Greece: Anarchist Prisoner Konstantinos Yiatzoglou Kidnapped from Korydallos Prison by EKAM (Special Anti-Terrorist Unit)

Posted on February 24, 2018 by

Korydallos

24.02.18: UPDATE 1 – Today at 06:45AM EKAM (Special Anti-Terrorist Unit) invaded Korydallos Prison and violently kidnapped the hunger striker Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou. Konstantinos resisted as best as he could as the masked and uniformed EKAM entered his cell and assaulted him. They then put him in handcuffs and violently dragged him out of his cell while he was in a dazed state from the assault. The wing of the prison was put on lockdown but the prisoners banged on the doors and cursed the cops. So far the wing is still on lockdown.

UPDATE 2 – As soon as the hunger striker Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou was removed from his cell a special transport team took him accompanied by heavily armed members of EKAM. The hunger striker was kidnapped without even letting him bring his clothes, personal belongings or even his medication.
A-wing is still on lockdown as the prison authorities are frightened about the reactions of the prisoners. This is the second time in a month that EKAM have kidnapped prisoners from A-Wing. And all this occurring under the so-called left-wing Syriza government of ‘rights’.

(via Athens Indymedia, translated by Insurrection News)

Posted in Anarchist Prisoners, Dinos, Fuck SYRIZA, Fuck The Police, Greece, Hunger Strike, Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou, Korydallos Prison, Repression

Australia: Former Tamil Tiger Deported to Sri Lanka

Posted on February 23, 2018 by

1

Received on 23.02.18:

FORMER TAMIL TIGER DEPORTED TO SRI LANKA

23 February 2018 

The Tamil Refugee Council condemns the Australian government for deporting to Sri Lanka a former member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, or Tamil Tigers).

Santharuban, who fled the country in 2012, last night was taken into custody for questioning in Colombo, the capital, on arrival just after 10pm local time.

He had been handcuffed and removed from the Broadmeadows detention centre (Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation) on Tuesday evening and was driven to Sydney – escorted by four guards, one Border Force agent and one doctor – where he was detained.

Early Thursday morning, he was asked to sign a deportation document. He claims that when he refused, Border Force agents grabbed him by the shirt and threatened to handcuff him, tape his mouth shut and drag him onto the plane.

Santharuban signed the document out of fear for his safety and subsequently was put on a flight to Sri Lanka, accompanied by two guards.

The Tamil Refugee Council arranged for prominent human rights lawyer K.S. Ratnavale to be present at Colombo airport, and also made arrangements for Santharuban’s family to travel from the north of the country to meet him.

After four hours of questioning, Santharuban was released to his family. Others returning to Sri Lanka have been detained for weeks or months and endured intensive interrogation.

Ratnavale, who is director of the Centre for Human Rights and Development, told the Tamil Refugee Council he is extremely concerned about the situation and, while he is relieved that Santharuban has been released, believes that he will likely be targeted or arrested in the future.

With the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council beginning next week in Geneva, the Sri Lankan government will be hesitant to harm him. But the culture of reprisal in the security forces runs deep.

“We did not stop the government’s reckless and shameful act,” said Aran Mylvaganam, Tamil Refugee Council spokesperson. “But, thankfully, and due in part to the intensive campaigning of activists and advocates in Australia, and the noise that we made to highlight this case, Santharuban, for the time being, has a reprieve. Under the circumstances, it is the best we could have hoped for. But he is still in a perilous situation.”

The Tamil Refugee Council will continue to monitor the situation and stay in contact with people close to Santharuban and his family.

“We know from experience that people released from custody often, in subsequent weeks and months, face renewed harassment, assault and worse from security forces. The dangers facing returned Tamils are well documented by the UN and human rights groups, and affirmed by Tamil activists and civilians,” Mylvaganam said.

“Former members of the LTTE, and those suspected of being associated with the Tigers, face greater risk of reprisals and torture.

“Given the undeniable realities on the ground, we continue to demand that the Australian government not deport Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lanka.”

Media contact: Aran Mylvaganam 0410 197 814

Posted in Asylum Seekers, Australia, Colombo, Fuck Border Force, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers), Melbourne, Refugee Struggle, Repression, Santharuban, so-called 'Australia', Sri Lanka, Stop Deportations, Sydney

France: First Press Release from a Few Owls about the Bure Eviction

Posted on February 23, 2018 by

Bure

22.02.18: This morning at 6:15am the eviction of the Lejuc wood (Bois Lejuc) started with 500 riot cops, reinforced/orchestrated by a communication campaign from the home secretary (ministre de l’interieur), the news channels diffusing shock images of military vehicles gathered next to the Lejuc wood, cabins being invaded, cops in balaclavas armed with chainsaws and cameras…

The operation, supposed to be because of a court decision last year about eviction of the wood from le tribunal de grande instance de Bar-le-Duc, came before all legal cases had finished (especially if Andra owns the wood or not) and before the end of the period of non eviction in winter even though many living/occupation structures had been built in and around the wood. There is even a place where local elected officials changed their headquarters to an address in the wood.  Andra can’t legally start any work in the wood, the French environmental authority concluded in October 2017 that Andra had to do an environmental survey of the area before proceeding with any exploration/preparation work.  There is a nesting period in the middle of March that prevents any work and Andra does not have the permit to do any forest clearing.

Like in 2012 in Notre-Dames-des-landes, the bulldozers are just behind the riot cops, to destroy as quickly as possible any living areas not even leaving time for people to collect personal belongings.  Already following the first eviction of the wood in July 2016 the machines of Andra cleared illegally a large number of trees before opposition forces reoccupied the forest in the middle of August 2016.

Now the tress are still occupied by many owls.  20 riot cops are at the base of the trees.  Quite a few people were arrested during the operation or are encircled on paths leading to the wood, a lot of ID checks took place. At least one person has been arrested and taken in custody.

Resist everywhere

This eviction decided by Macron’s government come in a context of cracking down on social movements, workers, students, migrants etc It’s putting into place an American social and industrial model that makes people poorer, destroys the environment and is applied by force.  The president Macron is walking in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher: There Is No Alternative. The message is clear.

This spectacular police operation is before everything a political manoeuvre to ensure that resistance doesn’t spring up everywhere after the airport project in Notre-Dame-des-Landes was abandoned.
An operation trying to stop dead in its tracks any national movement, with the symbol of small house created by a group in Dijon that was set to be installed this week.  In the orchestrated words of the local prefet ” this construction project showed the determination of opponents to install for a long time”.  We say that this was a bad bet.  We’ve already been installed in the wood for a long time and everywhere around in villages where we live but also everywhere in France where every police operation gains support from people opposing the project of CIGEO. This morning the state chose to send a strong message that confirmed to us the need to continue resisting and organising all over France and beyond and that CIGEO is a crucial point for the nuclear industry that imposes itself by force but pretends that people can have a say along the way.

When we started occupying the Lejec wood in June 2016 we never thought that one a half years later we would still be here, that Andra had to pull-out of the forest, that dozens of Bure support groups would have been created all over France.  The politicians as usual are (on a TV news channel) trying to play the game of those evil nasty squatters vs the pacific citizens, this kind of speech has never worked in Bure and we work together here even if some ways of doing things are different.  All the media have been talking about is from the ZAD to Bure, to try to enter this message into the minds of people.  We’ve always said that there wasn’t a ZAD in Bure, that it’s the whole territory, everywhere because atomic horrors and the steamroller of ideas that goes with it doesn’t have borders when we’re talking about wiping about existence of people and where they live in the name of profit and control.

The police pornography and media spectacle with their images of destruction this so called “return to a lawful state” won’t let things go out of our minds and hearts, they won’t bury all that has happened in the last few years in Bure and all around us neither will they stop us in the years to come.
To evict the Lejuc wood this morning, was to hit and attack everywhere everyone that has come by in their thousands in the past years and still has a part of Bure inside them.

Every attack will reinforce our determination, we will never be atomised!

(via Bure will be their downfall!)

Posted in Anti-Nuclear Struggle, autonomous spaces, Bure, Eco-Resistance, Eco-Struggle, Environmental Struggle, Forest Occupation, France, Fuck CIGEO, Repression

Germany: Anarchist Comrade Lisa Transferred to New Prison

Posted on February 23, 2018 by

Lisa

On Tuesday, February 20th, our comrade was transferred to another prison in Germany, JVA Willich II, about 60km from Cologne, where she was previously. We do not know yet how long she will be there, but we will still leave her new address so that she can continue to receive letters and solidarity photos.

Lisa Dorfer
JVA Willich II
GartenstraSSe 2
47877 Willich

Germany

(via Solidaritat Rebel, translated by Insurrection News)

Posted in Anarchist Prisoners, Free Lisa, Germany, International Solidarity, Lisa

Grecia: El prisionero de guerra anarquista Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou inicia huelga de hambre

Posted on February 23, 2018 by

Dinos

[Traducido por Sin Banderas Ni Fronteras desde Insurrection News]

Hoy, 21.02.18, el prisionero anarquista Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou inició una huelga de hambre para exigir su traslado desde la cárcel de Larissa a la cárcel de Korydallos tras el rechazo de su solicitud por parte del Comité Central de Traslados. Actualmente se encuentra en la prisión de Korydallos, donde fue enviado ayer para un caso judicial en curso. Un texto del compañero seguirá en los próximos días.

Llamamos a una asamblea abierta de emergencia para planificar acciones de solidaridad para la huelga de hambre del compañero y compartir información sobre el caso el jueves 22 de febrero a las 19:00 en el Politécnico (edificio Gini).

Asamblea de Solidaridad con Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou

Recibido el 22.02.18:

Algunas palabras sobre el caso del prisionero anarquista Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou

El compañero anarquista Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou fue arrestado el 28 de octubre de 2017, mientras salía de un escondite alquilado por él bajo una identidad falsa y mientras intercambiaba armas de fuego y materiales explosivos. Dinos está acusado de ser miembro de Conspiración de las Células de Fuego y de enviar paquetes bomba a varios funcionarios de la Unión Europea, incluido el ex primer ministro de Grecia, Loukas
Papadimos. Las acusaciones de los policías se basan en una muestra de ADN mixto y sobre el hecho de que Dinos estaba visitando a un ex prisionero anarquista en la prisión de Korydallos a principios de 2013. El compañero dijo que tanto el alquiler del apartamento como la transferencia de los elementos eran parte de la “solidaridad revolucionaria” y niega todas las demás acusaciones.

Las autoridades judiciales pretenden aislarlo asignándolo a la prisión de Larissa para su detención preventiva, en una ciudad a 355 kilómetros de Atenas, donde están su familia, amigxs y compañerxs. Dinos fue trasladado a la prisión de Korydallos hace unos días para ser juzgado por un caso más antiguo (fue arrestado en Atenas, en 2011 durante
enfrentamientos masivos en disturbios con la policía). Mientras estaba allí, se le informó que su pedido oficial de permanecer en Atenas (prisión de Korydallos) hasta su nuevo
juicio fue denegado por el Comité Central de Transferencias Carcelarias. Como respuesta, el compañero decidió iniciar una huelga de hambre el 21/02, exigiendo su traslado permanente a la prisión de Korydallos hasta el momento de su juicio.

Posted in Anarchist Prisoners, Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (CCF), Dinos, Greece, Hunger Strike, Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou, Korydallos Prison, Repression, Sin Banderas Ni Fronteras

Grecia: Acción de solidaridad para el prisionero de guerra anarquista “Dinos”, Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou

Posted on February 23, 2018 by

[Traducido por Sin Banderas Ni Fronteras desde Insurrection News]

20.02.18: Hubo un evento de micrófono abierto en solidaridad con el compañero anarquista K. Yiagtzoglou en los Propileos. Se colgaron pancartas, se distribuyeron textos y se lanzaron folletos.
Esta fue una muestra mínima de solidaridad con nuestro compañero que ha sido encarcelado por las manos del Estado desde el 28.10.2017, acusado de pertenecer a la Conspiración de las Células de Fuego y por los paquetes explosivos destinados a funcionarios europeos que fueron interceptados en la Oficina Helénica del Servicio Postal en Kryoneri, así como el paquete bomba que explotó en manos del ex Primer Ministro L. Papademos.

Llamamos a una presencia solidaria el 21/02 en el Tribunal de Apelaciones de Loukareos a las 09:00 a.m., donde el compañero se enfrenta a un tribunal por un enfrentamiento en 2011 durante el cual fue arrestado.

Nada ha acabado, todo continúa …

Fuerza y ​​Libertad para Dinos.

Posted in Anarchist Prisoners, Athens, Banners, Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (CCF), Dinos, Greece, Konstantinos Yiagtzoglou, Letter Bomb, parcel bomb, Repression, Sin Banderas Ni Fronteras, Uncategorized

So-Called Australia: ‘Break Away From Break Free’ – A Critique of the Environmental NGO Model of Organizing Direct Action (PDF)

Posted on February 22, 2018 by

breakaway

Introduction

Two minutes after getting on a minibus headed for Newcastle, the person seated next to me tugged at their friend’s arm in mild distress.

“Noo, I forgot the selfie stick!”

Without putting any blame on this individual, this brief interaction had already captured the essence of this protest for me. Truthfully, I already had an idea of what it was going to be like – from past involvement in actions run by groups such as Direct Action Melbourne and 350.org, as well as from the communications hype in the lead-up. But I had gone on this trip to find out if my suspicions were warranted.

We were going to take part in a mass flotilla of kayaks which would block a shipping channel in Newcastle, home to the world’s largest coal port, preventing coal ships from leaving and entering. Signups happened online when the invitation was initially shared through 350.org’s email list and facebook promotions. Since then we had been kept in constant contact about logistics, shown inspirational videos and excitedly told about the well-known musicians and politicians who would be there on the day.

As we headed towards the Hume, the driver tried to break the ice by gauging everyone’s spirits onboard. “How are we all feeling this morning?”

“So happy!”, “Excited!”, came the replies.

“Yes… We’re creating history in a lot of ways this weekend, this is a world-wide movement…”

For many who went, Break Free was their first exposure to non-violent direct action (NVDA), and from what I gained, they came away with overwhelmingly positive impressions, keen to do it again. There was an incredible response. TOO many people wanted to be a part. There weren’t nearly enough kayaks to go around, even with extra reinforcements! It’s clear that there is a lot of energy, particularly amongst young people, for environmental protest beyond your average city rally. To illustrate this: it would have taken only a handful of people to block a train line; 70 people got arrested and charged anyway to make a point.

And what an incredible logistical feat it was. I want to highlight the amount of hard work that went into this, much of it unpaid. There is so much to organise, and those who did so should be proud. Just think about it: Transport. Insurance. Catering. Equipment. Media. Marquees. Accommodation. Press releases. Role co-ordinating. Local and international communication. Slideshows. Videography. Sourcing hundreds of kayaks. Legal consultation. Water safety. Artist bookings. Stage setup. Police liaisons. The list goes on.

But I still went away with a bad taste in my mouth. Now, I am not criticising what went on, per se. I am critiquing the movement from a structural point of view, attempting to illuminate a culture that revealed itself in various symptomatic phenomena and encounters I had over the weekend. Because we haven’t done enough of that self-critique, and organisations like 350.org are fast running away with the ball, becoming seen as the only vehicle through which to protest rampant environmental destruction. I want to challenge this notion, while pointing out many of the worrying trends I observed that weekend.

DOWNLOAD PDF: Break-Away-from-Break-Free1 

 

Posted in 350.org, Analysis, Australia, Eco-Resistance, Eco-Struggle, Environmental Struggle, Non Violent Direct Action (NVDA), PDF, Publications / Zines, so-called 'Australia', Zines