral. It is a “guide” of social behavior aiming to enforce the choice of allegiance and for the maintenance of power through the fear of sanctions for any deviation from the permissible, the legal…
It is “fair”, indeed, that the banks constitute themselves as global loan sharks, but it is “unfair” to blow them up in the air with a strong dose of explosives. In this case, they are renamed as “charities” and “your” justice metes out life-sentences …
It is “fair”, that the governments constantly bomb civilians within the framework of the so-called “humanitarian” war, but it is “unfair” to execute those liable for the deaths of thousands …
A game of words forming the collective imagination, elevating the doctrine of “law and order” to the utmost virtue, aiming solely to preserve the existing authoritarian system.
The dominant world which you protect and preserve promotes and imposes a structured life, the manifestations of which oppress, enslave and limit the capabilities of human existence.
The behaviors, thoughts, feelings, relationships, are transformed into mechanical processes that shape what is called normality or social norm. The lifestyle you suggest to me is summarised to a miserable repetition, specified and without any twists. A boring course of a pointless existence that just waits to be interrupted by death.
But I do not fit into your world. I can not stand this perfectly organized boredom.
All those moments at night, just before you fall asleep when you are smoking the last cigarette and you evaluate the day that passed… The smoke gets mixed with your thoughts and you end up at the last puff… Your day was not enough… The feeling of dissatisfaction is overwhelming and breathtaking … “I can not live like this …”, “I do not want to live like this.” You fall asleep while the same words keep coming in your head…
The new day is to bring you face to face with the reality and the time has come to make your choices… I have chosen to live rather than to survive… Instead of the safety of normality, I have chosen to begin a journey into the unknown where every single moment conceals its own surprises. Where the tension comes to replace the weakness.
The need that burns within me makes me refuse the uniformity that your legitimacy stipulates and led me to a continuous process of rebellion to escape from such narrow limits of the social-prison. During this journey, the time is reset. Our clocks stopped at the time of the attack. No more “triggers” are needed. We stopped taking into account the “must”. The costs, the consequences…
There is one goal; to maximize the threat, to create a dangerous internal enemy that will strike at the heart of your system. This journey is lonely and often you are confronted with your own self, with your own personal contradictions. This is a war that starts from within yourself and surges impetuously against every expression of your modern civilized world. In this war that as anarchists we have declared against you – and we have not refused it a minute; there are no neutral attitudes.
The comrades of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, despite their long captivity, they did not retreat. They refused to bow down their heads and embrace the cross of remorse. They defended with all their powers and with dignity their anarchist substance. While, therefore, I am not a member of the Conspiracy, our common political conscience allies us. We share the same values, the same ideas and the same passion for freedom. The political bonds that link us could not but make me stand beside them with solidarity.
Solidarity is not just an emotionally charged word.
Solidarity carves insurrectionary directions and prevents forgetfulness from becoming the tombstone of the captured comrades. At this point is when guilt is born. What could be a more authentic and sincerest manifestation of solidarity to these comrades than to contribute morally and practically to the breaking of their captivity? I can only feel proud that I participated in the attempted escape of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire and no court is competent to judge my choice.
The prison, besides, is a stopping point for anyone who decides to arm his/her desires and refusals. At this point, the contradictions begin… We love freedom so much and we get stuck in the prison… We love life passionately and at the same time we flirt with death every single minute. If the prison is meant to “civilise” ourselves, you should know that the walls and the locks nourish us with anger and the desire for revenge grows… We can fail, but we can not bow down … This is not about the beginning and certainly not about the end of the story, but it is about the journey and this is where the whole beauty is found…
For these reasons, and for all the reasons in the world, I proudly and without a trace of remorse, undertake the responsibility for my practical political contribution to the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire escape plan. No matter how many times I would turn the clock back I would make the same choice again and again.
Aggeliki Spyropoulou
Women’s Prison of Korydallos
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Imprisoned anarchist comrade Aggeliki Spyropoulou was sentenced to 28 years in prison for her involvement in the 2015 escape attempt of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire. The comrade will shortly be transferred to Thiva prison from Korydallos now that the trial is over.
Trial for the 1st invasion of the cops in Nadir squat
P.J.= President Judge S.M.= Spyros Mandylas
P.J.: Tell us about those that you are accused of. What do you have to declare?
S.M.: At first, before saying anything else, I want to mention that the girl Ks. K., who has been arrested with me, has nothing to do with the case. For my own choices it’s only me who will take the blame. I met Ks. on my way to Nadir and because the cops wanted to do the invasion when I would have been inside the squat, she was arrested with me. I highlight this, from the beginning, in order to consider it.
As for the accusations. I accept some of them and some not.
But before I start talking about these I would like to say something about Nadir squat. I claim the political responsibility for Nadir from 2004 until today. The political actions of Nadir all these years are many and different. We have done events, discussions, bars, we have organized protests, we were hosting the radio station of radio-revolt, we have done a variety of actions in the city and we have published some books. Read the rest of this entry »
Before the demonstration the media and lots of politicians were nervous and expected a violent event on top of almost three weeks of actions in solidarity with Rigaer 94. For that they ordered 1800 cops from different parts of Germany.
The demonstration started almost on time at 21:15 at Wismarplatz in Friedrichshain with about 6000 people, after a manifestation of 45 minutes took place, where the speaker read some writings about the situation in the neighborhood these days. The first two lines were built by civil cops in yellow vests and after some cop cars before the real demonstration was visible. In the front they were holding lot’s of banners and signs. In the end it looked still organized and seemed to be a big beautiful black block.
When the demonstration reached Frankfurter Allee, the first big street, two cop cars were attacked with stones. People were showing their solidarity with fireworks and banner from the rooftop. Read the rest of this entry »
On July 8th 2016, the Koridallos prison court – presided over by special judge Asimina Yfanti – convicted all members of the anarchist revolutionary organisation Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, who were accused of placing an explosive device at Koridallos tax office; sending a parcel bomb to the police station in Itea (in retaliation for the murder of inmate Ilir Kareli by prison guards); sending a letter bomb to the home of Dimitris Mokkas (special appellate judge against terrorism); planning an armed escape from Koridallos prison (dubbed “Gorgopotamos project”); and possession of firearms, explosives and anti-tank RPGs with the purpose of “disrupting the country’s social, economic and political life.” Furthermore, in relation to these charges, they were convicted of “direction of a terrorist organisation” and incitement (“moral instigation”) to four attempted homicides.
During the sentencing, there was a strong presence of comrades in solidarity with the anarchists and the dignified individuals co-accused in the CCF escape case trial. There was also heavy police presence (including an anti-riot squad).
CCF members:
The ten CCF anarchist prisoners Gerasimos Tsakalos, Christos Tsakalos, Giorgos Polidoros, Olga Ekonomidou, Theofilos Mavropoulos, Panagiotis Argirou, Giorgos Nikolopoulos, Michalis Nikolopoulos, Damiano Bolano, Haris Hadjimihelakis were sentenced to 115 years in prison each.
Comrade Angeliki Spyropoulou:
The anarchist prisoner Angeliki Spyropoulou was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Relatives of CCF members:
Athena Tsakalou (the mother of CCF members Gerasimos Tsakalos and Christos Tsakalos) and Evi Statiri (the partner of Gerasimos Tsakalos) were found not guilty by a majority opinion (instead of a unanimous verdict).
However, Christos Polidoros (the brother of CCF member Giorgos Polidoros) was convicted of “membership in the terrorist organisation Conspiracy of Cells of Fire” and received a 6-year suspended sentence.
Last night we demolished 8 ATM machines in The Hague, the Netherlands in solidarity with the anarchist comrades accused of expropriation in Aachen, Germany.
Last week, on 6 July, a comrade got arrested in Amsterdam and is now in jail awaiting extradition to Germany. The week before a comrade from Spain got already extradited to Germany. We call out to anybody to make action in solidarity with the imprisoned comrades! We are fucking angry!
We are not interested in knowing whether the comrades are actually responsible for the bank robberies or not. Expropriation is an ethically just and politically
legitimate practice, a method of struggle that is part of the history of all revolutionary movements.
Indeed, despite the constant attempts by Power to reduce this method to within the scope of a ‘common crime’, motivated by individual greed, the fact is that the
expropriation of places of accumulation of capital is a constant in our history: from the anarchist-syndicalist groups in the early twentieth century who robbed banks to support strikes or help the families of imprisoned comrades, to the various autonomous groups of the the 70s and 80s.
Immediate freedom for our comrades! Burn all prisons! Destroy all banks!
This morning, 6 July, our anarchist comrade was arrested in Amsterdam by an arrestatieteam. This is in connection to an accusation by the Aachen (DE) prosecution in regards to a bank robbery in 2013. The call for solidarity stands. We are fucking angry.
For more information about this repressive story & updates in dutch, english and german: solidariteit.noblogs.org
YPG International is an official information portal for the Rojava Revolution and People’s Defense Units (YPG) made by YPG. We provide first hand information for everyone who is interested in our struggle, in people’s revolution of Rojava, in Kurdistan and in a democratic Syria. YPG International is the international path to the Rojava Revolution, the official path to support YPG in Rojava.
YPG strives for a democratic, ecologic, and anti-patriarchal system of self-organisation; it takes its power from the people and fight for the people. We struggle to defend the dignity of being a human when there is no one around to defend it and to create an ethico-political society in order to realize ideals of equality, justice, freedom, and self-determination. We wage a war against all forms of fascism and capitalist hegemony that try to enslave the peoples and destroy the nature. We get our inspiration from the philosophy of Abdullah Ocalan whose ideas have become a torch in the jungle of oppression for the poor and the downtrodden; not only in Kurdistan but also in all around the world.
YPG is more than a military force. It is a revolutionary organization that protects the transformation towards the ethico-political society against its external and internal enemies in accordance with the principles of democratic confederalism. So its fundamental mission is to defend the people and the Rojava Revolution. Read the rest of this entry »
08.07.16: Breaking news from Greece: 10 Conspiracy of Cells of Fire defendants sentenced to 115 years each for the attempted prison escape. Relatives / loved ones of the CCF comrades – Evi Statiri, Athena Tsakalou and Christos Polydoros have all been released, while the other 15 defendants received shorter sentences. More news as it becomes available.
Solidarity with the CCF comrades and their families and loved ones!
For an insurrectionary response of international solidarity to the vengeful ‘justice’ of the Greek state!
