Last week we chose to disrupt for a while the now dystopian normality of the neighbourhood of the Exarcheia. The tourist industry is stepping on our bodies, displacing the local population, the poorer classes, the immigrant(s), grabbing more space from the hands of the antagonistic movement. A very important example of the ruthless march of capital into the neighborhood is the real estate firm, Homm.
This Greek company manages, buys, sells, rents apartments, villas and all kinds of properties in Athens, Mykonos, Evia and other areas. By browsing their site, one can see the luxury apartments they manage in “run-down” areas such as Patissia, but also in classic neighborhoods where gentrification has been completed such as Koukaki. Exarcheia seems to be their preferred neighborhood as they operate many properties such as luxury apartments and airbnb. Many of these are being targeted in protests in Exarchia. In fact, one can distinguish them by the paint people throw on their facades and the slogans they write.
The company has 135 properties on booking.gr and its offices are located at 83 Poseidonos Street in Glyfada. It is neither the first nor the last company that camps and does business in Exarcheia, but it is a main agent of gentrification that, despite the hostile climate it receives, insists on expanding more and more, opening more properties. We will not tolerate another one of them making fun of us right in our faces, investing at our expense, selling alternativeism, head-butting the struggles and the history of the movements in the region.
The airbnb StrefiHomm, located at the foot of Strefi Hill, a landmark of the neighbourhood struggle world, a place of meeting, politicization, events, play. A refuge for the young, the old, for people who do not fit into the mold of society. A place of nature and life of many animals. The hill is under the threat of privatization by the real estate company Prodea, where together with the municipality of Athens they plan to completely take over, putting cameras, fences, security guards, changing the character of the hill.
This building has caught the attention of those fighting against gentrification as we have noticed the removal of its cameras and a wide range of different colours adorning its facade. For the above reasons, we therefore chose to break some of the building’s windows with stones as a minimal sign of opposition to the neighborhood’s appropriation. This move caused damage to the building, at the expense of the company. It also has a symbolic character to demonstrate socially that the presence of the company is unwelcome in the neighborhood.
There are many targets everywhere, let’s take our neighborhood back from the hands of capital, cops and corporations.
IF WE DON’T FIGHT BACK IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS OUR CITIES WILL BECOME MODERN PRISONS
NOT IN EXARCHEIA, NOT ANYWHERE, NOT AN AIRBNB IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD.
Anarchists
Source: athens.indymedia