Greece - The people’s militant forces defied the ban

The Press Office of CPG (m-l)

The people’s militant forces defied the ban

This year marks 47 years since the anti-imperialist, anti-fascist uprising of students and the people at the Polytechnic University of Athens against the US-backed junta. Every year, for 47 years now, in all the cities of Greece, thousands of people honor the sacrifice of the youth and the people of that time by organizing events and demonstrations throughout the country and in Athens a demonstration of thousands of people is organized towards the US Embassy. This year all gatherings and demonstrations for the anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising were banned by the government and the police under the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic. Heavy fines of 300 euros for each one who would break the ban were announced but also from 3000 to 5000 euros to anyone (individual or organization) who was considered by the police as an organizer. The government enforced the recently passed law banning demonstrations and mobilized tens of thousands of police in all cities to prevent any demonstrations. At the rallies that took place, it became clear once again that the government did not intend to protect the people from the pandemic but not to allow the events in honor and continuation of the Polytechnic uprising to take place. In all the cities, the gatherings and demonstrations complied with all the health measures (distances, antiseptic masks) and the police with the use of violence, tear gas and even water tanks broke every health protocol.

 The extreme violence and repression cannot hide the government’s and the system’s responsibilities for the spread of the pandemic.

Despite the terror promoted all the previous days, which peaked with the decision of the government to ban all gatherings during the days of the anniversary of the uprising in the Polytechnic…

Despite the slander in the media, in their effort to defame the payment of tribute to the struggle of the Polytechnic…  

Despite the actual support to the government’s decision to ban the demonstrations for the uprising in the Polytechnic, by the opposition (SYRIZA, KINAL), but also by the alternative of the “symbolic” celebrations promoted during the previous days…

…The people’s and youth’s militants all over the country broke the fear and silence and stood-up against the armored suppressive mechanisms, the riot police with their armored vehicles etc., which flooded all cities of the country. THE BAN BROKE!

We salute all those –youth, toilers, unemployed and pensioners- that defied the ban, keeping the flame of the uprising alive and bearing the message of the struggle in the Polytechnic.

An important contribution to the breaking of the ban was the decisive attitude of the political forces of the out-parliamentary Left throughout the country, which took the initiative to publicly and unwaveringly call to the militant celebration of the 47^th anniversary from the uprising in the Polytechnic.

We denounce the suppression and police violence, the adductions and arrests all over the country. The fury with which they attacked against protesters and gathered people who took the necessary health protection measures, proves that the government’s goals have nothing to do with the protection of people’s health. The police violence turned also against our Organization and others (OKDE, NAR, LAE, Coordination of Action and Dialogue of Communist Forces) but also against the block of CPG. At the time these lines are written, hundreds of protesters across the country are trapped and surrounded by repressive forces in Thessaloniki and Patra, dozens of protesters were prosecuted completely unjustifiably and hundreds of fines were imposed. The government’s and system’s aim was and remains the uprooting of the memory of the uprising in the Polytechnic, the stripping of anti-imperialist, anti-fascist message from this anniversary. BREAK THE SIEGE NOW!

We demand the immediate release of all arrested and prosecuted, the withdrawal of all charges against them, the cancellation of all the illegal fines.

Whatever the system of exploitation, suppression and imperialist dependence does, whatever its servants do, in the government or not, the spirit of the uprising is alive. And the ban of the 47^th anniversary will forever weigh on the lumbar-bellied politicians of the capital and the NATO-USA murderers.

Tuesday 17^th of November 2020

The Press Office of CPG (m-l)