Anti-fascist demo, Tuesday 5 February outside Greek Tourism Organisation offices

Anti-fascist demo, this Tuesday (5 February) outside Greek Tourism Organisation offices

from email, 4 February 2008:

ANTI-FASCIST DEMO outside the offices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in London, Tuesday 05/02, 3pm @ 4 Conduit Street, London W1S 2DJ

Nearest tubes: Oxford Str, Picadilly Circus. Map:

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from athens-imc, 3 February 2008:

Detailed description of the events during the anti-fascistic demonstration in Athens

Since early in the morning about 50 fascists had been gathered in Kolokotroni sq, where the Neo-Nazi organisation “Chrissi Avgi” had planned a demonstration for 7pm. An anti-fascist demonstration had been scheduled for 2pm, organised by many organisations; though, since the square had been occupied since early, 400 demonstrators from the left and anarchist/anti-authoritarian space, gathered in Propylaea an Klafthmonos sq.

[[Chrissi Avgi - "Golden Dawn" an extreme right-wing group with links to European neo-Nazis, was commemorating the date in 1996 when Greece and Turkey almost went to war over an uninhabited island in the Aegean known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish.]]

When the antifascists approached Kolokotroni sq, they saw a chain of cops, forming a shield for the fascists, who were standing behind the cops.

At some points the cops left some space for the fascists to move in between them. This way, the fascists managed to stab two of our comrades and hit another two ones with stones. The guy who was stabbed was moved to Evangelismos Hospital, where he stayed, after being having a surgery; his situation is not critical.

A young man who had been stabbed on his leg and another one who was hit with a stone on the head had to be treated for just a few hours. A fourth person, hit by stone, didn't need any treatment.

At about 11am, there was an attack towards the fascists, stones were thrown and the two opponent blocks came very close. The cops intervened, pushing the demonstrators back, spraying tear-gas and beating with batons. An antifascist fainted, beaten with a baton, while a video of the corporate media showed fascists, holding greek flags, flare rockets etc, to be in the lines of the policemen attacking the antifascists.

Confrontations also took place in several places in Athens, as groups of individual fascists and antifascist, who were moving down-town, meet each other.

Watch the video of the nazis and the police fighting side by side against the anarchists:

At 1 o'clock, another march, consisting of 200 people protesting against Bionova and Genetically Modified Organisms, started, since it had been planned long time ago. They finally chose to walk on Panepistimiou and join the others. The antifascists made chains and started moving to Panepistimiou to let the two marches together.

2pm: Antifascists threw stones and sticks to the fascists, at the junction of Panepistimiou and Sina str.. The cops intervened and there was tension, including tear-gas, sth that happened again later. The left antiracist organisations, which organised the demonstration, announced they have decided to leave the place. The riot police attacked with chemicals, so that they can reclaim Panepistimiou str. About 500 demonstrators, blocked in Propylaea, occupied the Prytaneum, made a plenary and called for an antifascist demonstration at 6pm.

A little later than 3pm, the Public Prosecutor announced their decision to ban the manifestation of the fascists and disperse their gathering. The fascists initially refused, but left when they saw more squads coming. MP of a left party said to radio station that he saw with his own eyes, riot policemen to be loading a van with sticks, which were given to the fascists.

7pm: evening demonstration from Propylaea:

A little after the march had started, with more than 600 people, the riot police attacked without reason, beating mercilessly with batons and throwing a big mass of chemicals and flare rockets. The batons and the chemicals resulted in many people to be beaten or stepped over, including demonstrator, passer-by civilians and TV camera operators.

About 120 people were arrested and brought to the police headquarters, including some injured ones, while the more seriously injured ones went to the hospital in an ambulance. Small groups of demonstrators were isolated and blocked in several places, while 300 people managed to run to Exarchia sq; the formed roadblocks as they were surrounded by police squads.

The situation got calm at about 10pm, when all the arrestees were released with no charges. Those who were in Exarchia dispersed in small groups, after some time. Among the ones in hospital, 4-5 of them stayed there, including a female comrade who had been hit by a tear-gas shot directly on her eye and her forehead.

[original article]

Photos on Athens IMC:
1, 2, 3