Intervention in solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker G. Michailidis took place in the context of the nationwide day of action on Thursday morning 2/6 at the radio station “Sto Kokkino” in Thessaloniki.
During the intervention, leaflets were thrown and texts were distributed on Venizelos Street, while the programme was interrupted to play a recorded text of solidarity.
Immediate release of hunger striker G. Michailidis
Victory in the – since 23/5 – hunger strike by
All and everyone at the microphone solidarity meeting Thursday 2/6 at 19.00 Gounari & Tsimiski
Below is the text of the intervention:
Giannis Michailidis, has been in Greek prisons since 2013, and has been arrested in the past during clashes in anti-war and anti-state/anti-capitalist demonstrations. From his participation in anarchist student groups in his teenage years to the student struggles of 2006-2007 and December and from the struggles against the memoranda to a series of prisoners’ struggles, the comrade has fought and continues to fight against the state and capitalist dystopia without renouncing his ideas, without repenting for his choices.
10th DAY OF THE HUNGER STRIKE OF GIANNIS MICHAILIDIS
Update from today’s intervention at ESIEA
The assembly in solidarity with the hunger striker Giannis Michailidis, who has been on hunger strike since 23/5, held an intervention today at the ESIEA building, in order to give visibility to the struggle of his comrade. As soon as the intervention started, the vice president of ESIEA was negative even with the hanging of the banner. We made it clear to him that we had come with the specific purpose of highlighting the hunger strike and that we would leave when we felt that the comrade’s hunger strike had been sufficiently highlighted. He threatened us that he would call the police and we replied that we would not leave the building until we had left safely and had achieved our purpose. He ordered all the telephone lines and computers in the building to be shut down to prevent the propaganda of the action.
We are not in a position to know if the vice president ultimately called the cops or if they came on their own. Two Delta groups (Motorcycle cops) came to the scene and even without any legitimacy they entered the ground floor and threatened us with arrest. We re-stated that we would not leave unless the police forces left.The determination of the solidarity groups to remain in the building made it clear to the president that in order to end the intervention the cops had to leave.
The banner was hung from the rooftop and leaflets were thrown.
After 8.5 years in prison, after all these arbitrary actions against me, I decided to put an end to my 11 years of suffering, by putting a stop to the practice of pre-trial detention, or the additional punishment of escape through legal loopholes. After 5 more months of pre-trial detention, I start a hunger strike for my release. This choice, with the deep motivation of the much desired freedom, I intend to support it with the same consistency that I have supported my choices so far and for which I am being persecuted.
“Woe to those who will accept prison as a condition of life, and from the brightest sunlight, the smallest ray” – The rallying cry of the Alikarnassos prison uprising
For 11 years I have experienced state vengeance against choices in line with my values and ideas. The difficult journey, from which I choose to share some blatant vengeful acts of arbitrariness against me, began in the distant 2011, when an arrest warrant was issued against me for the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire case, for which I was eventually acquitted as there was not the slightest connection between me and the charge against me. It was the incrimination of a relationship of solidarity with wanted anarchists that put me in their place when they were arrested.
After 2 years of being on the run, I too am now walking through the heavy doors of prison, as the existence of a warrant that entails a decade of incarceration has led to certain choices and consequent mistakes. The comrades who were arrested at the time in the bank robbery in Velvento, Kozani, were tortured by the police, which is common, and then the Ministry of Public Order published photos of our swollen faces, provoking a public reaction. Of course, no police officer was accused of this by the blind Greek justice system. Continue reading “Greece: Giannis Michailidis – Announcement of a hunger strike for my release GR, EN, DE, IT, FR, ES”→
This morning, comrades held an intervention at the Athens Bar Association in solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis. A banner was hung from the floor, banners were thrown, and texts were distributed to inform about the comrade’s hunger strike.
“The comrade’s demand for his immediate release is a struggle to break the vindictive practice of preventive incarceration and acquires special weight because political prisoners, due to their political choices, are the frontline of the social – class war. The struggle of the comrade for his release is therefore not a narrow struggle that concerns him exclusively. It is a militant choice as a whole against a regime of exclusion arbitrarily and abusively imposed against any prisoner who has a decent attitude, but more specifically against the regime of exclusion against political prisoners, anarchists or communists. It is an integral part of the struggle for a world without prisons and barbed wire, without borders and concentration camps, without the plundering and destruction of the planet by the multinationals, without class exploitation, without rich and poor, without gender and racial oppression.
THE INDEFINITE DETENTION OF THE HUNGER STRIKER MUST BE ENDED IMMEDIATELY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE ANARCHIST HUNGER STRIKER FROM 23/5 GIANNIS MICHAILIDIS
GIANNIS STAY STRONG UNTIL LIBERATION
Assembly of solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis
The militant and conscious start of the struggle that comrade Giannis Michailidis began on May 23, as a hunger striker, claiming his freedom from the prison hellholes, can only find me in solidarity with him, and, to the extent possible, with every means and way by his side. Unfortunately, my state of health does not allow me to unite words with action, so that I can accompany his struggle, for a short or long period, with a hunger strike.
I want to hope that the knowledge and experience gained a year ago from the movement, when it clashed with the same state mechanisms to justify D. It has left those who participated with a qualitative basis on which to recombine thought and action in more effective ways, leading collective solidarity to rise again as our weapon against the authoritarian rodents, like a sharp blade, cutting the state chains that vindictively hold a comrade captive and opening the way to freedom.
Good strength, all of us together have nothing and no one to fear.
The fear for freedom is stronger than all the others (fear in the heart belongs more to the bosses)
– Zografou, Athens, Greece: Molotov Attack on local cop station and riot outside Zografou university campus in solidarity with Giannis Michailidis
Several hundred (not 50 like the media report) hooded in groups attack the MAT riot cops at the local cop station just round the corner from the Zorgrafou university campus, where there is also a 3 day Anti-Racist Festival occuring with Hip Hop live. The attack on the cops sparks a 2 hour battle with the cops at the entrance to the campus, in which burning tyre barricades, fire extinguishers, a rain of stones and wave after wave of molotov attacks are inflicted on the state murderers in uniform. The riot only stops after a continous assault by the cops with not only CS gas but the internationally banned CN gas that burns skin. Several comrades require immediate care from comrades after breathing in the gas. The attack on the cop station and following riot was accompanied by continous shouting of slogans for Giannis Michailidis. It is later reported in the mainstream capitalist media that four cops were injured during the clashes.
– Athens, Greece:March at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in solidarity with the hunger striker Giannis Michailidis. 41 days of strike.
On Thursday 30 June, the Assembly of Solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis called for the “3rd Panhellenic Day of Action and Solidarity for Giannis Michailidis”. In Athens the second central march took place, which started from Propylaea, passed through Omonia, reached Syntagma and ended again at Propylaea. It numbered about 600 people, and was supported by several organisations and collectives. The police presence was again strong, with riot police cordoned off left and right to the end. Their attitude in this particular march was more provocative and abusive. However, the march was completed as normal.
– Lamia, Greece:Banner of solidarity to G. Michailidis at the Lamia General Hospital. A banner was posted on Friday, 30/6, a nationwide day of solidarity actions to the hunger striker from 23/5, Giannis Michailidis.The banner was posted at the Lamia hospital, where the hunger striker is hospitalized and guarded by overcops. His health, according to the latest information from his doctor, is quite critical since he has begun to show dysfunctions in vital organs and it is estimated that in a very short time, he is likely to show severe failure of multiple organ functions and severe irreversible failure of vital organs.
– Kavala, Greece:Gathering – microphone in solidarity with G. Michaelides, Kavala. In the context of the 3rd nationwide day of solidarity actions with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis, solidarians held a microphone meeting at the port of Kavala.
Conducting a one-day hunger strike in solidarity with anarchist G. Michailidis, in the context of my participation in the 3rd nationwide day of action
On Thursday 30/6 I will hold a one-day hunger strike as a sign of solidarity with the struggle of G. Michailidis for his total liberation and I will continue the hunger strike that I am carrying out from Monday 27/6 until Monday 4/7.
From today, Wednesday 29/6, the political prisoners Dimitris Koufontinas, Fotis Tziotzis from Domokos prison and Vaggelis Stathopoulos from Larissa prison are starting a 7-day food strike in solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Yannis Michaelides.
VICTORY IN THE STRUGGLE OF ANARCHIST HUNGER STRIKER GIANNIS MICHAILIDIS
– Thessaloniki, Greece:Intervention at ERT3 and at the book festival in view of the march for G.M. Thursday 30/6 19:00 at Kamara. Wednesday 29/06 an intervention took place on ERT3 and at the book festival on the beach of Thessaloniki, while the text of the meeting was broadcast on the radio and on the microphone installation of the festival Finally, texts were handed out to visitors and passers-by and leaflets were thrown.
– Athens, Greece:Propaganda action at stations of the ΗΣΑΠ for the solidarity march for G. Michailidis on 30/06. Interventions at stations and trains of the HΣAP from Petralona to Kato Patissia and vice versa, for the propaganda of the solidarity march to Giannis Michailidis on 30/06. Texts were handed out and threw trickaxes at 8 stations and banners were hung at Petralona and Kato Patissia stations.
The fight for Giannis’ freedom is a fight for all of us and therefore no one should be indifferent to the battle he is fighting, staring the beasts in the face, showing them that he is not afraid of them and that he is willing to go all the way until his just request for release is granted.
We all stand by his side and will continue to support him until he succeeds.
Whether outside the streets, the barricades, the night signals, or inside the cells joining our voices and all our forces to fight a multifaceted struggle in support of our comrade who has been detained for 8.5 years in the dungeons of bourgeois justice.
From Monday 27/6 I am starting a hunger strike for a week as a minimal sign of solidarity with Giannis’ struggle.
Fire in the penitentiary hellholes.
Victory in the struggle of the hunger striker from 23/5 G. Michailidis.
On 24th of June 2022, I examined as his personal physician the detained hunger striker Mr. Michailidis in Lamia Hospital, who is hospitalized in the pathology clinic under surveillance.
From the clinical examination, as well as from the examination of his laboratory and paraclinical tests, the following results emerged: The hunger striker Mr. Michailidis, who is already on his 34th day of strike, has lost more than 21% of his body weight and has started to present serious health problems.
Specifically, I must point out that vital organs such as the liver, heart and spleen have already started to malfunction. Hunger striker Giannis Michailidis is already suffering from anaemia, thrombocytopenia, hypercholesterolemia and hypoalbuminemia.
He suffers from tachycardia and haemodynamic instability, severe gastrointestinal disorders and blood clotting disorders.
My medical assessment is that, in a very short period of time, he may develop severe multi-organ failure (circulatory, gastrointestinal, respiratory) as well as severe and irreversible failure of vital organs (liver failure, kidney failure, heart failure, brain haemorrhage), which may lead to “multi-organ failure”, a life-threatening condition for the hunger striker, or to the creation of permanent damage that will result in significant permanent disabilities.
The medical director of the National Health System,Virgopoulou Pantelia
Protest and riot against the occupation of Exarcheia by cops and the construction of a metro station. DELTA motorcycle cops are attacked by the crowd assembling for the protest in the square, as the cops pass several times provocatively. A dynamic and strong protest marches through the streets of Exarcheia in support of the neighborhood and shouting also slogans for Giannis Michailidis. As night falls groups of hooded individuals spread out into the streets with molotovs, on the hunt for the cops, attacking the usual static postion of MAT riot cops outside the PASOK HQ, but also ambushing a DELTA squad once again. In actual fact the DELTA squad are not seen again all night, while the hooded ones numbering hundreds begin a riot that goes on for hours against the MAT riot squads that are called into Exarcheia. During the night a surveillance camera is also found in a car right at the point where the protest started and also the conflict began with the DELTA. The windows are smashed and the camera taken, all of of this occuring only a few days after Nikos Romanos was subjected to surveillance by a camera in a car.
From Korydallos prison I join my voice with that of the diverse movement of solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis. His struggle is the struggle of all those who suffer state oppression and revenge, inside and outside of prison. Guided by his values and his indomitable passion for freedom, and with the solidarity of all of us, Giannis will emerge victorious from this great battle.
Strength to the anarchist fighter Giannis Michailidis! His struggle, the struggle of all of us!
Spyros Christodoulou, Korydallos Prison
24th June – International Day of Action and Solidarity with the Anarchist Hunger Striker Giannis Michailidis
– Athens, Greece: Strong protest of several hundred in the center of Athens in support of hunger striker Giannis Michailidis.
– Larissa, Greece:Gathering and intervention for the hunger striker G. Michailidis. In the context of the international day of solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker G.Michailidis, the Squat Dougrou held on June 24th an intervention at the main stage of the Pinios festival with a cloth and reading a text referring to the case of the companion, while earlier there was a microphone and distribution of texts at the courthouse of Larissa on the same issue.
– Chania, Crete, Greece: Solidarity actions with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis. The last few days the ‘Solidarity initiative with the anarchist Giannis Michailidis Chania’ have undertaken a series of actions in order to highlight the issue of the hunger strike of the anarchist Giannis Michailidis in the city of Chania. Banners were put up in various places in the city as well as in the occupation of the hill Kastelli and posters were put up.
– Thessaloniki, Greece:Intervention at the office of the New Democracy MP Stavros Kalafatis for the hunger striker G. Michailidis. An intervention was held by ‘Assembly in solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis (Thessaloniki)’ at the office of the Deputy Minister of Interior responsible for Macedonia – Thrace in solidarity with the hunger striker from 23/05 Giannis Michailidis who is hospitalized at the General Hospital of Lamia. During the intervention hundreds of leaflets were thrown and texts were distributed to passers-by.
– Glasgow, UK: Solidarity Event [Glasgow Autonomous Space
We use simple means to sabotage the enemy’s infrastructure. That the car rental company Hertz is an enemy became known not only after an attack on their branch* and further fires of their vehicle fleet in Athens. Not only the Greek police is equipped by Hertz with vehicles at preferential conditions, but also in other states active and former cops and military are supported according to self-advertisement.
Hertz is one of the companies that force the constant need for mobility. Everything and everyone must always be immediately available everywhere. Delivery services, rental vehicles and Uber now dominate traffic in cities. Along the way, they create data collections about moving things and people for the police’s tracing computers, Hertz also by filming drivers while they drive.
In the social war and in the war state against state, we stand flagless on the side of the oppressed against the oppressors and Hertz stands on the side of power, sometimes under the Greek flag in the jeeps of OPKE, sometimes under the US flag on the trucks of the National Guard or under the flag of capital on their vans, with which they profit in Germany from the compulsion of the citizens to constantly move to another place from expensive apartments.
On the night of May 25, we set fire to a Hertz truck in the northern Berlin district of Reinickendorf as a minimal sign of our solidarity for Giannis Michailidis, who has been on hunger strike in Malandrinos prison since May 23.
We also wish Lina, who has been in pre-trial detention for 18 months, much strength and freedom.
At the same time, our action is in the framework of similar acts around the world that burn to ashes everything that can be useful for the war.
In December, we received information that Aleksandr Zaitsev, who declared his commitment to the anarchist movement, was in pre-trial detention in Volodarka. It took us quite a while to verify this man’s story and get to the bottom of it.
In 2020, Zaitsev actively participated in protests against the regime and was detained at least once in November under “people’s” article 23.34. While in detention, Zaitsev met a man who introduced himself as Dmitry Sergeenko. Comrades from the Pramen team found the real name of this man – Dmitry Akulich, who had been working for many years with the Interior Ministry as a provocateur and prison agent. Akulich actively begins “developing” Zaitsev and by summer both are already planning a radical action: they want to set fire to Sukalo’s dacha. To paint a pretty picture of the investigation, Akulich says that he got in touch with the group “Stork fly” and they paid for him to buy two five-liter bottles of gasoline.
Not far from the dacha both are taken by Almaz. Zaitsev confesses to everything and is now under terrorist article 289 part 3 (punishment up to the death penalty). We do not know Akulich’s status in this case, but he most likely passes as a witness with the false name of Sergeenko. It is noteworthy that Akulich was given a real passport with a fake name to work with Zaitsev.
Now Aliaksandr Zaitsev continues to be held in the pre-trial detention center, awaiting trial. We have almost no information about the anarchist himself, as none of the activists know him.
Remember, if you want to carry out any radical action, you should do it only with trusted people, not with acquaintances. This story also shows that cops actively engage in provocations to continue repression and spin the myth of terrorism.
Now it is extremely important to remember to have a safety culture and take the time to familiarize yourself with texts on countering repression!
On 24th of June 2022, I examined as his personal physician the detained hunger striker Mr. Michailidis in Lamia Hospital, who is hospitalized in the pathology clinic under surveillance.
From the clinical examination, as well as from the examination of his laboratory and paraclinical tests, the following results emerged: The hunger striker Mr. Michailidis, who is already on his 34th day of strike, has lost more than 21% of his body weight and has started to present serious health problems.
Specifically, I must point out that vital organs such as the liver, heart and spleen have already started to malfunction. Hunger striker Giannis Michailidis is already suffering from anaemia, thrombocytopenia, hypercholesterolemia and hypoalbuminemia.
He suffers from tachycardia and haemodynamic instability, severe gastrointestinal disorders and blood clotting disorders.
My medical assessment is that, in a very short period of time, he may develop severe multi-organ failure (circulatory, gastrointestinal, respiratory) as well as severe and irreversible failure of vital organs (liver failure, kidney failure, heart failure, brain haemorrhage), which may lead to “multi-organ failure”, a life-threatening condition for the hunger striker, or to the creation of permanent damage that will result in significant permanent disabilities.
The medical director of the National Health System,Virgopoulou Pantelia