Quelle: Junge Welt | Ticker Thessaloniki
Griechische Regierung geht gegen selbstverwaltete Häuser für Flüchtlinge vor
Von Heike Schrader, Athen
Am frühen Mittwoch morgen hat die griechische Syriza-Regierung drei besetzte Häuser in Thessaloniki räumen lassen. Der Angriff galt explizit den von Flüchtlingen und griechischen Aktivisten gemeinsam betriebenen Projekten Hurriya, Orfanotrofeio und Nikis. Bei der Räumung wurden 74 Menschen – Griechen und Ausländer – festgenommen und im Laufe des Donnerstags wegen Hausfriedensbruchs und Sachbeschädigung vor einen Schnellrichter geführt. Den angeklagten Migranten droht im Fall einer Verurteilung zudem die Abschiebung. Nur wenige Stunden nach der Räumung zerstörten Bulldozer das Gebäude des Orfanotrofeio.
Der parallele Angriff auf drei Strukturen der selbstverwalteten Flüchtlingssolidarität ist eine Reaktion der griechischen Regierung, die nach der Duldung des No-Border-Camps stark unter Druck stand. Bei diesem hatten sich in der vergangenen Woche mehr als 1.000 internationale Aktivisten einen Teil des Campus der Universität von Thessaloniki als Basislager für ihre Proteste gegen das europäische Grenzregime angeeignet. Von hier war man nicht nur mit lautstarken und zum Teil auch militanten Demonstrationen vor die Internierungslager für Flüchtlinge in der Umgebung gezogen, sondern hatte auch Fahrzeugen des öffentlichen Nahverkehrs in Thessaloniki einen farbenfrohen und aussagekräftigen Anstrich verpasst.
Die Duldung derartiger »ungesetzlicher Schweinereien« war von der konservativen Opposition, der Universitätsleitung und den privaten Fernsehsendern als Unfähigkeit der Regierung, gegenüber dem »linken Vandalismus« durchzugreifen, angeprangert worden. Gleichzeitig geht es Syriza aber auch um die vollständige Kontrolle über die etwa 57.000 auf griechischem Boden festsitzenden Flüchtlinge. Zeitgleich zu den Räumungen ließ die Regierung am Mittwoch auch die letzten 1.010 im Hafen von Piräus verbliebenen Flüchtlinge in die in den vergangenen Monaten schnell hochgezogenen Sammellager verfrachten – ohne dass die Medien groß darüber berichtet haben.
Der Rückgriff der griechischen Regierung auf den Einsatz von Repression zum eigenen Machterhalt gefällt jedoch nicht allen in Syriza. Deren Pressestelle gab am Mittwoch eine Erklärung heraus, in der die Räumung verurteilt wurde. »Die Kriminalisierung von Solidaritätsprojekten ist eine Praxis, die keinerlei Beziehung zu den Werten der Linken aufweist«, heißt es in dem Statement. Doch die Regierung wird auf noch vorhandene linke Restbefindlichkeiten der Syriza-Mitglieder keine Rücksicht nehmen.
Eher ist zu befürchten, dass die Regierung in Kürze auch gegen entsprechende Projekte in anderen Städten vorgeht. Der Bürgermeister von Athen, Giorgos Kaminis, gab am Mittwoch bekannt, er habe bereits Klage gegen die Besetzung dreier Häuser, darunter das international bekannte »Hotel City Plaza«, eingereicht. Dabei verstieg sich der ehemalige Ombudsmann zu der Äußerung, die Verhältnisse dort seien »elendig« gegenüber denen der menschenunwürdigen Sammellager.
Aus Protest gegen die erfolgten Räumungen, aber auch, um einer Fortsetzung der repressiven Migrationskontrolle einen Riegel vorzuschieben, gingen bereits am Mittwoch die außerparlamentarische Linke und die anarchistische Szene des Landes zur Gegenwehr über: Am Mittwoch mittag wurden in Thessaloniki und wenig später auch in Larisa die Parteibüros von Syriza sowie am Donnerstag morgen das Büro von Regierungssprecherin Olga Gerovasili in Ioannina besetzt. Ebenfalls am Donnerstag morgen gab eine Gruppe die erste Besetzung für ein neues Solidaritätsprojekt in Thessaloniki bekannt. Man werde angesichts der Räumung weder untätig bleiben, noch in Angststarre verfallen, heißt es in der Erklärung der Aktivisten. »Im Gegenteil, wir antworten mit neuen und noch mehr Besetzungen.«
Am Mittwoch abend fanden Kundgebungen und Demonstrationen in verschiedenen Städten statt, für den Donnerstag abend riefen zahlreiche Organisationen zu Protesten in der Hauptstadt auf. Im Anschluss sollte auf einem Plenum am traditionsreichen Athener Polytechnikum über die Fortsetzung des Widerstands beraten werden.
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siehe auch: Ticker Thessaloniki
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Report from Thessaloniki on Recent Squat Evictions and Court Cases Against Activists
Eviction of Refugee-Squats in Thessaloniki – Repression Against Solidarity Movement in Greece – Court Case Against 70 Greek and International Activists – „Our Passion For Freedom Is Stronger Than Your Prison”
On Wednesday, July 27, self-organized migrant and anarchist squats were evicted in Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece. At the court hearing of the following day, Greek and international activists were accused of “disruption of the public order” and “damage to property“. Because of a lack of translators, the trial concerning two squats was postponed to beginning of August. Activists of the third squad were sentenced to 4 month on probation respectivly fines. By this the leftish SYRIZA government follows in line with its repressive politics that already evicted the protest camps of Idomeni, Polykastro and in other places. It seems like an attempt to claim control of and suggest answers to the migration movement. And also like an attempt to destroy the solidarity movement, the common organization and struggles of refugees and allies.
What happened in Thessaloniki
Early Wednesday morning, at about 6.30 am, police started the evictions in Thessaloniki. Almost 100 people were inside the three squats,“Orfanotrofeio”, “Nikis” and “Hürriya“, most of them in „Hürriya“, a squat resulting from the No Border Camp last week. More than 30 refugees who lived in these squats were arrested and brought to military detention centers but were picked up immediately by a group of allies and transported back to Thessaloniki. The 70 Greek and international acitivists who stayed in the squats at the time of the evictions, were taken into custody and accused of “disruption of the public order” and in case of the “Hürriya” squat, with damage of property in the amount of 70.000 €. The refugee-squat “Orfanotrofeio” was entirely wrecked immediately after the eviction, the people who lived inside were given shelter by friends and allies. It had been assured to former inhabitants that it would be possible to get medicine, valuables and other materials out of the builing, but the destruction continuied without keeping this promise and while there were still people inside the building.
As an answer to the evictions and imprisonment of squatters, the office of SYRIZA in Thessaloniki was occupied by activists late Wednesday morning. The occupiers plan to stay until all imprisoned activists are free. Opinions on the side of the party are divided: Some people want the houses to be given back to the activists and refugees, while on the other hand the SYRIZA government did order the evictons. Wednesday evening, a solidarity demonstration of 300 people took place in front of the same building. Another demonstration and further actions are planned for Thursday evening.
At the first hearing of the trial at 28th July, the hearings concerning „Orfanotrofeio“ and „Hürriya“ were postponed for the 3rd and 5thAugust because of missing translators. The 70 activists who were kept in jail for 30 hours without food and sleepings places, could leave the court house free.They can be represented by lawyers at the next dates of the trial and do not have to appear in person.
The hearing concerning „Nikis“, a university builing occupied since 2009, lasted for 2 1/2 hours. In their statements, witnesses and squatters stressed the importance and the need of such squats in these times of financial and social emergencies for unemployed Greeks and refugees.
A new wave of repressions
Simultaneous to the events in Thessaloniki, the Camp in the harbour of Piräus, Athens, was evicted and the mayor of Athens announced that he favours the eviction of squats that were self-organised by and for refugees in Athens. Since the evictions in Thessaloniki happened parallel and the demolition of the “Orfanatrofeio” started immediately, it is very likely that this beginning of a new wave of repressions has been in the making for a longer time. The No Border Camp and the demonstrations and actions that happened at the same time in Thessaloniki are now used to legitimize the behaviour of the state. But this should not obscure the fact, that the self-organisation of refugees and the solidarity movement have long been bothering the state of Greece and the European Union. After the EU-Turkey-Deal, the closing of the Balkan route and the criminalization of refugees and allies, this new wave of repressions is a further step to gain control of and push back migration and to stop solidarity and self-organisation movements. They pointed out, that after the university silently tolerated the squat for years, the eviction at this exact moment has to be understood as strategic repression against anarchist and antiracist structures. The prosecutor calls for the sentencing of 6 of the 9 activists. According to this 3 activists have been acquitted, 5 have been sentenced to custody of 4 month on probation and 1 person got charged a fine of 600 €.
Beginning of a new wave of repression
After the camp of Piräus harbor near Athens was evicted at the same time, the mayor of Athens announced to have the self organized refugee squats in Athens evicted, too.
Because the evictions in Thessaloniki took place at the very same time and because the destruction of „Orfanotrofeio“-building followed immediately, it is assumed, that this beginning of a new repression wave had been planned for long. As a legitimation for their proceeding, the state uses the No Border Camp, the demonstrations and the actions in Thessaloniki. Even though it is obvious, that the self organization of refugees and the solidarity movement are unpleasant for the Greek state and the EU for long. After the EU-Turkey-Deal, the closure of the Balkan route and the criminalization of refugees and supporters, these repressions represent a new level of getting in control of and defending the migration movement and of prohibiting support and self-organization in solidarity.
Keep up solidarity and resistance!
Even if the majority of the accused activists is free for now, the repression against the Greek anti-racist movement does not stop. In Thessaloniki, there is a need of new houses for shelter and self-organization as well as financial support for paying the lawyers and the costs of the court. The political pressure must be kept up in order to prevent further evictions in Greece.
Keep showing solidarity, start demonstrations and other actions, follow the successful examples in Greece and at other places – squat houses! Support people on the move in every possible way and show some active resistance against this misanthropic politics and repressions. Our passion for freedom is stronger than their prisons! Freedom of movement is everybody’s right!
A call for donations and a bank account is going to be announced the next days on openborder.noblogs.org.
Contact
Email: openborders@riseup.net