
After the unprovoked attack by the police on the tail end of the general strike demonstration, protesters responded to the police onslaught with a barrage of rocks, powerful fireworks, and molotov cocktails. Running street battles flared throughout downtown Athens, migrating towards the friendly streets of Exarchia. Dumpsters again burned in the streets to block the movement of riot police. Dozens of young anarchists carried out hit and run attacks on riot police from the Polytechnic University, a place police are forbidden to enter. Hundreds more occupied Exarchia square and the streets surrounding it. Firefighters arrived when police could clear an area long enough for them to extinguish the burning dumpsters and barricades. The march started at 11 am, and the street fighting didn't end that night until 8 pm.
That night an assembly was called to figure out an appropriate response. The plan was to have it at the usual venue for anarchist assemblies, the Architectural campus of the Polytechnic. Unfortunately the school was surrounded by riot cops, and the meeting had to be moved to the nearby Economics campus. Despite the change, about a hundred people showed up. One person introduced the topic and demonstrators discussed it for the next three hours. The meeting had neither a facilitator nor a formal process. When one person was finished talking, someone else on the other side of the room would pick up and offer up their opinion. The meeting was full of people who were constantly rubbing their eyes and sneezing as the smell of tear gas saturated into peoples clothes wafted out. By midnight, they had decided that the next morning at 8:00 AM they would occupy the campus that was closest to downtown. There was going to be a demonstration against the police later that day, and holding that space was key to having a base to fight from.


Experienced street fighters came prepared with hammers in order to break off chunks of marble from walls, steps, and planters, providing endless munitions for attacking the cops. Throughout the evening, most of the militant demonstrators ended up back on the steps of the university. Again, whenever the police were close enough, they were met with a rain of stones. Another assembly was taking place within the safety of the campus. After a few hours of discussion, they decided to leave the university in order to fight against another enemy -- fascists.


Anarchists and Antifascists geared up and organized a massive resistance to these racist attacks. The squat of Villa Amalias is situated only a block from Victoria Square, an area that fascists are attempting to 'cleanse' of migrants. Inside the gates to the courtyard of the squat sits a neatly organized arsenal of rocks, sticks, and bottles as well as dozens of helmets. The anarchists would be attacked by riot police if they were to occupy the square, which would probably scare off anybody using the space, migrant or otherwise, and thereby defeat the purpose of making the space safe for immigrants. The strategy then was to wait at the squat for the fascists to come to the square, then to ambush them. The fascists have been occupying an intersection about 6 blocks from the park, and after a few failed attempts to attack migrants and the squat itself, they seemed to have learned that their stupidity will get them hurt.

Athens is a city where the ordinary citizen has very little faith in the police. They are generally untrusted and seen as brutal right-wing gangs. If you call the police in need of help, they are unlikely to even show up. However, they occupy street corners in full riot gear, always at the ready to administer justice as they see fit. One week ago from today, a group of about 50 anarchists attacked the police station in Exarchia with stones and fire. Several police cruisers and motorcycles were burned, as well as a few personal motorcycles owned by cops. As the group left it was perused by a motorcycle cop. The anarchists nailed his vehicle with a molotov and the officer fled. The motorcycle exploded and injured three people who were at a nearby market, including a flower seller who was seriously hurt. A few days later, members of the group wrote a statement clarifying the intentions of the attack and expressing deep regrets for the injuries.
Many anarchists here are drawing comparisons between this event and the burning of the Marfin Bank one year ago that left three bank workers dead, an event that has been paralyzing to militants, who are now calling their tactics at demonstrations into question. Both events have been labeled as reckless attacks carried out in total disregard for human life. But there is a huge difference between recklessness and accidents. Police vehicles, in the collective experience of the people here who burn them regularly, do not typically explode. The injuries caused by this event are terrible reminders that yes, injuries to innocent people will happen. Every possible precaution could be taken in preparation for an action, but there is no guarantee that nothing will go wrong. Yes, this event is regretful and tragic, but does it actually devalue the message that was sent to the police? The brutality that was carried out against protesters on May 11th will not be tolerated.
Between the brutal general strike beatings, anti-police demonstrations, fascist pogroms against migrants, anti-fascist demonstrations, attacks on the squats, regular street battles with police, injuries from the exploding motorcycle, and a failing economy, the anarchists in Athens have felt an abrupt escalation of the intensity in social struggle. Only a few weeks ago people were talking about life here being in a slump. Anarchist activity was in a lull and they weren't sure how exciting the prospects were. But today they are struggling to find time to rest as they go from meeting to demonstration to assembly to their job (if they managed to land a job) or to school. As the outlook for the economy worsens, the prospect of more intense conflict rises.

In less than one week, Athens will host one of the largest anarchist gatherings in the world, which will bring somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 radicals together for a five day event featuring speakers, workshops, movie premiers, and live music. Anarchists from across the globe will congregate in a city that is famous for being a center for radical militancy against the state. It is unlikely that anything historical will happen, but with so many anarchists in one place at a time with so much social tension, things have the potential to get very interesting.
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