Yesterday, Wednesday, May 24th, Gare’s occupation was the target of organized thugs. At midday, during clashes with MAT forces around Exarchia Square, there was a confrontation of protesters with a shopkeeper who tried to prevent a barricade-defense being set up against cops. This particular shopkeeper is known in the neighborhood of Exarchia as being connected with circles of protection rackets, prostitution and drugs, and with state security. A group from an adjacent movement space rushed to defend him. The incident with a portion of those present athte barricade, with this group has been the reason for GARE to attribute responsibility for these events as a whole.
This particular group has been denounced in open movement processes in the recent past by a multitude of collectives, for authoritarian attempts and military-style enforcement against self-organized efforts. The group supposedly acts on behalf of movement spaces and forms. But these, although they have been called upon to denounce the actions of this group, are silent instead.
Immediately after the incident, this specific group along with another bunch of thugs gathered menacingly outside the GARE squat. This larger collection included members of gangs who sell protection to the area’s shops, and who have been involved in attacks and injuries against radicals in the past. After they all had gone, later some of the original problematic group came to our assembly and said they would turn against our squat if we do not identify and deliver to them within 24 hours the people who confronted them at the events earlier in the square.
Later that night, people in this group took down GARE’s squat banner from Exarchia Square, which was calling for an event on Sunday 28/5 and an open meeting on Monday 29/5 to mobilize against police occupation of the neighborhood. This action was a direct attack on social resistance to repression. Such practices serve state planning, correspond to parastate activity and must be dealt with as such. The banner was replaced immediately by comrades of the squat, with a guarded intervention in the square. The barking of these gangs has roused our feelings, and raised our guard. We will stand firmly against every attempt to terrorize resistance in the neighborhood.
We call on all the groups in the movement to take a stand. SILENCE IS COMPLICITY.
We call for a meeting for information, and to defend spaces of struggle.
Thursday 25/5 at 5 pm at GARE squat
Exarcheia has history!
OUT WITH THE THUGS AND THE POLICE!
GARE squat
Kallidromiou 74, Exarchia
