At approximately 7.30am on Wednesday, September 12th, in Thessaloniki, at least five MAT anti-riot police squadrons and two jeeps with EKAM special suppressive antiterrorist units lined up outside the anarchist squat Delta and stormed the building soon thereafter.
Ten people were arrested inside the building and others who arrived in solidarity were detained on the street. Also, more solidaritarians who gathered near the squat were surrounded and cut off by the police.
The cops searched the multistory building (occupied since 2007) and confiscated numerous personal items of the squatters, including infrastructure such as computers and hard disks, but even cash. Moreover, the police have officially released a mute video footage with the invasion of special forces in the squat. Anti-riot squadrons surround the area where the building is located, and its front entrance is sealed off.
Those who had arrived in solidarity and were detained have all been released.
The ten comrades who were arrested inside the squat are still being held in the Thessaloniki police headquarters (GADTH); they are due to appear before prosecutor either later tonight or tomorrow (13/9). They are charged with misdemeanors (as far as we know till now).
An urgent anarchist assembly regarding the violent eviction of Delta squat took place from 1pm at the Polytechnic School of Thessaloniki, where nearly 100 people in solidarity, along with members of the squat’s collectivity, decided to make the following actions:
i) Counter-information PA’s gathering today, 12/9, in Kamara at 18.30, awaiting more information about the arrested comrades.
ii) Protest rally outside the Thessaloniki police headquarters at 21.00, in case the arrestees will still be held captive.
iii) Solidarity gathering at Thessaloniki courts on 13/9, if indeed the arrestees will appear before public prosecutor tomorrow.
iv) Next open assembly to organize solidarity actions on 13/9 at the Polytechnic School of Thessaloniki at 18.00.
Counter-informative gathering through sound system today:
Everyone in Kamara (downtown Thessaloniki) by 18.30!
No repressive machination of Power must go unanswered.
Solidarity is our weapon.
Delta squat stays! Hands off our lives!
Note that all proceeds from the live concert organized by the group BausMaus tonight, at 23.00, outside the Biology Faculty in Thessaloniki, will go towards legal expenses that will arise to defend prosecuted comrades after the repressive operation against Delta squat.
Making a statement about the eviction of the anarchist squat Delta in Thessaloniki, the minister of Public Order (police) Dendias claimed this took place following orders by the Greek PM Samaras himself. The operation saw tens of riot police and members of the suppressive antiterrorist unit (EKAM) storm the building in the early hours of September 12th.
The operation, very tellingly, took place at a moment when racist attacks by members of the Nazi party, Golden Dawn, have gained extensive publicity and condemned by many across the political spectrum. Storming an anarchist squat at this exact moment tries to give a message of two “extremes” (the Nazis and the anarchists) that the government is supposedly fighting against.
Website Delta squat: http://delta.squat.gr/
Sources:
Contra Info
https://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1421259
http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/09/12/police-raid-and-evict-delta-squat-in-thessaloniki
https://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1421344
https://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1421353
http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/09/12/eviction-of-anarchist-squat-in-thessaloniki-took-place-following-orders-by-greek-pm-samaras-himself/
