Guest post: The new ‘age of insurrections’ is far from over!

Thoughts on the political significance of the Turkish movement

By Panagiotis Sotiris [1]

It is still early to fully appreciate the consequences of the popular uprising in Turkey. However, one thing is for sure: we are still at a very particular historical conjuncture, marked not just by protest and contention, but also by movements of impressive magnitude and an almost insurrectionary character.

From December 2008 in Greece, that extraordinary “postcard from the future”, to the Arab Spring, the Indignados Movement, the prolonged struggle of the Greek people against austerity, the Occupy movement in North America, the student revolts in Britain, Canada and Chile and the current Turkish protests, we have been witnessing movements that are not only massive but also go beyond simply articulating grievances and demands. These are movements that, one way or the other, demand radical social and political change. That is why they do not take the form of traditional protests, nor do they engage in pressure politics. Rather, they opt for new and highly original forms of almost insurrectionary practices that not only make manifest a deep discontent with contemporary neoliberal capitalist societies, but also attempt to turn their alternative visions of democracy and justice into practice.

La police a dispersé une action de distribution d'aliments "pour Grecs seulement" organisée par l'Aube Dorée à Athènes

Préparé par @IrateGreek, traduit de l'Anglais par Krotkie

Le parti néonazi grec Aube Dorée avait annoncé qu'il avait prévu une distribution d'aliments "seulement pour les Grecs", en vue de la Pâque orthodoxe du 5 mai, le jeudi 2 mai sur la place Syntagma à Athènes. Il s'agit une fois de plus d'une action d'orientation "sociale" de ce parti, dans le but d'exclure les immigrants. 

Le Maire d'Athènes, Giorgos Kaminis, avait annoncé mercredi qu'il prendrait toutes les mesures nécessaires pour empêcher cette distribution d'avoir lieu, dans la mesure où il s'agit d'une opération raciste et discriminatoire, qui ne vise pas à conforter les pauvres, mais à promouvoir l'Aube Dorée.

Police disperse Golden Dawn food distribution for Greeks only in Athens

Greece's neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn had announced that it would conduct a food distribution for Greeks only ahead of orthodox Easter on Thursday 2 May in Syntagma square, Athens. This follows the pattern of all Golden Dawn socially-oriented actions, which aim at conspicuously excluding immigrants.

The Mayor of Athens, Giorgos Kaminis, stated on Wednesday that he would take all necessary measures to prevent the food distribution from happening on the grounds that it is a racist, discriminatory operation intended not to relieve people living in poverty but to provide Golden Dawn with a photo-op. 

#rbnews international weekly bulletin 30 March - 05 April 2013

The text companion to this week's #rbnews international show is now online. You can read it after the jump.

Mobilisations à Syntagma au cours de la semaine du 31 mars

Quelques centaines de personnes ont répondu à un appel lancé sur Facebbok, pour une manifestation contre l'austérité à Syntagma, le soir du 31 mars. Des rassemblements pareils ont eu lieu dans d'autres villes grecques. Ça a été la troisième semaine consécutive que de mobilisations pareilles sont organisées, un effort de faire revivre le mouvement des places qui a commencé en Grèce en mai-juin 2011, même si les resultats jusqu'à présent ne sont pas très impressionants.

Jeudi 4 avril par ailleurs, quelques centaines de passants par Syntagma, se sont arrêtés et ont spontanément rendu hommage à Dimitris Christoulas; Christoulas, un vieux pharmacien a commis suicide à la place Syntagma l'année passée, afin de protester la situation en Grèce.

Les passants ont laissé des fleurs au pied de l'arbre où Christoulas a tiré sur lui même, et où un monument a été érigé à sa mémoire. Le monument avait été détruit par des supporteurs du parti gouvernemental Nouvelle Démocratie, pendant leur manifesttion pré-électorale en juin 2012.

Informativo semanal desde Grecia #2 - 20 Octubre 2012

Radiobubble Informativo Semanal 20 Octubre 2012 by Mpatman on Mixcloud

LIVE BLOG on May Day 2012 in Greece

By @inflammatory_ 

15:50 there seems to be no trouble in the area of Exarchia at the moment
15:05 Riot police in Exarcheia opposite protesters' barricades of trash bins in the middle of the street

pic by @_giant_

pic by @makissinodinos

VIDEO:outburst of applause in Dimitris Christoulas' funeral

By @inflammatory_

Approximately 1500-2000 people attended Dimitris Christoulas' funeral on Saturday, who took his life over financial issues in Syntagma square - central Athens. Mourners started applauding as the coffin arrived in the cemetery, chanting "Blood flows, seeking revenge" and "People move forward - don't keep your head low - the only way is resistance again". 
For 4 days in a row, citizens have been gathering on the spot where the 77 years old pensioner turned the handgun against him, leaving flowers, Greek flags and pinning notes on the nearby trees.The incident had political connotation as it took place in a focal point for anti-austerity protests opposite the parliament and the man left a suicide note, expressing his resentment for the government and his belief that one day, youths will take up the arms against Greek leaders.

The video below shows the retiree's funeral



Inflammatory

Elderly man commits suicide in Athens over mounting debt, triggering rallies in the capital city

By @inflammatory_

Notes pinned on the spot where the man turned
his gun against him:"who' will be the next victim?"
"mnemonium is the murderer","it was not a suicide
but a murder" pic by @northaura

Another dramatic incident amid austerity was added on the long list of suicides over financial burden this morning in Syntagma square, central Athens, during rush hour. The 77 years old  retired pharmacist, allegedly said "I don't want to leave my children in debt" before taking his own life with a handgun near a tube exit. Passersby froze when the shot was heard. Sources said the man left a suicide note expressing his resentment over the government that left him hopeless:

Tsolakoglou* occupation government has literally nullified any chance of my survival that was based on a decent pension, to which I've been the sole contributor for 35 years without any state financial aid.
Since my age doesn't help for sheer resistance (of course without rejecting the possibility that if a Greek were to grab a Kalashnikov first, I'd be the second following) I see no other solution but a decent end (of my life) before I start searching for food into trash bins. I believe that one day, youths with no future will take up arms and hang upside-down those national traitors, as Italians did to Mussolini (in piazza Pareto-Milan) back in 1945."

Further anti-austerity protests 19 February 2012 (LIVE BLOG)

By @inflammatory_

Approximately 3000 people gathered in front of the parliament this morning to protest against austerity, chanting slogans and singing the national anthem. The demo was called by the two major trade union bodies of Greece, GSEE and ADEDY, that reportedly have plans for a third general strike in a row, on top of a series of events coordinated with unions and artists, that will culminate on February 29th, the European day of action. 
A new demo is scheduled this afternoon in Syntagma sq. from left wing groups, SYRIZA trade unionists' network, primary unions, motorcyclists and Mikis Theodorakis movement. Follow #19fgr and #rbnews hashtags for twitter updates. This post will be updated with pics and info.

21:06 A RECAP OF THE EVENING DEMO' S MAIN HIGHLIGHTS

Demonstrators outside the parliament 19/2/2012 by Alexia B. on facebook

• 60 preventive detentions made by police in central Athens (Ermou St. Exarcheia & Monastiraki) prior to the demo.
• People descended on Syntagma sq. across the street from Parliament, remaining peacefully until 19:40, when riot police tactics aimed -in an obvious manner- at dispersing the crowd.
• To this end, pepper spray and stun grenade use was made, 3 people were detained and one man suffered injuries when hit by riot policeman on the head.
• Journalists were reportedly repelled by police for doing their job when covering the demonstration. One of them working for Ant1 TV was detained.

LIVE BLOG on anti-austerity protests: Feb 10-11 & 12

By @inflammatory_ 

FEB 12 TIMELINE

01:00 Recap of the day's main events 

"Greece en rage", might be an accurate description of what happened today.

• Several preventive detentions in Athens took place before even the demo starts. 
• Massive turnout as expected.The crowd was dispersed very early though, around 17:30-18:00 when tensions aroused on the front side of the demo and riot police officers started hurling teargas to repel demonstrators on the lower side of the square.
• The demo was split, but protesters remained en masse in the nearby roads, to avoid clouds of tear gas filling the air...which was literally unbearable. With sheer determination they attempted to get back on the spot but riot squad tactics were aimed at halting the demo. This cat-and-mouse chase kept for 3,5 hours.
• There were reports by journalists of policemen attacking on random people, protesting peacefully.
• Paul Mason, the BBC correspondent was attacked by a bunch of far right protesters as they thought he was German. The worst was prevented thanks to other people's intervention.
• Clashes spread across the city, with banks and retail outlets set on fire. Estimated number of arsoned buildings at 10  45.
• 100 people suffered injuries, while 74 have been arrested and 92 detained.
• In Thessaloniki 28.000 people demonstrated (including PAME members) and clashes broke out between protesters and riot police as well.



Feb 12, 2012 Demonstrators flooding the streets outside the parliament before clashes pic @Jaquou Utopie

LIVE BLOG 24h general strike Feb 7, 2012

By @inflammatory_

14:15 Demonstrators chanting slogans outside the parliament


14:05 Random protesters outside the parliament now, opposite policemen guarding the building amid new austerity talks by greek leaders

Report on demos commemorating Alexis' assassination by police officer

By @inflammatory_

Follow #rbnews and #6dgr on twitter to keep you in the loop 

21:05 People have gathered for the pre-planned memorial service on the spot where the young boy was shot by riot police officer 3 years ago
21:00 Random clashes across Exarchia district of Athens. Police forces have used strong teargas making the air unbearable. 
20:50 Thessaloniki: Four university students suffering head injuries from police are waiting to be taken by an ambulance 
20:45 Clashes broke up in Volos as well during #6dgr demo. 10 people have been detained in Thessaloniki up til now. A man's shoulder has been reportedly dislocated as was severely hit by police.

Volos pic by @protothema

LIVE BLOG on December 1st General Strike

By @inflammatory_

15:12 Pics of today's demo in Thessaloniki from @alterthess could be seen here
15:09 Calm at Syntagma sq. now. Latest round of protests has moved on towards Omonia via @mkhalili  
14:56 Two cars set alight in the area of Exarhia. Fire truck has arrived and riot police officers are wearing their masks. via @mikroanalogo
14:38 Stencil on a wall in Syntagma: "Fight, Resist, Stop Moaning". Pic by @toVytio

Live Blog - 1973 uprising anniversary rally (Nov.17, 2011)

By @inflammatory_

22:00 Thessaloniki: uni students & faculti outside the campus entrance chanting slogans against violation of asylum by riot police. Students rally to the city centre
21:41 Thessaloniki: riot police left from Aristotle uni premises

Weekly news round-up 23-29 October 2011

By @galaxyarchis, translated from Greek by @IrateGreek and @inflammatory_

The following two events dominated Greek news reporting over the last week:

1. The new agreement for a 50% haircut on Greek bonds held by private lenders together with further strict austerity policies closely overseen by international inspectors until 2020.
2. The country-wide protests by thousands of citizens during the celebration of the 71th anniversary of the country’s rejection of Italy's ultimatum to surrender in 1940 - a national holiday known as “Ohi Day”, or "No Day", in Greek.

The week began with further union mobilizations following those of previous weeks. The Ministry of Finance is occupied by workers and the General Secretariat for Information Systems (GSIS) - the public sector's biggest data center- was blockaded on Tuesday morning. The Pan-Hellenic Maritime Federation was on a 48h strike, blocking Argosaronikos ferryboat lines, to demand seafarers’ unpaid wages. Activism spilled once again beyond the country’s borders: on Monday evening, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet was denounced by Greek students when delivering his speech at the Humboldt University in Berlin.

Journal hebdomadaire #rbnews de la semaine 23-29 oct. 2011

De @galaxyarchis, traduit du grec par @Krotkie

La semaine dernière, deux événements ont prédominé dans l’agenda politique:

        1.  Le nouvel accord sur la coupe de 50% des bonds grecs se trouvant en mains privées, accompagné d’un sévère programme d'austérité et de supervision du pays jusqu'en 2020.

        2.   La révolte panhéllenique de milliers de citoyens, pendant les célébrations, entre le 26 et le 28 octobre, du 71^e anniversaire du « Non », c’est-à-dire la résistance du peuple grec à l’occupation Nazi.

La semaine commence avec la continuation des mobilisations de la semaine dernière. L’occupation du Ministère des Finances continue et son Centre d’Informatique reste bloqué mardi matin. En même temps, l’Association des travailleurs dans le domaine maritime organise une grève de 48h, pendant laquelle des bateaux dont les patrons doivent de salaires à leurs membres d’équipage, restent bloqués au port de Pirée. L’activisme ne se limite pas dans les frontières grecques, vu que, lundi soir, Jean-ClaudeTrichet se fait huer par des étudiants grecs, au cours d’une conférence à laquelle il est orateur, à l’Université Humbolt de Berlin.

Protests on the Greek National day (#oxi)

The 28 October parade in Syntagma 28 October is celebrated on Greece as "ohi day" ("no day") in reference to 28 October 1940, when Greek dictator Metaxas rejected the ultimatum by Benito Mussolini to allow the armies of fascist Italy to invade Greece. The celebrations are normally marked by a large military parade in Thessaloniki and schoolchildren parades throughout the country. 

Seeking the truth behind Dimitris Κotzaridis’ death

The massive demo that took place on October 20^th was overshadowed by the death of the 53 years old construction worker and communist party unionist, Dimitris Kotzaridis. Dozens of people suffering injuries from clashes that broke out between antiauthoritarians and PAME (communist-backed union) members, received first aid from a volunteer medical group that addresses the immediate needs of protesters, in case the demo turns violent. Unconfirmed rumours of a man dying from head injuries during the riots, quickly spread out and caused confusion. Later on, although the death was verified but the causes remained unclear, there was an ongoing debate inside the parliament, over a fatal injury from clashes. Yet the reality was different…

During the protests, the man felt unwell and was taken aside from his comrades who asked for help by the police. A motorcycle ambulance rushed to the spot, to offer first aid and an ambulance arrived shortly before 17:00pm to bring Dimitris Kotzaridis to Evangelismos Hospital. 

A la recherche de la vérité concernant la mort de Dimitris Kotzaridis

Par @Krotkie

La grande manifestation du 20 octobre, a été assombrie par la mort du travailleur dans le domaine de la construction, Dimitris Kotzaridis. Pendant les conflits entre le service d’ordre de PAME (syndicat proche au Parti Communiste) et de groupes antiautoritaires, anarchistes et autres, de dizaines de blessés ont été transférés à la station médicale de la place. Dans la confusion, la (fausse) information qu’il y aurait eu un mort frappé par les groupes des manifestants a circulé. La confusion était tellement grande que, même quand le mort a été identifié, même au sein du Parlement circulait la rumeur qu’il y avait un mort à cause des émeutes entre les manifestants. La réalité était très différente…