A-Infos (en) SOLIDARITY WITH VILLA VARVARA

[EuroDusnie <eurodusnie@dsl.nl>]

 ________________________________________________
      A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
            http://www.ainfos.ca/
 ________________________________________________

SOLIDARITY WITH VILLA VARVARA

 The 12 years empty monumental building in Krispou 7 street in the old town of 
Thessaloniki (Greece) was occupied 4 years ago and callled Villa Varvara.
During 
these 4 years it has been used as a house and a social center. Many people
put their 
energy and time to rebuild it and create a meeting place for everyone who
wants to 
propose a self organised way of life. This was the real reason for which
Villa Varvara 
became the state's target. After the occcupation happened the municipality
decided to 
use the place without having an actual plan. During 1997, when Thessaloniki
was the 
European Cultural Capital, the municipality "found out" a reason for using
the building 
and also found the money to buy it and to rebuild it, but actually there
were no money 
left for this. Although there was an eviction threat in 1997, nothing
happened because 
of the civilized, polite face that they tried to create during that year.
 On Thursday 23/4/98 at 7.00 o'clock in the morning, about 150 cops (riot
and anti-
terrorist police forces) fully armed, broke into Villa Varvara. At that
moment there were 
13 people inside the house. The police arrested all of them, but set them
free after 3 
hours without any charges. In the meantime, the cops destroyed all the doors
and 
windows of the building and threw the personal belongings of the squatters
outside in 
the street. Later those things were carried by municipality trucks and with
police escort 
to the social center Nautilus. On the same evening there was a spontaneous 
demostration of 100 people, but it was impossible to go close to the
building because 
of the police presence. Finally the demo was escorted by the cops to the
university 
area. In an open meeting, it was decided to call for a demonstration on Tuesday 
28/4/98. Since that day the building has been guarded by 150 cops to prevent a 
reoccupation. In the demonstration of Tuesday (28/4) there were about 500
people and 
they managed to go in front of the building. 
 Of course the reactions against this new, provocative state repression are
still going 
on and there is an international call for solidarity. You are welcome to
show your 
solidarity in any way you choose. We are proposing you to send a solidarity/
protest fax 
to the municipality of Thessaloniki.
The fax number is: 0030-31-284434.

Dutch solidarity initiative for Villa Varvara

For more information contact :
Villa Varvara 
PO Box 50868
540 14 Thessaloniki, Greece
or/and Nautilos 
PO Box 50067
540 13 Thessaloniki, Greece
tel-fax:0030-31-257364
e-mail: nautilus@otenet.gr
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.dsl.nl/eurodusnie
action/infocenter EuroDusnie
visiting address: 
Boerhaavelaan 345
Leiden
mail to:
P.O.box 2228
2301CE Leiden
Netherlands
phone/fax: (+31)(0)71 5173019

 


	***A-INFOS DISCLAIMER - IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE***

A-Infos disclaims responsibility for the information in this message.


			********
		The A-Infos News Service
			********
		COMMANDS: majordomo@tao.ca
		REPLIES: a-infos-d@tao.ca
		HELP: a-infos-org@tao.ca
		WWW: http://www.ainfos.ca/
		INFO: http://www.ainfos.ca/org