On the commemoration day of the murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos, a youth who was murdered by the police on December 6, 12 years ago, police violence and numerous arrests were used against demonstrators and potential (!) demonstrators!
Alexis has become a symbol of the youth and their struggles and every year since then demonstrations are held in memory of the victims of police violence and state terror.
This year, under the pretext of the pandemic, the demonstration on December 6 was banned also gatherings of more than four people are prohibited. Before that, a demonstration on November 17 and the demonstration on the International Day against Violence against Women were already banned! However, despite bans, both days were demonstrated by hundreds of people.
The pretext of the rulers was the "health protection", while at the same time large parts of the population take to the streets to justified struggle for the protection of their health. Because the health system is a complete disaster and there are far too few actual protective measures.The measures of the rulers are nothing else than repression!
Already in the morning of December 6, about 5,000 police officers cordoned off the Exarcheia neighborhood and other "risk" areas, not even allowing journalists to reach the site of Alexis' murder. All the people who went to the memorial of Alexis or simply walked in the area that day were controlled, punished and chased away with police violence. Gas, pop grenades and batons were used. Organized forces were encircled and there were mass arrests. In total there were 374 (!) arrests. Among the arrests were lawyers, teachers, medical personnel, workers, members of leftist organizations and trade union representatives. The purest harassment and spoiling: they are accused of "endangering public health", while in the police stations neither minimum distance nor hygienic measures were observed.
Only in the streets can the Greek people break the terror and defend the freedoms and democratic rights and prevent the fascist and anti-democratic policies of the rulers!
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