On last Sunday, 21. January 2018, the squat Libertatia in Thessaloniki (Greece) was burnt down by fascists, following a huge nationalist ralley against Macedonia. We document a statement of comrades from Libertatia:
Squat Libertatia’s statement regarding today’s arson Today – Sunday, January 21th – around 1.30pm and just before the nationalist gathering for Macedonia, fascist teams who took part in it realized several attacks on occupied spaces. First, they attacked the free social space "Σχολείο" and they were rejected with success by our comrades. Then, they approach our squat, provoking some damages on the facade and the fence. These damages were fixed immediately by the members of our collective, who then decided to join the antinationalist gathering in Kamara. About two hours later, a group of some 60/70 fascists attacked again our squat with molotov cocktails and distress flares, which provoked the fire. At this time, there were no-one left in the building as everyone were in the gathering in Kamara. While the attack was going on, there were so many cops in plain clothes and vans of the antiriot police (τα ΜΑΤ) who were staying next to the squat. They covered the attack without intervening. The resistance of the neighborhood must be noticed, as some people went to their balconies and screamed at the fascists, who replied insulting them and throwing flares to them. When the fascists tried to head again towards Σχολείο, the police was already there holding the place, covering the fascists and locking the comrades inside the building. Don’t be fooled: these attacks and the setting on fire of the building couldn’t have happened without the « support » of the gathering for Macedonia. They were going there and they were coming back from there. All the far-right and neo-nazi groups were calling for this gathering but no-one gave a fuck about it, offering them social legitimacy and public space so they could express and act freely. We know very well that all this couldn’t have happened under other circumstances and that’s why everyone should clarify its position regarding fascism. All these energies from such actual and real groups work as supplements for the repression from the State agains those who fight and resist for something better. Everyone should have a stand regarding the arson of a building with more than a century of history which has been abandoned for decades. The arson of a building that we, anarchists, libertarian communists and revolutionnaries, have decided to renove and maintain, first to cover housing needs of proletarians, migrants and people who are expelled by the State and Capitalism and also in order to create a radical political space where people can grow together and promote a new libertarian culture. It must be clear to everyone that we are here talking about a criminal act, which could have ended with tragic consequences, i.e deaths. These attacks doesn’t mean that we will stop fighting against the State, capitalism and fascism. No attack can manage neither terrorizing us nor making us do curtsey for any fascist, but with conscience and determination, for a society of equality and freedom, we will continue to fight our ideal. THE FASCIST ATTACKS WON’T STAY UNANSWERED LET’S RAISE DIKES AGAINST THE FASCIST THREAT FOR ANARCHY AND LIBERTARIAN COMMUNISM DEMONSTRATION ON MONDAY 01/22 AT 6PM IN FRONT OF THE SQUAT during the demo following the attack 5 people got arrested, the court is at friday we need any kind of political solidarity! also there is a need of economical support (firstly for the court money - that could be around 6000 Euros - secondary to start rebuilding the squat) there will be more feedback the next days. For anarchy and libertarian communism Libertatia, collective for libertarian communism p.s. -please forward the e-mail to other collectives or individuals -usefull links: https://www.facebook.com/libertatiasquat/ http://libertatiasquat.blogspot.gr/