TEXT FROM ANARCHIST VASSILIS STERGIOU(Greece)

Vassilis Stergiou is revengefully persecuted by the Greek state for showing his solidarity with the student movement and for his long time participation in social struggles. He was arrested on 8 March 2007, following a massive demonstration against a university reformation law. He was imprisoned without a trial for 6 months.

Below is his text translated from the Greek into English, a few days before his final trial on 11 October 2011.

TEXT FROM ANARCHIST VASSILIS STERGIOU

On the 11th October, I am being called upon to be judged in the Mixed Jury Court of Chalkida, together with 11 other co-defendants, as being accused of involvement in the conflicts that accompanied the massive educational rally held on 8th March 2007. The amendment of article 16 from the side of the state brought in the streets not only students but also thousands of people in solidarity from different parts of the society. I chose, once again, to stand on the streets next to those who fight, believing that the social struggles are not cut off from each other, but interrelated and lingering over time.

When the rally arrived outside the parliament building, a place politically targeted by the protesters, fierce classes broke out with riot police for at least two hours. By the end of the conflicts, police violently attacks the first block of the protesters that is attempting to continue the demonstration. Dozens of them are detained and 61 of them are then arrested, among them myself, accused of 4 felonies and several misdemeanors. Of all those arrested I am the only one who was imprisoned, a fact that is not causing me any surprise, since I know from my many years participation in social struggles, the special treatment of judicial and law enforcement authorities reserve upon anyone who fights against their inhuman plans.

The attack of the dominance against society, which led to my six month custody, has since then become gigantic. The economic attack, the daily misery, the growing poverty is now every day routine. The growing social rage has led thousands of people into every day demonstrations and violent attacks from the side of authority are in daily schedule. The generalized repression happens in real time and no longer poses a possible imaginary future scenario. Water cannons, fences, tear gases and batons consists the face of the democracy.

The participation in social struggles and in social resistances is necessary, as always, to those that choose the road of freedom. If they think that their arrests and trials will scare us, then they have to know that solidarity was, is, and will be our weapon. If they think that with the imprisonment of dozens of fighters into the dungeons of democracy will bend us, they must be sure that they will find us against them. If they think that with the new measures the subordination will reign, they must be sure that the disobedience will triumph.

FREEDOM FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CELLS

SOLIDARITY TO THE PERSECUTED FIGHTERS

Stergiou Vassilis

http://actforfreedomnow.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/text-from-anarchist-vassilis-stergiougreece/