thessaloniki june 2003

1. thessaloniki june 2003

2. on june 20-21-22, the bosses of europe come together near thessaloniki (in a hotel in chalkidiki) under huge security measures, to find ways to build their fortress-europe. one of the most important issues to be discussed is how to deal with the immigration issue. behind the philology about legal and illegal people and the internal security of european consumers, a paneuropean cooperation network is being developed to control and deal with so called "illegal immigration", as well as to provide for the smooth transfer of the immigrants in the mechanisms of exploitation in ways controlled by the bosses.

3. On Saturday(14/6) morning Antiauthoritarian Movement Salonika 2003 squatted the Theological department of Aristotle university. The Law School of the Faculty of Legal and Financial Studies was squatted on Monday (16/6), in order to host the Indymedia Centre, the Medical Aid Group and the independent radio 1431AM. The New Building of the Faculty of Philosophy has been squatted by other anarchists/anti-authoritarians.

4. Thursday june 19 More than 5000 people participated in this demonstration Antiracist demonstration

5. All demonstrators returned Safe Nobody was arrested Friday june 20 No border action At the moment there are 700 roma in the state Macedonia at the border with greece. They fled during the Kosovo war to Macedonia, where they were allowed to stay in different camps and private houses. Since march, the Macedonian state tries to expel them of the country. Each prisoner in this camp gets a liter of water and a piece of bread a day, they have no access to medical aid and no sun protection. When they tried to find protection from the rain, the border police violently drove them out of their shelter. Out of solidarity with the roma and in order to offer them some aid supplies, and will to act against the outer EU- borders and the Schengen system, about 250 people drove from the university campus to the border. The activists had planned to cross over the two borders by foot and to take food, water and medical supplies over to the prisoners. Even before the greek borders the police and riot cops were the group. It seemed impossible to cross the border. After about 2hours of negotitiations, groups of about five people were allowed to pass the borders. Ten people passed the greek borders but were stopped before the macedonian border. One car, packed with water, was stopped about 300m before the borders. The activists were not able to get in contact with the roma. During the negotiations (about 4hrs), the police forces were built up and military forces joined.

6. The police used huge amounts of tear gas No demonstrators were arrested Many were injured Friday june 20 Clash at the red zone Thousands of people went with buses from Thessaloniki to the village Marmara's, in order to demonstrate in the red area, near the hotel where the summit was held. There full armed riot cops waited for them with many tear gasses. The dissobidients and the anarchist block attacked in the red area and clashed with the police

7. Saturday june 21 Clashes in the centre of thessaloniki the day started late, and there were originally two separate Blocs - The Anti-Authoritarian Movement Salonika and the "Black Bloc". The Anti-Authoritarian Movement Salonika joined the front of the main demonstration and maintained a good deal of cohesion, but the Bloc was not as big as the Black Bloc - I'd guess about 4000 total though. Overall, both marches were very huge and exceedingly well-equipped. While the Anti-Authoritarian Movement attempted a break-away march from the main demonstration, they were blocked at an intersection by cops and maneuvered down side-streets, where it joined with the Black Bloc (which left a bit later and was so at the end of the march). The two blocs merged and the gates of hell opened – suddenly the street was transformed into a war zone against global capitalism. Stores like McDonalds and Vodafone were torched, although most small businesses seemed to be left alone. Demonstrator’s personal report The police attacked in the demo with dozens of tear gasses, after that the demo split. The bigger part returned in the universities where people continued throwing stones to the police. The part of the demo that continued clashed with the police in the centre of city. The demonstrators threw molotov bombs and stones while the police used plastic bullets

8. Sunday june 22 About 250 demonstrators gathered outside the courts As an act of solidarity to the 29 People being arrested. The demonstrators were attacked and beaten by the police Two demonstrators were injured and had to be taken to hospital Several demonstrators were beaten and arrested at the streets around the courts while trying to leave

9. Seven demonstrators have been imprisoned. After three months of captivity Five of them started hunger strike. Suleiman Dadkuk “Kastro” 52 days Carlos Martin Martinez 38 days Fernando Perez 38 days Simon Chapman 38 days Spyros Tsitsas 35 days

10. Throughout their captivity They police and authorities have constantly been violating their rights

11. Yesterday The five prisoners started Thirst strike As a form of protest against The conditions of Their captivity

12. Since the day of their arrest There have been actions of solidarity all around the world

13. The actions are culminating now That the health of the five Prisoners is in a critical condition And their life is endangered

14. Rethymno Mytilini Corfu London Cardiff Norwich Vienna Berlin Hamburg Valencia Arta Milan Argostoli Brussels Rome Buenos Aires Majorka Torino Amsterdam Larissa Sheffield San Francisko Malaga Barcelona Madrid Graz Bilbao Helsinki Burgos Saragosa Aranjuez Corunya Patras Kavala Heracleio Chania Xanthi Thessaloniki Lamia Athens Ioannina Volos

15. Free thessaloniki 7