The 7th day of the trial of Revolutionary Struggle began with the interventions of advocates D.Vagianou, K.Dailianas, S.Fitrakis, and A.Paparousou concerning the freezing of accounts carried out by the independent Authority of Fighting the Legalization of Income from Criminal Activities and the Financing of Terrorism and Controlling of the Wealth situation Statements, without the defendants been convicted for terrorism offences. Which means that a trial begins without the evidence of innocence suggesting that offences have been committed. Since a specific Higher Authority has decided that the accused are guilty of terrorism offences, what is the reason to continue this trial, stressed S.Fitrakis. One demand of the advocates is that the judges give a guarantee that the accused are still on trial and their frozen wealth can be returned to them.
S.Nikitopoulos intervening stated that they classify him in the list of people who are suspects of state terrorism, while corrupt politicians and businessmen are absent. He claimed that as an anarchist he does not have illusions because he knows how far state oppression can go, but article 187A dismisses the evidence of innocence and blatantly standardize offences.
The judge announced that the advocates can take the document that confirms that the trial is in progress from the secretariat.
After that, P.Roupa noted that the dismissal of the application to exclude K.Papathanasakis as a witness was expected, since it is a trial clearly political with an evident convergence between the juridical body and the oppressive mechanisms. It is document of official charges which is up in the air and since K.Papathanasakis will testify whatever they transferred to him he cannot be evaluated, thus closes the road for the judges to judge what’s right and what’s wrong. Anyway, she stressed “you are here as political figures and not as judges”. Continuing, P.Roupa accused Papathanasakis of being a murderer and torturer who has a lawsuit pending against him for the murder of a Pakistani immigrant, when he was serving in Nikea police station in 2008, while he was the one who abused and tortured K.Gournas. This is the kind of person that will support this whole corroded list of official charges.
Followed the testimony of Papathanasakis with the judge and prosecutor asking some formal questions, while he provocatively answered most with “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember”, making it impossible for him to give a detailed account about the investigation he carried out. Specifically he claimed that he was present only at two initial surveillances, while for the rest he simply gathered oral statements and not written. When the advocates attacked him saying that ‘when a witness states facts from third party information, they are obliged to name the source of their information’, he answered that he cannot remember the names of his sources because the whole anti-terrorist force was in the operation, which means 100-200 people.
More specifically, to the questions of the prosecutor and judge, Papathanasakis mentioned tha the reason for the surveillances was the clash in Dafni with L.Foundas in the house of which they found a phonecard from which two phonecalls had been made to two specific numbers which belong to N.Maziotis and V.Stathopoulos. Also he testified that in the possession of V.Stathopoulos was found a note with mobile numbers and coded names which belong to S.Nikitopoulos and Ch.Kortesis and only accepted phonecalls from cardphones (payphones). The mobile of S.Nikitopoulos had not received any calls while the other mobile was not even found in the possession of Ch.Cortesis. In the trial brief also, of the 149 calls made to the latter mobile, only 15 were recorded, those made from a cardphone. To G.Rahiotis question why this happened, Papathanasakis said that the rest of the calls were not considered important. Obviously though the recording of the other calls was not in the interest of Papathanasakis and his service, because the theory that the mobile phone had a conspiratorial function, would collapse immediately. As for the person who listen to the calls live, Papathanasakis does not remember who it was.
Another point on which the advocates focused on was the meeting in Kesariani. According to the testimony of Papathanasakis, from a phone discussion that took place on 31/3/2010, the service was very legitimately lead to the conclusion that the organization is preparing a hit and characterized the meeting in Kesariani conspiratorial, because N.Mazitotis left the car far away and wore sunglasses to the meeting point. He hid of course the fact that the meeting took place in the mornig, that the accused V.Stathopoulos, S.Nikitopoulos and Ch.Cortesis had parked the their car and motorbikes in the parking lot next to the meeting point, that they stood at the parking lot for a minute and spoke in public view and nothing conspiratorial took place at that meeting.
Quite pressing was advocate M.Daliani concerning the testimony of Papathanasakis according to which V.Stathopoulos on 5/4/2010 went towards Hymitos to a deserted area, in which gunshots were later heard. After a little while V.Stathopoulos left and after an investigation they found bullet shells, which were not identified with the guns, which means that he went there to practise shooting. The advocate presented a document of the autopsy report that mentions that this specific incident took place on 11/4/2010, while V.Stathopoulos had already been arrested since 9/4/2010. To the question of the advocate how this could have happened, Papathanasakis answered that its the first time he notices the contradiction.
Especially contradicting was also the evidence he gave concerning the surveillance of the home of V.Stathopoulos on Likourgou street, which he named a lair. According the report of his inferiors, V.Stathopoulos and Ch.Kortesis left the house on Likourgou street and with a motorbike head to the house of comrade V.Stathopoulos where the latter gets off. After a couple of hours Ch.Kortesis comes out of the house on Likourgou street, without anyone noticing him going in again, this time accompanied by N.Maziotis where they get into a renault megane. According to police information, the car had Audi licence plates and had been stolen inThessaloniki. To the question of the advocates how could Ch.Kortesis come out twice from the house, while seen going in just once, Papathanasakis answered that probably it is an omission of the police officers who preformed the surveillance, without of course naming the officers.
A particular interest was presented by a series of questions by the advocates whether if during the surveillance they collected evidence for individual actions.
To questions such as:
‘Did they realize the access of some of the accused to the houses named as “lairs” during the surveillance?’
‘During the surveillance of the phones did someone get traced live planning a punishable act?’
‘Was one of the accused traced making a call from a cardphone?’
‘Were fingerprints of the accused found in any of the houses “lairs”, guns or cars?
‘What punishable act results from the meeting in a public place of some people who have friendly relations or from the visit of a person to friends or relatives house?’
the answers of Papathanasakis were negative, stressing that the only punishable act that took place was the use of a stolen car and that their arrest took place for preventive reasons.
G.Rahiotis insisted especially on the fact that the American embassy had put a bounty of $1.000.000 on Revolutionary Struggle and addressing the witness asked if he received that money. Papathanasakis answered that he knows nothing about money and if the advocate wants he can address the American embassy to find out. Finally the advocate revealed that during the holding of Ch.Kortesis in GADA (central police headquarters of Athens), the latter weirdly denied the use of his advocate while the advocate himself insistently asked to see him for 2 days, but they wouldn’t allow him to. Papathanasakis provocatively answered once more answered that he is not aware that this happened.
The trial will continue on Monday 12/12/2011 where Papathanasakis will be examined by the rest of the advocates.
translation by boubourAs/Actforfreedomnow!
UPDATE ON REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE CASE day 6 . 21/11/11
The sixth session of the trial of the Revolutionary Struggle began with the statement of the public prosecutor concerning the objection that had been placed by the advocates regarding the invalidity of the testimony of witness K. Papathanasakis, since he has preformed preliminary interrogating duties.
Specifically the public prosecutor mentioned that K. Papathanasakis did not record the discussions, he was not the one which ordered the lifting of telephone call secrecy, but the public prosecutor, neither signed the interrogative manuscripts that are in the trial brief. Just the submission of preliminary material from a third person, the surveillance of the perpetrator, taking the fingerprints do not constitute interrogative actions. “Besides if Papathanasakis does not testify, who coordinated the investigations, who will testify as a witness in this trial?”, stressed the public prosecutor.
Advocate M. Daliani spoke of a case of a gross mistake and an unlawful choice to send an employee that not only has auxiliary duties but coordinated and directed all the actions. The particular witness stressed M. Daliani should be excluded because a) he is the head of a department and since that self appointed preliminary investigation reached the criminological service, this would obviously be undertaken by the superior in the hierarchy, b) from the result of the trial depends his service development, c) the lifting of the secrecy can be ordered by the public prosecutor, the responsible however preliminary authority is the one which makes the demand is the public prosecutor and asks of his subordinates to proceed to the lifting of secrecy and laboratory examinations, d) finally, the witness does not testify real incidents that they have fallen in his perception. He simply comments the results of the preliminary investigation. He does therefore what is prohibited by a preliminary investigation employee.
Then A. Paparousou addressing the judges asked: “Does this brief really need a narrator or does it have all the sufficient evidence in order for you to get to the truth? ” This particular witness appeared with a transfer from another service with a purpose to dissolve R.S. It is therefore legitimate to say that he will act with prejudice in the effort to support his work.
P. Roumeliotis claimed that the public prosecutor transferred the matter from the interrogative actions to the testimonies, while the latter, mentioned also that K.Papathanasakis has not signed any reports. Here however exists a misapprehension. According to the law the reports on the interrogative actions do not constitute unique interrogative actions. Hence is not raised the possibility for K. Papathanasakis to preform an interrogative actions. Why did the legislator say that the preliminary interrogator shouldn’t participate? Is it not the position and the material rewards that lead him to prejudice?
The functional identity of a head of a department constitutes undeniably an interrogative action, added D. Vagianou. The acceptance of the specific witness establishes the catalysis of every right and freedom, since he himself has proceeded to record activities and cross-correlation of data of personal character.
D.Katsaris spoke of the protection of the correct operation of a fair trial. He stressed that the judges should judge only based on legal evidence and not be influenced by individuals that have interests. If they believe that the witness is qualified to testify, then they should also call all those who participated in the preliminary procedure. “Which is the preliminary action if not the carrying out of preliminary investigation”, was the question placed by advocate
H. Ladis to the judges and continued “Unique preliminary actions are only the arrests of the defendants and the confiscation of their personal belongings? ”
S. Fitrakis finally, gave particular stress to the fact that no executive of DAEEB testified in the trials of 17N and RPS, only real witnesses. The court he said is realizing a “modern” trial. With this logic, stressed ironically S. Fytrakis, it is not essential for all these witnesses of the official charge to testify, all you need is 2 or 3 officers of the anti-terrorist that have done all the investigations and have all the evidence. “Why do you call the one that asked the authorization for the lifting of telephone secrecy and do you not call the one that heard the dialogues of the conversations?” he asked the judges.
After an interruption of an hour and a half the public prosecutor rejected the objection saying that the actions of K. Papathanasakis do not constitute an interrogative action, but under his duties, therefore he can be examined as a witness.
Because K. Papathanasakis was absent because of an illness, the chairman proposed the continuation of the procedure with the next witnesses, something which however did not become acceptable from the advocates.
Thus the trial was interrupted and will continue on 28.11.11 at 9:00am, where is expected to testify as the first witness K. Papathanasakis.
Specifically the public prosecutor mentioned that K. Papathanasakis did not record the discussions, he was not the one which ordered the lifting of telephone call secrecy, but the public prosecutor, neither signed the interrogative manuscripts that are in the trial brief. Just the submission of preliminary material from a third person, the surveillance of the perpetrator, taking the fingerprints do not constitute interrogative actions. “Besides if Papathanasakis does not testify, who coordinated the investigations, who will testify as a witness in this trial?”, stressed the public prosecutor.
Advocate M. Daliani spoke of a case of a gross mistake and an unlawful choice to send an employee that not only has auxiliary duties but coordinated and directed all the actions. The particular witness stressed M. Daliani should be excluded because a) he is the head of a department and since that self appointed preliminary investigation reached the criminological service, this would obviously be undertaken by the superior in the hierarchy, b) from the result of the trial depends his service development, c) the lifting of the secrecy can be ordered by the public prosecutor, the responsible however preliminary authority is the one which makes the demand is the public prosecutor and asks of his subordinates to proceed to the lifting of secrecy and laboratory examinations, d) finally, the witness does not testify real incidents that they have fallen in his perception. He simply comments the results of the preliminary investigation. He does therefore what is prohibited by a preliminary investigation employee.
Then A. Paparousou addressing the judges asked: “Does this brief really need a narrator or does it have all the sufficient evidence in order for you to get to the truth? ” This particular witness appeared with a transfer from another service with a purpose to dissolve R.S. It is therefore legitimate to say that he will act with prejudice in the effort to support his work.
P. Roumeliotis claimed that the public prosecutor transferred the matter from the interrogative actions to the testimonies, while the latter, mentioned also that K.Papathanasakis has not signed any reports. Here however exists a misapprehension. According to the law the reports on the interrogative actions do not constitute unique interrogative actions. Hence is not raised the possibility for K. Papathanasakis to preform an interrogative actions. Why did the legislator say that the preliminary interrogator shouldn’t participate? Is it not the position and the material rewards that lead him to prejudice?
The functional identity of a head of a department constitutes undeniably an interrogative action, added D. Vagianou. The acceptance of the specific witness establishes the catalysis of every right and freedom, since he himself has proceeded to record activities and cross-correlation of data of personal character.
D.Katsaris spoke of the protection of the correct operation of a fair trial. He stressed that the judges should judge only based on legal evidence and not be influenced by individuals that have interests. If they believe that the witness is qualified to testify, then they should also call all those who participated in the preliminary procedure. “Which is the preliminary action if not the carrying out of preliminary investigation”, was the question placed by advocate
H. Ladis to the judges and continued “Unique preliminary actions are only the arrests of the defendants and the confiscation of their personal belongings? ”
S. Fitrakis finally, gave particular stress to the fact that no executive of DAEEB testified in the trials of 17N and RPS, only real witnesses. The court he said is realizing a “modern” trial. With this logic, stressed ironically S. Fytrakis, it is not essential for all these witnesses of the official charge to testify, all you need is 2 or 3 officers of the anti-terrorist that have done all the investigations and have all the evidence. “Why do you call the one that asked the authorization for the lifting of telephone secrecy and do you not call the one that heard the dialogues of the conversations?” he asked the judges.
After an interruption of an hour and a half the public prosecutor rejected the objection saying that the actions of K. Papathanasakis do not constitute an interrogative action, but under his duties, therefore he can be examined as a witness.
Because K. Papathanasakis was absent because of an illness, the chairman proposed the continuation of the procedure with the next witnesses, something which however did not become acceptable from the advocates.
Thus the trial was interrupted and will continue on 28.11.11 at 9:00am, where is expected to testify as the first witness K. Papathanasakis.
Assembly of solidarity
to the imprisoned and persecuted fighters
UPDATE ON REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TRIAL DAY 5, 14/11/11
Are you going to have a trial with witnesses or with proof of evidence the scenario of the Anti-terrorist force?
This is the essential question faced by the terror-court of Koridallos, before the hearing begins with the examination of the prosecution witnesses. Legally, this question took the form of a dispute from the side of the defence with the examination as a witness of Kostandinos Papathanasiou, officer of the Police, head of the 1st Department of Internal Security of the Management and Facing of Special Crimes of Violence,(ΔΑΕΕΒ) as is the formal service name of the infamous Anti-terrorist force.
We will try to explain as simply as possible the substance of the matter put, in order for all those who are not acquainted with legal matters to realize it.
The Code of Penal Law, -not only the existing one, but the one that was in force before 1950- forbids to examine as witnesses anyone who has been involved in the interrogations for the case in matter. This is a main protection of the rights of the defendant, because these specific people have knowledge of the case and have formed, to one degree or another, the frame in which this case got to court to be tried. Hence, it is considered from the start that they are not outspoken witnesses, but have an opinion for the case and the defendants (does not matter if its for or against). Beyond the formed opinion they have, many times they also have a personal interest from the outcome of the case according to the frame which themselves, as interrogating or preliminary employees, have formed. A police officer, for example, does not want a case which he/she “set up”to be proven a fiasco and that is why as a witness they will act with prejudice for the the case he/she “set up”. As a small guarantee therefore, article 211 of the Code of Penal Law forbids witnesses who have had interrogating or preliminary duties in the case, to testify. There is, actually, a legislation that forbids even secretaries of preliminary interrogations to testify as witnesses, let alone people who had the responsibility of the “set up”of a case, such as the cop in question.
Lets see, therefore, what goes for the specific officer, as described with numerous details from the defence advocates.
M.Daliani presented the legal frame in which are based the objections of the defence. Article 211 of the C.P.L. forbids witnesses to testify who have practised interrogating duties, because suspicions of prejudice and defending of service interests arise, article 33 of the C.P.L. defines who are those who practised interrogating duties, clearly defining that interrogating duty is also every action that took place in the frame of the preliminary interrogation. Only the preliminary interrogator has knowledge of the trial brief, while those foreign to the interrogation have no right to gain knowledge (therefore, the knowledge of Papathanasakis is knowledge of the preliminary interrogator). The preliminary interrogation for the specific case began from the Department of Criminal Prosecution against Life in GADA (Athens police headquarters), after the death of Lambros Foundas, while the next day already the 1st Department of Internal Terrorism of the DAEEB took over, head of which is Papathanasakis. This is shown clearly from the stamps on the official documents. Papathanasakis collected all of the material, he gave the order to the Service of Criminal Investigations (police labs) to collect and investigate of numerous proof, he asked for the lifting of the secrecy of some phone lines, he informed the interrogator, he signs the whole of the lists with the evaluation of findings when the trial brief was transferred to the public prosecutor. He, himself gave a preliminary testimony in which he did not bring any proof of evidence, went ahead however to an evaluation of all material. He also testified to the special appeals prosecutor, where he even asked to use his notes so he does not forget anything. He seems to have such detailed knowledge, because he is the preliminary interrogator as the head of the department that preformed it. For this, he has a service interest to claim that his version is the right one. It is characteristic that he is the only one of the prosecution witnesses who refers to some of the defendants, such as for example Stathopoulos. This is why he should be excluded.
Anny Paparoussou continued, and read out Papathanasakis testimony, in which is included a large list of preliminary acts in which he participated: he asked for the secrecy lift on specific phone lines, made the evidence chart, made the chart for the documents for the trials brief, made the proof chart, the document of the DAEEB towards the special appeals interrogator etc.etc. Almost all of the trials brief is made by him. He practised preliminary and interrogating duties. He mentioned many incidents, not from his immediate knowledge, interpreting them. He is the one who gave the meaning to the whole case. For Nikitopoulos this meaning is of defining importance. He evaluated two meetings, which anyone could, and called him a member of the organization. He sent the interrogator ready made conclusions under the form of an essay.
The “antiterrorist”legislations have an immediate relation with the matter in discussion, pointed out D. Vagianou. As a result of these legislations was added to the C.P.L., article 253A, that concerns interrogative actions for “terrorism”cases. These interrogative actions were carried out by Papathanasakis as the head in charge. He was the protagonist as an interrogative organ in the interrogating procedures with a political content. He had a managerial task, he was the maestro of the orchestra. It is unacceptable for him to testify, because consciously or subconsciously will try to justify what he did.
P. Roumeliotis returned concisely to the legal matters and described the actions of Papathanasakis, which are these that the CPL defines as interrogating actions. According to the legislation, pointed out the advocate, interrogating employee is even whoever carries out an arrest or the 2nd degree interrogating employee, who simply is present and signs, without doing anything, let alone he who coordinates everything. The ratio of the law says that the specific employee open to any kind of pressures and will not be objective. Papathanasakis does not simply mention incidents, but makes conclusions that lead specific accused to condemnation. For example, he penalizes a meeting. From the outcome of this case he hopes for a better professional evolution, without forgetting that in these cases there are major ethical and professional benefits, there are bounties, which means economic gains. If Papathanasakis testifies, then there will be a tear away from the values of a ‘fair trial’, as defined by article 6 of the European Convention for Human Rights.
H. Ladis noted that all the pre-trial demands that were rejected by the court. In some of them there was a legal base, as for example the objection for the political offence, while in this case it does not exist. The forbidding of article 211 of the CPL is a foundational lawful forbidding, which has been applied throughout time. Based on this even the secretary of the interrogation is excluded from being a witness and this is an answer to the legitimate protest of every defendant that there is prejudice against them. In this case, the witness is the basic figure of the prejudice. He became a witness, because he has never been a witness in anything and simply makes a mixture, transforming into a testimony anything that has been gathered, in order to create a specific image against specific defendants. What will we say to the defendants that claim that they have across them the whole mechanism? Why did they not 4-5 cops as witnesses, if there were, that can testify what they realized first hand? Why do they bring the second hand and not those who allegedly mentioned things to Papathanasakis? If you reject this self-explanatory demand, he continued, it would as if you hope that soon this legislation section will be abolished. In the meantime, there will be a major blow to the feeling of justice that every citizen has.
Laconic K. Dailianas, agreed with his pre spoken colleagues and noted that from the content of the two testimonies of Papathanasakis it comes out that he testifies nothing as his own knowledge, but whatever he learnt from his service as a interrogative employee.
From the above, we think its clear what this is about. We note that it is about a turn in the tactic of the Anti-terrorist. In the trials of the 17N and R.P.S not even a nostril of ‘anti-terrorist’ appeared to testify. Only two officers appeared at the second trial of R.P.S, to ‘empty’ the fake witness that testified he ‘recognized’ G.Serifis in an action of R.P.S. In Perissos. They wanted to ‘empty’ him, because the scenario of the Anti-terrorist had placed G.Serifis in 17N and not R.P.S. and the fake witness spoiled their scenario. When they were asked in the trial generally about the case, they denied to answer, claiming the specific forbidding legislation (they had practised preliminary interrogation duties)! The same answer was given by judges and prosecutors to the defence advocates in both of these trials, who asked to summon officers of the Anti-terrorist to testify: we cannot summon them because they have practised preliminary duties and is forbidden by article 211 of the CPL. They raised a protective wall around the officers of the Anti-terrorist, because they considered they can fulfil these trials with other “proof” (in the 17N case with the “confessions” and those who cooperated, in the RPS case with the “Stazi archives” and three civilian fake witnesses.
In the current trial of R.S. they had no other way to “tie up” some of the defendants beyond the “material” of the Anti-terrorist. This is why they assigned to the responsible head of the department to create a scenario and present it. They consider that he can mange in the court room, contrary to those who carried out the surveillances. This is the substance. They want to do the trial using as a main witness the script writer of the Anti-terrorist, tearing up one of the fundamental provisions of the existing legislation system and inaugurating a new period, during which they will bring a Anti-terrorist officer as a specialist and the scenario which he will present will be taken as indisputable proof.
After the allocutions of the advocates, the trial was interrupted until next Monday (21st), in order for the allocution of S.Fitrakis absent because of illness. The other defence advocates had applied for a interruption from the beginning of the procedure.
translate by boubourAs/actforfreedomnow!
Athens: Anarchists detained en mass after solidarity intervention in a commercial radio station for the Revolutionary Struggle case trial
In the morning of January 10th, nearly twenty members of the solidarity assembly for the case of Revolutionary Struggle (Epanastatikos Agonas, whose trial is currently underway) entered the corporate radio station flash.gr on Kifisias Avenue and interrupted the station’s program, to transmit a message of solidarity with those on trial.
Despite the fact that neither the station’s management, nor its staff asked officially any police intervention, scores of police (DIAS motorcycle units, squads such as MAT, plainclothes cops, among others) soon arrived on the spot and encircled the building. At about 14.00, after hours of being blocked inside the radio’s offices, anarchists who took part in the solidarity intervention were detained en mass and taken to the police headquarters on Alexandras Avenue: two prosecutors along with police squads stormed the radio station, forcing the comrades to exit the premises; all were handcuffed and held in police buses, while their mobile phones were confiscated.
As soon as the news was circulated, anarchists gathered opposite the police HQ (GADA), where a solidarity protest of approximately 100 people is underway (pre-gathering point: outside Ambelokipi metro station).
Here’s a text released by the 20 detainees themselves:
Today, January 10th, 2012, comrades from the anarchist/anti-authoritarian space carried out an intervention in the corporate radio station Flash 96 FM in the context of a series of solidarity actions for the Revolutionary Struggle case, which was brought to trial since October 5th, 2011, in the special court of Koridallos prisons.
We have taken this action in an effort to break the wall of silence and the political order to gag the trial process and the political discourse of the defendants in the Revolutionary Struggle case.
A confirmation of this gagging was the immediate reaction of police forces during the broadcast of our audio message with the words of the prosecuted for the same case. This mobilization of the executive and law enforcement authorities is indicative for anyone who resists, for whoever puts forward the total overthrow of the system through the social revolution, which is the only way to escape from the modern totalitarianism of the Troika of EU, ECB and IMF and their trustee, the Greek State, that have submitted the entire society in poverty and misery.
A society doomed by the full dismantling of labour relations, the ‘chinesization’ in front of the threat of more and more unemployed people lining up in long queues, the onslaughts of predatory taxation, the dissolution of public-benefit corporations, the privatizations, the selling off of public assets and the development of financial zones on starvation wages.
It is worth noting that under this treaty, in their bid to shield the system, and while everything is reduced and cut, the only thing that’s increased are the armies of the watchdogs of democracy, armed guards, capitalism and its State. Therefore, under this treaty, more commonly referred to as Junta, we are in solidarity and proud with our comrades and their choices.
Our choices are side by side with all parts of society who choose the fair way of social liberation.
SOLIDARITY WITH MAZIOTIS, ROUPA, GOURNAS, STATHOPOULOS, NIKITOPOULOS, KORTESIS, BERAHA AND KATSENOS
Solidaritarians’ assembly from inside Flash radio station
Solidarity banner opposite Athens police HQ: ‘Down your limbs from the fighters! We are all terrorists!’
Although it is most likely that the station’s owners or even its security guards had notified some authorities about the presence of anarchists in the building, it has been reported that all detainees were charged in ex officio indictment, meaning that no call from the company’s staff was required for the prosecutors and cops to invade in it. Initially, it was feared that the charges may fall under Greece’s third terrorism law. It seems though that all comrades are charged with the misdemeanor of ‘incitement to violence’. They are now threatened to be held in detention and stand trial tomorrow, 11/1, at Evelpidon courts in Athens, at about 12.00. We call for their unconditional acquittal!
No prosecution for the comrades who intervened in Flash 96 FM!
Freedom now to all!
Freedom now to all!
Solidarity with the three members of Revolutionary Struggle, Nikos Maziotis, Pola Roupa, Kostas Gournas, and the other defendants in the same case, Vaggelis Stathopoulos, Sarantos Nikitopoulos, Christoforos Kortesis, Marie Beraha and Kostas Katsenos. We demand the immediate release of K.Katsenos who is still held hostage under pre-trial detention.
SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON
Ongoing gathering outside Athens police headquarters,
on Alexandras Avenue, from 17.30
on Alexandras Avenue, from 17.30
Ongoing PA’s counter-information gathering
at Kamara, Thessaloniki, from 18.30
at Kamara, Thessaloniki, from 18.30
2 comments to Athens: Anarchists detained en mass after solidarity intervention in a commercial radio station for the Revolutionary Struggle case trial
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Update, Wednesday, January 11th, 11.26 GMT+2
Due to the refusal of the arrested comrades to give their fingerprints, they will be probably transferred earlier than expected at Evelpidon courts, Athens. -
Contra Info Latest update, Wednesday, January 11th:All 20 comrades have now been released. Still, they will be facing trial (on Friday, January, 13th).
Responsibility claim for the arsons of the Tax Offices of Pagrati and Glifada.- Athens
“And I ask the economists, the politicians, the moralisers: did they ever calculate the number of people who obligatorily are convicted to decadence, to unequal work, to shabbiness, to corrupted ignorance, to unbeatable infelicity, to absolute destitution in order to produce a rich person?”
Almeida Garrett
We take responsibility for the arsons, in the early hours of Saturday 26/11 and Tuesday 29/11, in the:
-Tax offices of Pagrati, on Damareos street
-Tax offices of Glifada, on Gounari street
We placed the incendiary mechanisms on the inside of the buildings aiming at as much material damage as possible.
The global economic-political system transforms testing its totalitarian possibilities. We are living the end of the “social state” with the passing into an even more vicious capitalism without limits and rules. The generalized systemic crisis is not an accidental incident, but a situation of capitalism itself. The procedure with which the capital was invested all the previous years, with the so-called money products (bonds, CDS e.t.c) was proven precarious. This fact was unavoidable, since lending creates money, which does not correspond to a rise of the economic base, that is to say, the production of the proportional product, to which the money would correspond. Thus, the managers of large capitals are in the unfavourable position to have tied up a large part of their wealth not in material goods, but in a promise of money. By trying to secure their wealth, they blackmail and extract the dominating rights in public and state fortune, coming to the point of attacking also the private fortunes of the citizens.
In the Greece of 2011 the repeatedly memorandums and the lending conventions consist the official grave stone of whatever social and work conquests, the abolition of every meaning and pretext of the “welfare state”. Thus comes the end of the feigned prosperity and “frantic development” of the dogma of modernization of the ’90s and the beginning of the ’00s.
The fiestas of uplifting the “national ideal” of the Olympics and the vision of the “powerful Greece” give way to the fear of proletarianization, with capitalism, under the weight of its dead-ends, taking away the crumbs it gave out. With the mechanisms of guidance, as always, in full function. The relaxation in the stadiums and the consumption of cheap (or expensive…) lifestyle. With the reduction of self-interest to a social goods, with the customer relations and the give-and-taking with the political authority, was conserved the invention of a fabricated thriving middle class. An apathetic identical social formation where the biggest piece of it did not see or did not want to see the evident. That the informal ‘Omerta’ with the system, which exploits it, steps on borrowed and hollow foundations. The previous years, going through the streets of the city you noticed a society, which in its majority watched self-consciously its bloodsucking compared to the cannibalism imposed on it. Henceforth the cuts on wages and pensions, the added taxes, will form a more and more asphyxiating daily life for everyone. The instinct of self-preservation is activated and a social angry outburst is now in evolving, creating thin balances between the fatalistic moaning and the factual expression of disobedience. The passing of the systemic crisis over our backs puts every person in front of the responsibilities of their own dignity. The course is definitely not predestined. The shady cloud of dispute hovers above the political system.
The regime of urban democracy seeing the contract of social peace and subjugation slowly and steadily getting wrinkled, resorts to the pre-decided choice of a government of cooperation and complicity. Hoping it will function as a de-pressure valve, for the achievement of a inter-class consent through cries for national coil and multiple blackmails. A right to the pie of authority is for all traditional parliamentary political forces who are willing to completely harmonize with the orders of the global economic elite. The coup d’ etat model of the technocratic governing signals the “end of history”, with the pushing aside of ideologies, putting under its umbrella fake social-democrats up to the fascists of LAOS (populist orthodox formation).
In reality its aim is now clear and without pretexts rising of the capital to a legislative coordinator.
The united interests of the urban class and their expressers go through the economic junta of the omnipotence of the banks, the squeezing of individual production possibility, the economic annihilation of the non-privileged, the reduction of freedoms and the legal and military armouring of the frame of oppression. The dignity of existence is expressed with violent rupture, resistance in the working places, the barricades of the strikes, from the not discounted refusal of the existing way of things and the stomping of ruling ethics.
Revolutionary violence is the chariot of social liberation and revolutionary conscience the fuel which will move it. The crisis is for the system an “opportunity for reformation” or otherwise a bullet, that aims at its forehead as long as a capable collective subject is found to pull the trigger. The objective conditions of today immediately put the matter of the search and acceleration of the means for the uprooting of authoritarian-exploitative relations, aiming at the construction of relations of solidarity-equality of tomorrow, the emersion of an un-mediated anti-capitalist front from the bottom which will cross over to the multiform attack. It is imperative henceforth, that we set up horizontal structures and procedures, which will accompany the practices that promote the revolution. The moment the state mechanisms will come to impose the antisocial measures of their local and international bosses, they fall onto the bulwark of solidarity of the oppressed. With the populist assemblies, wild strikes, the antifascist struggle, the night-time raids, sabotages, armed struggle, a radical front is composed which aims at the destruction of modern totalitarianism which is imposed on our lives.
The only solution for the passing into a society of equality where there will be no exploitation of human by humans is the SOCIAL REVOLUTION.
We dedicate our attacks to the anarchist comrades P.Roupa, N.Maziotis, K.Gournas who have taken the political responsibility for the R.O. Revolutionary Struggle and to the anarchist comrades S.Nikitopoulos, Ch.Kortesis, V.Stathopoulos, K.Katsenos as well as M.Beraha who are tried for the same case.
HONOUR FOR EVER TO LAMBROS FOUNDAS
We are next to all the comrades who stand with dignity and continue to fight inside the prison.
Revolutionary Counter attack
Attack on Lloyds bank depot-BRISTOL UK
At 4:30 am on Thursday 15th of december we attacked Bristol LLoyds bank depot
in solidarity with comrades imprisoned in Greece, Chile, Switherland and all over
the world. We painted the message “UNTIL ALL ARE FREE” on the building and positioned
three bins of flamable material soaked in gazoline in front of their wooden doors
and set them alight. Unfortunately our attempt to burn the building down was scuppured
by fast emergency services response.
We took this action to send our love and Solidarity to our Revolutionary Struggle
comrades on trial in Greece and to the Chillean comrades persecuted for the “bomb case” ,
also to Silvia, Costa and Billy the Swiss comrades persecuted for “IBM nanotechnology building”
and for all those Imprisoned for their political beliefs.
ATTACKS WON’T STOP UNTIL WE ARE ALL FREE!
anarchists individuals/ cells of FAI
Grete-xania-Poster Solidarity to the persecuted for the case of the revolutionary struggle
translate by boubourAs/Actforfreedomnow!
Freedom to all imprisoned fighters
The campaign of modern savagery crushes every aspect of social life, intensifying the shabbiness of the “under” of this world.
On the other camp, parts of society who do not subjugate, do not consent in the plans of authority, choose to counter attack, through the speech and actions, involved in the multiform social struggles.
The guaranteeing of the privileged of this world, demands the elimination of anyone who disturbs the smoothness of our exploit. In the foresight the militant social struggles and the fighters.
Right now in the cells of the regime there are about 40 fighters while dozens more are persecuted, because of their clear position of battle which they chose against the rulers.
The target of authority is to demean and de-politicize the whatever subversive choices, seeking to identify socially the factual revolutionary/social counter-violence with actions of the common penal code, in their attempt to isolate and anticipate the dissemination of these choices into fighting social part. And despite that institutionally they are not recognized as political prisoners, the vengeance and special treatment (terrorlaw, special confinement conditions, special courts) saved for them, proves the exact opposite.
Solidarity to the persecuted for the case of the revolutionary struggle
Within these frames is included the trial for the case of the Revolutionary Struggle which began on the 5th of October. The fighters P.Roupa, K.Gournas and N.Maziotis have taken the political responsibility for the action of the organization and V.Stathopoulos, Ch.Kortesis, S.Nikitopoulos, M.Beraha and K.Katsenos are accused because of the penalization of their comradely or family relations and their anarchist action.
The memory of anarchist Lambros Foundas, murdered member of the Revolutionary Struggle in an armed conflict with the cops, will accompany us in the struggles.
We should deepen the rupture with every form of authority
for a world without hierarchies, oppression and exploit
for the social revolution and liberation
Hania december 2011
assembly of anarchists/anti-authoritarians “saltadoroi”
Ravenna, Italy: vehicles damaged in solidarity with comrades and struggles
Received from anonymous email
Translated from informa-azione by B.pd/actforfreedomnow
In the night between 19th and 20th November, with the help of a thick fog, we individuated and hit 12 vehicles, among which:
– 7 cars of ENI, a company that exports death and destruction.
– 3 SUV luxury cars.
– 1 car of CMC, a company also involved in the TAV.
– 1 limousine.
We punctured all tyres.
We want to dedicate this action to:
1) Tortuga.
2) All the Chilean comrades on trial for the Bombas case.
3) Gabriela, still on hiding.
4) Silvia, Costa, Billy.
5) Marco Camenish.
6) Eat & Billy.
7) Tamara.
All the arrested and not arrested comrades of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire.
9) All the arrested and not arrested comrades of Revolutionary Struggle.
10) All the comrades who struggle inside and outside prison.
11) All the peoples in struggle against the devastation of the earth (for example in Nigeria or in Val Susa).
12) All the comrades fallen while fighting in order to destroy the misery in which we live.
(A)
Athens: Solidarity gathering for the Revolutionary Struggle case
‘The insurgents are right’
SOLIDARITY
with the members of REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
and all those who are prosecuted for the same case
with the members of REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
and all those who are prosecuted for the same case
The call for the solidarity gathering
The case of social liberation within a revolutionary perspective is always current because the chains of the repressed of this decayed world will only break if we fight by all means.
All the subversive purposes ought to get organized in common without creating matters of division within the struggle for the social liberation. It is important to realize that the means used for the overthrow of the current system are choices that all converge in the same direction.
The armed struggle is a radical form of struggle and should be analyzed as such. It is another choice within the polymorphous action of the revolutionary and radical movement, since it propels the actual and direct confrontation against the state and its mechanisms of exploitation.
The comrades that are prosecuted for the case of the Revolutionary Struggle continue to give meaning to the struggle with their speech and criticism for the overthrow of the State and Capitalism inside and outside the cells of democracy and courts.
Assembly for the case of Revolutionary Struggle
Chania, Crete: Solidarity poster by saltadoroi
Greece: Communiqué of political prisoners who abstain from prison food in solidarity with anarchist Stella Antoniou
The last two years, the number of political prisoners in the prisons of the Greek State has increased rapidly, while dozens of activists of all tendencies have been arrested, accused either for participation in the revolutionary organizations that were active in the previous period, or for their general anti-systemic action.One of those is Stella Antoniou, who was arrested on December 4th, 2010. The anarchist comrade was already facing a serious health problem, which has dangerously worsened during the last year of her incarceration. On January 4th, 2012, she will submit an application for release from prison, in order to receive the appropriate medical care before her condition becomes irreversible.
As a minimum act of solidarity, we have started from today, December 30th, 2011, an abstention from prison meals, which will last until the date of her application submission for release —on January 4th, 2012.
Polykarpos Georgiadis, Giannis Dimitrakis, Giorgos Karagiannidis, Konstantina Karakatsani, Kostas Katsenos, Christos Kolentinis, Dimitris Koufontinas, Alexandros Mitroussias, Kostas Sakkas, Rami Syrianos, Dimitris Fessas
Due to delayed communication, the comrade Simos Seisidis is not able to participate in the abstention, but he supports the protest action.
Also, Stella Antoniou abstains from prison food.
Source: athens.indymedia.org
Other inmates of the 2nd wing of Corfu prisons who abstain from prison food are: Stamatis Achtsalotidis, Theofilos Lazarakis, Alexandér Bani, Christos Loupa, Michalis Devenes (along with Polykarpos Georgiadis who co-signs the above statement).
Hour by hour, there are more declarations of abstention from prison food in solidarity with Stella Antoniou. In particular, the anarchist prisoners of war Giannis Skouloudis, Sokratis Tzifkas, Dimitris Dimtsiadis and Babis Tsilianidis explain in their communiqué:
[…] On January 4th a hearing will be held regarding a new application for release submitted by the comrade Stella Antoniou, who is already one year under pre-trial detention in Koridallos women’s prisons. We want to make clear that we stand on the side of Stella and we claim her immediate release from prison, therefore we will abstain from prison meals from December 30th to January 4th. On the same day (4/1) the members of the R.O. Conspiracy of Cells of Fire Damiano Bolano, Gerasimos Tsakalos, Christos Tsakalos, Michalis Nikolopoulos, Giorgos Nikolopoulos, Giorgos Polidoros, Olga Ekonomidou, Haris Hadjimihelakis, Panagiotis Argirou, as well as the anarchists Giorgos Karagiannidis, Alexandros Mitroussias, Kostas Sakkas, Christos Politis and Dimitris Michail are called to appear before the Appellate Judges Council [of Athens] in order to be decided who and on what charges will be brought to trial in relation to the arrests of December 4th, 2010, and the incendiary parcels sent to European Union organizations and foreign embassies. […]
Solidarity demonstration in Brussels with the comrades of “Revolutionary Struggle”
Actforfreedomnow! receives and transmits :
October 25, 2011
Greece: Trial against “Revolutionary Struggle”
The trial of the eight alleged members of anarchist “Revolutionary Struggle”, finally began yesterday before the Special Criminal Court of Appeal set up within the walls of Korydallos prison near Athens. Originally due to begin October 5, the trial was postponed to allow one of the accused, Katsenos Costas, who handed himself in to the authorities at the beginning of the month, to prepare his appearance.
Costas Katsenos is the only one of the eight accused currently in custody, the three main defendants (those who claim membership of “Revolutionary Struggle”) – Nikos Maziotis, his wife Panayota Roupa, and Konstantinos Gournas, having been recently released in conditional liberty upon the expiry of 18 months of their period of detention. All the accused have refused to testify before the special court of three judges. Nikos Maziotis read a text before the court, which noted that the trial was political and should be judging the politicians, bankers and capital, which are the origin of social robbery. “Revolutionary Struggle” is a political organization more relevant than ever, hurled Nikos Maziotis.
The defendants face heavy penalties of up to life imprisonment. The trial will resume on November 1 and should last at least until the end of December.
Fifteen people gathered on Tuesday afternoon at the Greek Embassy in Brussels to show their solidarity with the defendants of “Revolutionary Struggle”.
Fifteen people gathered on Tuesday afternoon at the Greek Embassy in Brussels to show their solidarity with the defendants of “Revolutionary Struggle”.
http://www.secoursrouge.org/Grece-Debut-du-proces-contre-Lutte
25 octobre 2011
Grèce : Début du procès contre “Lutte Révolutionnaire”
Le procès de huit anarchistes membres présumés de “Lutte révolutionnaire”, a finalement commencé hier devant la cour d’appel criminelle spéciale installée dans l’enceinte de la prison de Korydallos près d’Athènes. Devant initialement commencer le 5 octobre, le procès avait été reporté afin de permettre à un de ces accusé, Costas Katsenos, qui s’était rendu au début du mois aux autorités, de préparer sa comparution.
Costas Katsenos est le seul de huit accusés actuellement en détention provisoire, les trois principaux accusés (ceux qui revendiquent leur appartenance à “Lutte Révolutionnaire”) -Nikos Maziotis, sa femme Panayota Roupa, et Konstantinos Gournas-, ayant été placés tout récemment en liberté conditionnelle à l’expiration des 18 mois de leur période de détention provisoire. Tous les accusés ont refusé de déposer devant la cour spéciale, composée de trois juges. Nikos Maziotis a lu un texte devant la cour, qui soulignait que le procès était politique et qu’il fallait juger les politiciens, les banquiers et le capital, qui sont à l’origine du braquage social. “Lutte Révolutionnaire” est une organisation politique plus actuelle que jamais, a lancé Nikos Maziotis. Les accusés risquent de lourdes peines allant jusqu’à la prison à vie. Le procès doit reprendre le 1er novembre et devrait durer au moins jusqu’à la fin décembre.
Revolutionary Struggle: Solidarity to Andrea ‘Andi’ Stauffacher
Dear comrades,We, the imprisoned fighters of the guerrilla group Revolutionary Struggle, express our solidarity with comrade Andi, member of the Revolutionärer Aufbau in Switzerland and the Secours Rouge International (International Red Aid), who is accused for arsons by the Swiss State.
Any incrimination of a comrade, anywhere in the world, is incrimination of all who fight against the Capital and the State.
In our struggle it is important to develop international solidarity, especially among the fighters, in our era where the war carried out by the international financial elite, the States and the governments against the people to support the current capitalist system is aggravated because of repression and state terrorism.
International solidarity is a relationship that not only connects and continues our struggle, but can also lay the foundation for the creation of an international revolutionary movement, the organization of which is now more necessary than ever, and can benefit from the present systemic crisis to attempt the overthrow of the current capitalist system and the State.
International solidarity is a necessary condition for worldwide social revolution.
No prosecution against comrade Andi
Freedom to all imprisoned fighters in the world
Pola Roupa, Kostas Gournas, Nikos Maziotis
(Translated from Italian > ch.indymedia > culmine, September 26th, 2011)
Zurich: Banner in solidarity with Andrea Stauffacher by ‘Gruppe für eine antikapitalistische Praxis’
Beginning of the trial against Andi: September 28th, 2011, 10.15 am, Viale Stefano Franscini 3, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
Athens: Manifestations in solidarity with comrades imprisoned and persecuted for the Revolutionary Struggle case and in memory of Lambros Foundas
On October 1st, at 12 pm comrades attended a solidarity gathering PA’s [mikrofoniki] in Syntagma Square where also texts were distributed for over an hour regarding the upcoming trial of the Revolutionary Struggle case.Nearly 3,000 people marched down central streets of Athens in solidarity with the imprisoned members of the R.O. Revolutionary Struggle Pola Roupa, Kostas Gournas and Nikos Maziotis, as well as the persecuted for the same case Christoforos Kortesis, Sarantos Nikitopoulos, Vaggelis Stathopoulos, Marie Beracha and Kostas Katsenas (who is not a fugitive anymore). Militant slogans were chanted such as ‘The States are the only terrorists! Solidarity with the guerrilla fighters!’ and ‘Lambros [Foundas] lives inside every fighter’s heart’.
The trial of the Revolutionary Struggle case will begin on Wednesday, October 5th, at 9 am in the special court of Koridallos dungeons. It is now more than necessary to show international solidarity with our comrades.
Berlin: Attack against Deutsche Telekom in solidarity with Revolutionary Struggle
During the night to October 3rd, we made a gift to the German economy. We attacked several vehicles with incendiaries at a site of Deutsche Telekom in Lichtenberg, Berlin. We selected the date for this action in reference to the trial against the organization Revolutionary Struggle which begins on October 5th in Athens.We stand in solidarity with the actions of the Revolutionary Struggle and demand the release of Kostas Gournas, Panagiota ‘Pola’ Roupa, Nikos Maziotis and all other comrades who are imprisoned.
The option of armed struggle within autonomous and radical leftist forms of resistance should always be maintained but must not be led to isolation from other forms of actions and movements.
Here, there is no movement willing and able to back up the possibility of armed struggle. For this reason, there aren’t any guerrilla groups in Germany at the moment.
However, the levels of resistance in Europe need to refer to each other in order to fight the project of the European superpower more effectively.
The troika set the privatization of state-owned enterprises as a condition for further credit loans to the Greek State. Within this framework, Deutsche Telekom has overtaken large shares of the Greek telecommunications organization OTE at times of hoped economic upturn. Since OTE’s profits did not rise up to the anticipated amount, [its largest shareholder] Deutsche Telekom plans to launch layoffs and massive wage cuts against the employees. Also, Telekom specifies the payments to early retirees as a ‘burden’ in its balance sheet. Deutsche Telekom speculates via this pressure to acquire OTE’s remaining shares, and thus completely overtake the company from the Greek State, in order to obtain the absolute supremacy. The example of this multinational corporation marks the inhuman capitalistic exploitation logic very well.
Furthermore, Telekom is involved through a security partnership with the police and the army in the comprehensive surveillance at Germany and abroad.
Our attack was also meant to support the strikes among the employees and workers in Greece, and to merge the struggle of the anarchist movement across the borders.
We hope that this action will also encourage others to participate actively in a militant perspective.
We commemorate Lambros Foundas who was shot dead by cops
in his struggle for freedom.
FOR ANARCHY!
‘Propagandists of the Deed’ (Propagandisten der Tat)
Source: linksuntenSOLIDARITY WITH THE COMRADES OF REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE FROM ANARCHIST ANTIFASCIST PRISONER THOMAS BLAK – LONDON-UK
28/09/2011
SOLIDARITY WITH THE COMRADES OF R. S
I send you my support and hopes of strength for the trial.
A spectacle set up by corrupt judges, cops and politicians.
In the north, we will raise a clenched fist through the barred windows of the English
prisons, high towards the sky.
Never losing sight of our goal.
Sharing dreams of freedom and victory.
With determination and courage, united we will succeed.
No one is free until all are free.
Fire to the prisons and the states that create them.
T. Blak
TEXT IN GREEK
ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΟΥΣ ΣΥΝΤΡΟΦΟΥΣ ΤΟΥ Ε.Α.
Σας στέλνω την υποστήριξή μου και τις ελπίδες δύναμης για τη δίκη.
Ένα θέαμα που έχει στηθεί από διεφθαρμένους δικαστές, μπάτσους και πολιτικούς.
Στο βορρά, θα υψώσουμε μια σφιγμένη γροθιά μέσα απʼτα κάγκελα των παραθύρων των Αγγλικών φυλακών, ψηλά προς τον ουρανό.
Ποτέ μην λησμονείτε τον στόχο μας.
Ας μοιραστούμε τα όνειρα της ελευθερίας και της νίκης.
Με αποφασιστικότητα και θάρρος, ενωμένοι θα πετύχουμε.
Κανείς δεν είναι ελεύθερος έως ότου όλοι να είναι ελεύθεροι.
Ένα θέαμα που έχει στηθεί από διεφθαρμένους δικαστές, μπάτσους και πολιτικούς.
Στο βορρά, θα υψώσουμε μια σφιγμένη γροθιά μέσα απʼτα κάγκελα των παραθύρων των Αγγλικών φυλακών, ψηλά προς τον ουρανό.
Ποτέ μην λησμονείτε τον στόχο μας.
Ας μοιραστούμε τα όνειρα της ελευθερίας και της νίκης.
Με αποφασιστικότητα και θάρρος, ενωμένοι θα πετύχουμε.
Κανείς δεν είναι ελεύθερος έως ότου όλοι να είναι ελεύθεροι.
Φωτιά στις φυλακές και στα κράτη που τις δημιουργούν.
T. Blak
28/09/2011
actforfreedomnow!
IRF Bristol claims attack against Law Courts in solidarity with Revolutionary Struggle (UK)
10 & 11 October 2011
On the night of Monday 10 October, the windows of Bristol Magistrates Court were smashed and ‘FIGHT BACK’ sprayed on the front of the building. On the night of Tuesday 11 October, the windows of Bristol Civil Justice Centre were smashed.
One of many reasons these buildings were attacked was in solidarity with people persecuted after the riots. These attacks were part of the struggle against power, a struggle that flared up again in August as people fought police and attacked police stations, cop cars and courts as well as so much else.
Now the state is trying to make an example of the small percentage of rebels they’ve managed to catch – and is threatening collective punishment of families and households. Cracks are showing in the myth of democratic social consensus as authority, under attack, resorts to more naked force. They’re trying to frighten the rest of us back into quiet obedience – but it’s not going to work.
It should be obvious by now that we’re not acting in order to ask for some kind of reformed, more ‘just’ replacement for this – or anything else – within this democratic society. The borders of democracy are made up of violently enforced racial, economic, social, sexual and governmental structures. Police, courts and prisons are just one part of this. ‘Justice’ has always been about maintaining hierarchies and inequalities through force. The rich always get away with shit while the poor are punished for the slightest transgression.
Physical attacks like these are just one part of the struggle for freedom, whether they’re done in open joy by a crowd of former strangers or quietly in the dark by a small group of friends. At the same time, we struggle to overcome internal hierarchies and the cops in all of our heads. Much more is possible.
This action was done with thoughts of N Maziotis, P Roupa, K Gournas, C Kortessis, V Stathopoulos, S Nikitopoulos and M Beracha, standing trial far from here from October 24, accused of participation in Revolutionary Struggle‘s exemplary contribution to the fires that burn in Athens for many years with words and deeds: our struggle is one. Solidarity with the accused of that case who is still uncaptured and with every social fighter forced into clandestinity- stay free and stay fighting! Power has not won.
Nothing has ended, everything has begun.
International Revolutionary Front – some Bristol participants.
Barcelona, Spain: Bomb warning against the Greek consulate in solidarity with Revolutionary Struggle
from: http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/2011/10/05/barcelona-spain-bomb-warning-against-the-greek-consulate-in-solidarity-with-revolutionary-struggle/
Barcelona, October 5th, 2011
19.30 GMT+1, bomb alert in the Greek consulate in solidarity with Epanastatikos Agonas (Revolutionary Struggle).
We demand the unconditional release of N.Maziotis, P.Roupa, K.Gournas, Ch.Kortesis, V.Stathopoulos, S.Nikitopoulos and M.Beraha.
We are going to win.
Subversive struggle
updates also here: barcelona.indymedia.org
International Call for Solidarity with the Revolutionary Struggle The 5th of October 11 has been set as the day that the trial of the Revolutionary Organization Revolutionary Struggle will begin.
The 5th of October has been set as the day that the trial of the Revolutionary Organization Revolutionary Struggle will begin. The trial will take place in the court room of Koridallos prisons.
Eight accused will stand trial, who according to a recent order of the Council of Appeals will be tried for participation in the organization.
Accused in the case of the Revolutionary Struggle are: N. Maziotis, P. Roupa, K. Gournas, Ch. Kortesis,V. Stathopoulos,S. Nikitopoulos, K. K., (not arrested his on run) and M. Beraha (K.Gournas wife).
The first three accused, Maziotis, Roupa and Gournas have taken responsibility for the organization and remain imprisoned, but in mid October the 18month detention period expires. The rest of the accused are free.
Kortesis, Stathopoulos and Nikitopoulos were released from prison on terms recently, after two decisions of the council of Judges of appeals, since the Supreme Court applied a recantation on the first and another was made that ratified the decisions of the appeals judges.
The charges of each individual concern the felonies of constitution and participation in a terrorist organisation, supply manufacture and possession of explosive materials, explosions and numerous attempted homicides.
SOLIDARITY TO THE 5 ACCUSED IN THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE CASE
FREEDOM NOW TO N.MAZIOTIS, P.ROUPA AND K.GOURNAS
HONOUR FOR EVER TO ANARCHIST FIGHTER AND MEMBER OF REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE LAMBROS FOUNTAS
SOLIDARITY TO ALL IMPRISONED FIGHTERS
BOYBOYRAS/ACTFORFREEDOMNOW!
Attempted re-incarceration of three anarchists in Greece averted: E. Stathopoulos, Ch. Kortesis and S. Nikitopoulos remain free on bail pending trial
Posted on June 17, 2011 by actforfreedomnow
The Appeals Committee issued a decision today, according to which the three anarchists charged in relation to the Revolutionary Struggle should not be re-incarcerated. The attempted juridical coup d’etat would see anarchists Stathopoulos, Kortesis and Nikitopoulos sent back to prison, despite the supposedly irreversible previous court decision for their release on bail.
The three had been released since April this year under bail conditions.
THEY SHOULD KNOW, ALL THESE AGENTS OF “JUSTICE” AND “LEGALITY” WHO DO NOT HESITATE TO TURN INTO RUBBER EVEN THEIR OWN LAWS THAT NO COMRADE IS ALONE. HANDS OFF OUR COMRADES in solidarity
The three had been released since April this year under bail conditions.
SOLIDARITY POSTER: TO THE anarchists Christoforos Kortesis, Sarantos Nikitopoulos and Bagelis Stathopoulos -CLIK ON….
THEY SHOULD KNOW, ALL THESE AGENTS OF “JUSTICE” AND “LEGALITY” WHO DO NOT HESITATE TO TURN INTO RUBBER EVEN THEIR OWN LAWS THAT NO COMRADE IS ALONE. HANDS OFF OUR COMRADES in solidarity We the tenebrous, we the terrorists (About the arson attack against fighters on June 7th)(athens-greece)
Posted on June 15, 2011 by actforfreedomnow
Targeted attack with double recipient
http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/2011/06/15/we-the-tenebrous-we-the-terrorists-about-the-arson-attack-against-fighters-on-june-7th/On June 7th, at 4.30 after midnight an arson attack was acted out against my mother’s car that I drove lately, since the police refuses to return my vehicle after 14 months, which is held on the pretext of investigation. Along with my mother’s private car, a targeted attack took place against the motorcycle of my childhood friend and comrade who had the misfortune that I let the car to him for a few days.
The attack came shortly before dawn, just below my friend’s house which is only a block away from the police station of the neighbourhood. Specifically, a black car, Jeep type with tinted windows and no plates (reminds you of something?) stopped alongside the narrow street, where the co-driver got down and threw a large quantity of flammable liquid on both vehicles, having ensured to place rags soaked in flammable liquid at the headlight of the motorcycle while he left a large jerry can on the roof of my mother’s car.
This resulted in the burning down of both vehicles, whereas the great fire and the high heat caused also damage to a neighbour’s private car that was parked about four metres away. Needless to say that the police appeared at least ten minutes after the incident —although the multi-force police station of Nikaia is located only 50 metres afar.
It should be mentioned here that when my mother and my friend went to file a charge against persons unknown, the police department of Nikaia declined to register any complaint, and stated that the incident did not take place in its jurisdiction.
This arson attack had two recipients. On the one hand, it is a blow which aimed to terrorize the struggles and the fighters; on the other hand, it aimed to intimidate directly me and my close relatives and friends, in order to decline any resistance. They believe that this will be possible by isolating and terrorizing anyone who stands by my side. When this becomes unfeasible, the mechanisms’ vindictive fury reveals itself in all its glory.
At this point, I should add that I have been consistently harassed both in the past and the present via close watch over while there were threats against me but also against my intimate and social circle. In particular, this friend of mine has been systematically monitored, and they did not hesitate to threaten him that they will charge him with the heaviest accusations and to ultimately proceed to an arson attack below his house, where he lives with his partner and his only 2.5 year old child.
A man who pays the price of a childhood friendship and the comradeship that he showed while I was imprisoned.
Now draw your own conclusions.
Because I will not stop speaking out and resisting against the State and the mechanisms of organized violence, I declare them responsible for what shall happen to me, my family, my friends and my comrades.
The terrorism has not passed neither will pass.
Vaggelis Stathopoulos
Denouncement of the arson attack by G.Ch.
Before starting this denouncement, I wish to clarify that I am associated through childhood friendship with Vaggelis Stathopoulos whom they have tried to associate with the organization of the Revolutionary Struggle —with his comradely relations and his subversive action being their sole ‘evidence.’
For this reason, more than one year I’ve been under close observation in such a way that refers more to bullying rather than a hidden surveillance. I have been clearly threatened by the police in numerous occasions. I have been stopped in some demonstrations/gatherings, and have been told to either stop attending these, otherwise, legal proceedings or they will frame me up with heavy charges.
I have received ‘friendly’ recommendations even for wearing black clothes. Although I’ve been systematically monitored, this surveillance stopped ‘incidentally’ for 3–4 days.
All of a sudden, on the same day that Vaggelis let the car to me I stopped seeing policemen at the corners of my street. On Tuesday, June 7th, at 4.30am I heard from the first floor, in the apartment where I live, liquids flowing as if someone were emptying a bucket of water sequentially on the street. Within a few seconds, I saw from the living room of my home a huge flash that turned the night into day.
I got out to the balcony where I saw my motorbike and the car of my friend’s mother on fire. At the same time, in the nearby street I saw a black car, Jeep type with tinted windows and no plates; the driver yelled ‘quick! — quick!’ and a guy entered this vehicle right before they speed away.
Strangely enough, the multi-force police department of Nikaia which is just a street block away from my house, acted as if nothing had happened; policemen finally appeared about ten minutes later. When the fire truck arrived – thirty minutes later – both vehicles were entirely burnt. During the incident, the neighbours and I were trying unsuccessfully to extinguish the fire by using four hoses.
The arson and the subsequent big fire also damaged the rear cabin of a neighbor’s car which was parked at least four metres from the vehicles ablaze.
While the neighbours and I were striving to put out the fire so as to not extend further and the car of my friend’s mother along with my motorbike was completely destroyed, the police officers started to ask questions related to the arson. My answer was: ‘ask your Service; they know better.’
The next day, after I had already testified to the fire department, I went to the police station of Nikaia with my friend’s mother to file a charge against persons unknown where they told us that they had no jurisdiction on this matter.
For me it is a clear message with multiple recipients. It’s enough to say that I have no personal disputes with no one. I lead a peaceful day to day life and I live with my partner and my 2.5 year old child, for whom I am worried.
G.Ch. 
The original Greek texts that are distributed