Lesvos and Chios: volunteers helping refugees arrested by police and Frontex, involvement of the International Rescue Committee

[quote=Benjamin Julian]

After the altercations in Chios yesterday, where locals beat up solidarity people and accosted refugees, the port occupation got evacuated. The authorities stopped major brawls from happening, but sided decisively with the "concerned citizens".

They would be more accurately described as a mob, though. They burned a refugee banner, aggressively broke up contact between refugees and Europeans and had cozy chats with police. A large firecracker was thrown at the refugees, but the authorities were in no mood to protect the occupation. The mayor instead shouted at the refugees: "Go! Go! Go! You come with me or go with them!" and pointed at the mob.

While the mob didn't intend to physically attack refugees, so long as they left, volunteers were told they would be in danger if they didn't go.

Two camps in town have now been filled up, the fence at the port reinforced and local media says calm will return. The refugees say they have now been hidden away and their problems ignored.

Due to overcrowding, some refugees are being moved to a hotspot on another island, Leros. When they arrive, it seems standard procedure to leave them sitting on the concrete for hours. The mayor there doesn't want them to come, and has called on locals to blockade the port tonight to stop more refugees coming. Yes, the mayor.

One member of solidarity got attacked by the mob before being arrested by the port authority. He might get charged with disobeying official orders.
....
[/quote]

Video from Piraeus

The MAT aren't even going through the motions of acting separately from Golden Dawn.

[quote=Samos Refugees]

The Camp is Cooking

For the first time since the EU/Turkey Pact came into force on March 20th the gates to the Camp were opened and unlocked on April 7th.

When we arrived at the Camp at 5pm we met with wonderful scenes of refugees walking into town or just strolling along the lane in front of the gates enjoying the warm spring weather. Smiles and grins were everywhere. For a brief moment at least they were out of the prison. “We can breathe again” as one young Syrian told us.

The gates were opened because the refugees took action. For days now the camp has been cooking as they would say in Palestine. Tensions were high inside. We had heard from friends locked inside that the Camp chief had announced that most of them would be deported to Turkey. This was undoubtedly a key trigger to the sustained protests that followed, including sit down protests at the gates, a hunger strike and then yesterday morning a growing number of self harming incidents as refugees smashed their heads into the concrete floors and fences. The police were deeply agitated as they tried to control the refugees. We had received a telephone call around 11am that we shouldn't go up to the Camp as the police were threatening to arrest anyone near the gates who was not 'authorised'.

As always in chaotic circumstances there are variations in the accounts about what happened next. We heard that the refugees had charged the gates and broken out en masse. But this is not what we were told by some of the refugees who had been active in the protests. Their accounts are much more plausible. The gates were unlocked by the police just as one would release a pressure cooker. The refugees were on the brink of exploding. There was no way that they were simply going to allow themselves to be passively deported. They were furious at being locked in the Camp and being treated like sub humans. (Commonly you hear them say treated like animals. This is not accurate, for in the main animals in Europe are not treated in this way. Even pet dogs are eligible for passports these days which allows them free movement throughout Europe - something which is denied to many in the Camp.)

Last summer the gates were opened for the first time ( and remained so until March 20th) because the authorities then were not able to feed the inmates. Yesterday they opened because the authorities lost control and were overwhelmed by the strength of the refugees protests.

When we arrived later in the afternoon, the atmosphere around the camp was almost like a carnival. There was no tension. The gates were wide open with a few policemen just hanging around as the refugees wandered in and out. And when we drove back into town we passed lines of refugees walking into the centre waving and cheering as we passed them also waving and shouting. Moments of happiness to cherish and for the refugees a moment when they had asserted themselves and won something.

But whilst important, these are just brief moments in an unending struggle. Even as we drove to the sea front it was clear that the police were regrouping. When we arrived at the sea wall there were over hundred refugees relaxing and talking in groups. Many of them looked exhausted as well as exhilarated. At the same time there were also police cars and vans parked on the road and a small group of police were passing amongst the refugees, shouting out names and then giving those called papers and then immediately taking them to the waiting police vans and driven off. They could only have been going to the police cells, for the Camp was now open. The police wouldn't say what papers they were issuing but we heard from some refugees that they were papers which told them that they were to be transferred to another island, prior to deportation. Whether it was because of the presence of so many armed police but we saw no resistance as they were loaded into the vans.

At 00.40 hours we received a text message to say that some riot police from Athens were checking into a hotel in Samos town.

We don't know yet how the authorities are going to respond to their loss of control. Last night the police locked the Camp gates at 8pm but were allowing refugees both to leave and return unlocking the gates when needed. Maybe (though unlikely) the authorities will continue in this more relaxed way knowing full well that it's hard for the refugees to leave Samos. This is not an easy place for refugees to hide. There is no large multi-ethnic population so most refugees (especially from Pakistan and sub Saharan Africa) stand out. And being an island the only way off is by ferry. But without an appropriate paper it is impossible now for a refugee to buy a ferry ticket for Athens. There is also much more rigorous checking at the port. Likewise where other than the Camp are the majority of the refugees going to sleep, shower and eat?

All the refugees we met yesterday whilst elated to be outside the Camp for a time wanted to talk with us about their options. How could they get off the island? If they broke out where could they hide? How could they survive? Most knew that they could apply for Asylum but they didn't want to stay in Greece. Many after all had friends and families already settled in Europe and that was where they wanted to be, and not here in Greece. They were desperate for all kinds of information. Was it true that asylum applications would be adjudicated in just 14 days? And so on. Of course they were buoyed up by getting the Camp opened up but they were well aware this had not removed the threat of being returned to Turkey.

As yesterday's events illustrated the refugees are determined to fight. From inside the Camp yesterday morning, they were shouting “Where is the conscience of Europe?” This is their question to us all. We must respond.

“Fences, prisons, deportations are not going to stop us” as one Algerian told us. “We will find a way”.

This story is not concluded.

[/quote]

Ongoing clashes at Idomeni. See Fotomovimiento's timeline for updates:

https://mobile.twitter.com/Fotomovimiento

Also Marianna Karakoulaki:

https://mobile.twitter.com/Faloulah

Video: MSF on injuries at Idomeni today

MSF report on the injuries

[quote=Teacher Dude]

Greek media/Right caught in a bind, want to attack govt yet seem to be supporting Macedonia police actions at Idomeni.

Instead of attacking Macedonia police for attacks on refugees (which Greek opposition would dearly love to do) Greek MSM attacking govt

Greek media ethics, like so much of the media's are utterly situational, the situation changes so do their ethics.

This is nowhere so clearly displayed as over issue of #refugees, one month they're all tears, next tearing them apart with vicious attacks

I see mainstream media as a stray dog, one moment, friendly wagging its tail,the next growling and ready to bite.Don't turn your back EVER

Who's to blame for violence at #Idomeni ? EU Foreign ministers? they met to discuss refugees. Refugees wanted to make their voice heard

Not buying into Greek media conspiracy theories that foreign volunteers Greeks "stirring up" refugees at #Idomeni

Really believe that refugees who've survived war in Syria/Iraq are going to make decision based on what a bunch kids with dreads tell them?

Been up at Idomeni 2x a week since September, for most of that time working with Arabic speaking members of our group and refugee volunteers

So got to chat and discuss what about what people are thinking. Refugees are no one's pawns, if they act it's because they decided to

Plenty of refugees at Idomeni who are just as educated and politically savvy as any of us on Twitter, never mistake them for a mob
[/quote]
I've seen various claims of activists spreading rumours that the border is going to open and encouraging refugees to put themselves in danger. This idea seems to have taken hold with the Greek media. I've seen no conclusive evidence that this has actually happened, though it isn't impossible. In any case I'm sure refugees can think and act for themselves, and I've seen reports that decisions at Idomeni are being taken at assemblies.

News round up for yesterday from 'Are You Syrious?'

Pakistani migrants 'treated like animals'

https://www.facebook.com/aiddeliverymission/posts/270656483267197?fref=nf

Independent volunteers are not responsible for EU violence

We, the independent volunteers of the Shorba Crew and other groups in Idomeni have not been starting protests in the camps and strongly resent accusations by the media that we are 'fake volunteers'. Since January, The Shorba Crew have cooked over 500,000 meals and served them in and around Idomeni camp. Media and police has accused volunteers of starting the protests in camp which have been responded to with the sickening and indiscriminate violence of the FYROM border forces. As a result volunteers have been subject to intensified police harassment.

Yesterday (12/04/16) three volunteers were illegally detained while driving to the Idomeni camp. The reason given was to provide identification - something that we all do regularly on site.

At Evzoni Police Station, with no reason of suspicion given, the car was searched. A small knife was found in the vehicle - they were on their way to serve at a tea tent which uses fresh cut ginger.

A female member of the group was illegally forced to strip for a complete search, again without pretext. Phones were taken. The owner of the car was beaten then handcuffed and taken to another room by four other police and loudly threatened with more violence while his friends had to listen outside. He has since been taken to Kilkis and remains in police custody until at least tomorrow morning. No reason has been given for this violent detainment and violation.

Over the course of the day other vehicles were stopped, searched and volunteers were taken to the station and/or interrogated on the spot with varying degrees of intimidation.

Who we are and what we do

We are independent volunteers who are unpaid for our work in and around Idomeni Camp.

We live in and around villages in Idomeni and Polycastro where we enjoy a healthy relationship with local people, groups, and businesses.

We are from Greece and all over the world, the situation in the camps is a world problem not the Greek people's to shoulder alone.

We have been cooking and serving food in the camps alongside other groups since January and have seen them expand to the current situation. Two months ago The Shorba Crew were the only source of hot food in the camps and at one point were cooking and serving upwards of 10,000 meals a day.

We are diverse in our approach and also provide humanitarian support with clothes, camping and cooking equipment, music, childcare/educational areas and charging stations.

We all work together to bring some humanity to an inhumane situation.

Why we are not organising protests or saying the border will open

We have been in the camps for months now and have formed a close relationship with the community residing there. Many individuals have become our friends and valued members of our crew.

We have worked to provide accurate information in relevant languages about the overwhelmingly confusing and overloaded bureaucratic processes by which people can access the Greek asylum system, seek relocation or apply for family reunification. This is the only way people can hope to leave.

http://informationflyers.wix.com/stayrebell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmLzPw-f7F

We have seen the situation in the camps develop into the current humanitarian nightmare as the EU has created a bottleneck by closing the Greece/FYROM border and the entire Balkan Route. This has denied people any freedom of movement to seek protection and security.

We firmly believe the borders will not be re-opened in the current political climate.

We have long seen the brutality the forces guarding the FYROM border are capable of.

We are aware they have a firm mandate, logistical support and crowd control equipment supplied from member states of the EU to maintain their southern borders. They will enact this with whatever force they decide necessary - with very little international oversight, control or enforcement of laws regarding violence inflicted on non-agressors.

http://www.euractiv.com/…/leaked-skopje-letter-exposes-clo…/

We have never advocated or encouraged any mass crossing of the border as we are aware of the hopelessness of this kind of action and the violence it invites from border control forces.

We are completely against the building of false hope and the disappointment and injury it has resulted in.

We have not organised any protests and have strongly attempted to discourage them. When we became aware of the river crossing flyer being circulated in Idomeni, we immediately informed Doctors Without Borders and UNHCR then attempted to communicate as much as possible it was untrue and dangerous.

We have been portrayed as being present at all the protests. This is easy to do because we are in camps every day and when we become aware of protests, we act to minimise harm.

We strongly resent accusations we are fake volunteers here to cause trouble.

Further we regard it as incredibly racist and patronising to imply that people need 'western activists' or 'fake volunteer groups' to organise protests for them. Some people have been stuck here since January, struggling to maintain their dignity in abysmal living conditions without prospects of any improvement. We perceive these acts of protest to be ones of frustration and desperation as the reality sets in that Fortress Europe has locked its doors.

Media persecution fuels police repression

Due to constant persecution by the media our work has become much harder to perform. Baseless allegations of which we have heard nothing official have continually appeared on national television networks. As this has become an increasingly politicised issue our group and others have experienced more targeting and harassment from both media and the police.

We were raided at gunpoint by Greek police in late January and have experienced media harassment in our homes, vehicles and while serving food in the camps.

We have so far refused to respond to most media questions as they are invasive, biased and seem unlikely to give us a fair hearing.

We continue to release regular online statements, videos and pictures concerning our activities and position regarding these issues. These have either been too hard for members of the media to locate or they have chosen to deliberately ignore them.

http://aiddeliverymission.org/

As many groups have experienced in Greece there is an increased atmosphere of suspicion towards volunteers being promoted by the media and political motivation being created to criminalize refugee support. We have already experienced this repression over the last months, and yesterday, as a result of media allegations it has increased.

We condemn the EU policies creating the inhuman situation at their borders.

We condemn the violence against those who are seeking safety.

We condemn the media organisations responsible for these biased and poorly researched articles and their shallow and sensationalist representation of the situation.

We condemn the use of state (police) violence to repress volunteers who are attempting to show the people in the camps that they have not been forgotten.

And we thank the people who continue to support the work of all volunteers, both inside and outside the camps and the walls of Europe.

-Independent Volunteers of Idomeni, Aid Delivery Mission, The Shorba Crew.

More arrests today, no more details as yet.
[quote=Marianna Karakoulaki]
5 foreign activists arrested today as Greek gov'ment targets #refugeesGR solidarity movements
[/quote]

[quote=Teacher Dude]

Greek police arrest 2 Norwegian and 1 English volunteers a walkie-talkie found in their car #Idomeni #refugeesgr https://twitter.com/DOC_PROVOCATEUR/status/720261455753248768

Can't wait for Greek TV news to show that arrests averted a secret Norwegian plan to subvert Greece

With Greek TV reporters always hard to figure out if they're really that dumb or believe there viewers are.

@KristAdelMihajl Today 3 Norwegians and 1 Briton arrested for having walkie-takie in their car,German women arrested for having pepper spray

Greek police under pressure from SYRIZA govt and media over situation in #Idomeni hence the "round up the usual suspects" tactics

Greek police using sniffer dogs at #Idomeni road block. Smuggling of candy bars and snacks down by 87%

The actions of NGOs and volunteer groups are deeply embarrassing to SYRIZA govt as they are doing the work the Greek state should be doing

Classic tactic of the Greek state, unwilling to take on responsibility but always willing to obstruct those who do so and make them look bad
[/quote]

Alarmphone: The new Aegean deportation regime

Lawyer on Lesvos describes obstacles to access to clients in Moria

Idomeni: 29 detained yesterday

https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/LlibertatBrigadistesIdomeni?src=hash

A volunteer makes the mistake of agreeing to a Greek TV interview

Oscar Webb - On Chios

One of the better reports I've seen on the current situation in Greece.

Benjamin Julian - The mob in Chios

Press conference at Idomeni: statement from volunteers

Human Rights Watch on conditions in Moria and Vial

Lesvos: the locals helping refugees

I was strip-searched by Greek police while volunteering with refugees

No Border Kitchen destroyed in dawn raid, activists and refugees arrested

[quote=Soli Cafe]

Yesterday , 19 April, early in the morning police raided soli cafe and arrested all the people present, amongst which were refugees. Most people are still imprisoned and are waiting trial on charges that are not yet clear. Once again the police have tried to intimidate the soli cafe collective.
At the moment there are over 2000 refugees stuck on the island of Chios with no hope of leaving. Soli cafe provides a support network that helps refugees fight for basic human rights, as well as supplying humanitarian aid.

Soli cafe collective will continue to support refugees in anyway we can.
Help us fight back by showing that we are not alone. We ask people around the world to do solidarity actions with us and send us photos under ‪#‎solicafe‬.
[/quote]

Meanwhile Syriza seems incapable of running its own prison camp on Chios:

Refugee babies detained on Greek island 'not getting adequate milk'

Since the morning of 22/4/2016, the abandoned Hotel “City Plaza” in Athens has been turned into an Accommodation Centre for Refugees. Currently refugee families from different nationalities, together with hundreds of people of solidarity are working collectively for the cleaning, repairing and organization of space, so that it can open soon as a project of self-organization and solidarity, as a center of struggle against racism and exclusion, for the right to free movement, decent living conditions and equal rights.

The Solidarity Initiative to Economic and Political Refugees invites everyone to practical and material support of the Accommodation Centre “City Plaza”. For the next few days and as long as there are works in progress in the building, it will not be possible to accommodate more refugees.

From the summer 2015 and on, Europe and Greece have been found unable to respond to the issues emerging from the largest refugees’ wave in their territory, since the World War II, in the source of which there can be found the declaration and act of war, on a military as well as an economic level, from the countries of the North to the countries of the South, which has lead their populations to poverty, fear and oppression.

This fact has created two very distinctive and opposed tendencies: the first is expressed by the activation of racist reflexes, which can be found in the core of the European continent: fences and walls have been built; FRONTEX and NATO have been invited in order to “protect” the borders; deportations and brutal oppression of refugees. It is clearly expressed through the racist agreement between the E.U. and Turkey, which violates the Geneva Convention and every humanist value, as it copes with the refugee issue as if refugees were a merchandise that can be part of a transaction; it also leads to an unthinkable number of deportations towards countries in which their life and freedom is compromised.

The second tendency is the one expressed by the huge wave of solidarity in Greece, as well as in Europe. Millions of people were found side by side with the refugees in their battle to cross the borders and overcome all kinds of difficulties through their journey. People in solidarity in Athens, in August 2015, took immediate action in Pedion Areos, thousands of people from all over the world have come to Lesvos and other Aegean islands, in order to contribute to the efforts of the people there. Europe has known the largest wave of solidarity and mutual aid in the last decades. This mobilization is bearing the hope for a resurgence of the society, in order to erase the danger to see Europe becoming a “Dark Continent” again.

The Solidarity Initiative for Economic and Political Refugees has taken action, for quite some time now, within this movement of solidarity, in the centre of Athens. It has brought out the fight of the refugees; stopped the efforts to create “apartheid” areas, without the presence of refugees; pointed out the responsibilities of the Greek government, which not only did they fail to secure the accommodation, protection and free passing of the refugees, but also signed the racist agreement and took the responsibility to implement it.

From now on, our needs go to a different level. Europe’s political agenda of closed borders basically determines the conditions under which a number of political and economic refugees, who initially had the intention to move on towards northern countries, are now stuck in Greece. Without foregoing for a moment our basic demand for open borders and our fight against closed ones, we feel the need to gather our forces toward the creation of decent living conditions of refugees in Greece, in our neighborhoods, with full rights in all social services.

In this framework, all along with our constant demand for immediate accommodation of the refugees, not in camps, military or not, but in appropriate buildings with full infrastructure, where they will be able to move freely in and out, we decided to occupy this building: on the one hand, we wanted to contribute, within our grasp, with a solution to the problem; on the other hand, we felt the need to have a place where information and coordination for refugees’ issues would take place.

Our decision does not release the Greek or any other government from their responsibilities to immediately provide all refugees with accommodation and protection. However, it points out that solidarity can be the driving force which will stand up against any racist plans of the European countries and it will see to the protection of all refugees, in the direction of full integration, next to the local workers and oppressed people. There have been several attempts, right after the racist agreement between E.U.-Turkey, from the media and the government, to demonize and attack solidarity, which was considered to be responsible for the fact that the refugees stand up for their rights.

It is rather clear that if the status of exception, which has been planned for the refugees, proves to be successful, it will be used as a model to other parts of the society, which, during the last years, have experienced the brutal agenda of poverty, oppression and exclusion.

We declare that we will stand to the side of the refugees, people in solidarity and workers who, during all these years, have fought for the rights to education and health, accommodation and food for refugees, against the criminal politics of closed borders, which, up to now, has killed thousands of people, against ghettos far from the city centre, where refugees will be “invisible”.

The Solidarity Initiative for Economic and Political Refugees invites the workers in solidarity to participate in this effort, in the Refugee Accommodation Center City Plaza and every other independent solidarity structure.

Let’s create a world of mutual aid and co-existence.

Against racism, solidarity. We will all live together.

– Down with the shameful agreement between E.U.-Turkey. Open borders, safe passages for refugees.

– Full legalization of all refugees. No deportation to Turkey or elsewhere.

– Accommodation for all refugees in appropriate buildings, within the city core. Requisition of hotels and empty houses for refugees’ accommodation.

– Free access to health and education services for all refugees. Participation of the refugees’ children to programs of school insertion.

– Closing of all detention centers, no exclusion of refugees from the cities.

– No criminalization of the solidarity movement.

Solidarity Initiative for Economic and Political Refugees

http://solidarity2refugees.gr/refugee-accomodation-center-city-plaza/

[quote=Asteris Masouras]
Refugee-hosting squat in Thessaloniki raided by police https://twitter.com/kollectnews/status/723430869222850560 … if was any doubt: Greek govt cracking down on solidarity
[/quote]

Today at 6 o’clock in the morning Wednesday, April 20, 2016 the camp in Tsamakia of Mytilene was violently evicted by strong police forces. Policemen and undercover cops, in cooperation with the coastguard, invaded the camp and forced the immigrants to enter buses, while undergoing physical and verbal threats, as well as sexist and racist comments. During this violent pogram, the immigrants were not given time to collect their documents and belongings and were not informed about their rights or the destination of the buses. After the eviction of the immigrants, 19 solidarity members were detained without any accusation or explanation and were finally released after being held for 3 hours in the police station. Legal representation was invaluable in mitigating the bullying tactics of the police. During this time, solidarity members were denied permission to care for their pets and all structures and tents were destroyed by the municipality.

During the past 5 months the No Border Kitchen has been active in Tsamakia beach, promoting open borders for all humans by providing food to more than 1000 people that passed through Mytilene in search of freedom and opportunity. Last month, after Moria, the former registration center became a prison, many people decided to camp around the kitchen in order to enjoy freedom of movement, self-determination and the family atmosphere. Solidarity members have been working, cooking and living together with the migrants in an effort to overcome petty nationalism and racism. NBK also provided legal and medical advice, first aid and supplied humanitarian needs. Destroying NBK camp is part of a continuing effort on the part of authorities to impede and even stamp out the self-organized solidarity movement of Lesbos which has been active in recent months. Police, the mayor and many authority figures have shown prejudice and discrimination against these solidarity activities as is evident in the threats NBK has received with arrests and eviction since it started.

We as solidarity members choose not to respond to the ridiculous and sensational rumors spread by the press which posted a video of a dead dog to influence public opinion against refugees that killing or eating dogs ocurred in our camp. NBK is a vegetarian kitchen that chooses not to sacrifice any life, let alone cherished pets.

NBK will continue to support the refugees in their struggle to enjoy freedom of movement with human dignity.

No Border Kitchen Lesvos

http://mpalothia.net/no-border-kitchen-greece/

Happening now...
[quote=Ayesha Keller]

#moria riot NGOs and EASO staff being evacuated. Lots of people looking traumatised. Women and children still inside. Billing point reached.

Riot in #moria. Police violence towards minors started protest.Tore down fence, police tear gassing.NGOs evacuating

#moria PA system broadcasting "freedom, freedom" the refugees have taken over the camp. So much frustration. Women&children safe #refugeesGR
[/quote]
[quote=Daphne Tolis]

"The protest began because the police hit the child in the minor section", acc to a refugee inside #Moria.

Acc to 2nd refugee: "People revolted because of 2 things: 1. Police hit the children 2. The Government rejected asylum in #Greece".
[/quote]
[quote=Will Horner]

Riot going on in #Moria camp #Lesbos volunteer at the scene tells me fences torn down and facilities taken over by #refugees

Spoken by tel to refugee in #moria Says riot began when one police beat a child. #Refugees now meeting with police to negotiate
[/quote]
[quote=Andrew Connelly]

Rioting at #Moria started with the many unaccompanied kids detained inside. Many reports of police beating, tear gas

A Syrian contact inside #Moria #Lesbos claims riot started after police beat a child.
[/quote]
[quote=Zia Weise]

An Iraqi refugee in Moria told me “today’s problems coming from of delay in asylum and some people refused to return to Turkey"

Earlier today, 50 migrants were deported to Turkey - 13, including 2 children, from Lesbos to Dikili... [1/2]

… five from Chios to Cesme (including one woman and one child from AFG), and 31 from Kos to Milas (near Bodrum). Info via Anadolu [2/2]
[/quote]

Report from RT

Another report here

Greek police fired teargas against refugees and migrants in Moria camp on the island of Lesvos on Tuesday. According to local media, tension started when Migration Minister Yannis Mouzalas visited the camp and the refugees and migrants protested the living conditions by throwing plastic water bottles at the minister. the riot police was quick to respond.

According to social media though, there is claim that police hit one of the unaccompanied children in the camp.

Report in Greek

Video from the City Plaza squat: https://vimeo.com/164104192

https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/cityplaza

Moria on Tuesday:

[quote=Platanos Refugee Solidarity]

Yesterday, the Greek and Dutch ministers of immigration payed a visit to the detention centre of Moria on the island of Lesvos. Tension sparked when the ministers entered the unaccompanied minors department and some young men asked them if Europe wil ever open the borders for them. The reply of the Dutch minister was a desicive and rude "no". Anger spread out and some teenagers sprayed with him water. Greek riot police answered with a really violent attack, beating at least 2 minors. That incident provoked a full uprising with young refugees throwing stones at the police, lighting fires and taking over the sector. New police forces arrived and with the extensive use of tear gas they managed to control the situation. Sources speak of at least 20 injured refugees, 2 of them with broken legs.

The conditions inside the detention centre remain horrible. 3500 are stranded there, most of them are sleeping outside on the ground without even a blanket, without any care for the sick, the children or pregnant women. The only information about their current status or possible fate is that authorities are preparing a new deportation to Turkey.
[/quote]

[quote=Andrew Connelly]
NGO source in #Moria detention #Lesbos:17 kids were sent to mainland #Amygdaleza detention after Tuesday's unrest. Their fates unknown
[/quote]

Interview (in Spanish) with Lola Gutiérrez, a CGT member who was arrested at Athens airport and detained for 10 days for trying to help a young Kurdish refugee get onto a flight to Barcelona:

http://kaosenlared.net/lola-gutierrez-me-he-encontrado-unas-mujeres-que-llegan-a-grecia-con-el-sueno-de-europa-y-de-golpe-estan-en-una-carcel/

Here's a brief report in English:

https://insurrectionnewsworldwide.com/2016/12/13/anarcho-syndicalist-comrade-lola-gutierrez-deported-from-greece-and-returned-to-spain/

Basque activists Begoña Huarte and Mikel Zuloaga arrested at Igoumenitsa trying to get on a ferry to Brindisi with eight refugees hidden in a camper van (report in Spanish):

http://www.pikaramagazine.com/2016/12/dos-activistas-vascas-detenidas-en-grecia-cuando-intentaban-trasladar-a-un-grupo-de-refugiados-desde-grecia/

Twitter thread (in Spanish):

https://mobile.twitter.com/Hibai_/status/814059318823751680

Edit: Greek translation

#LibertadMikelYBego

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HqdnJEjJqyw

#FreeMikelandBego, Basque couple helping refugees exercise their freedom of movement

Joint statement from Greek organisations, in solidarity with the Basque activists detained in Igoumenitsa:

Refugees drowning in the Mediterranean and the construction of detention centres are the real crimes, not civil disobedience and solidarity.

At dawn on Wednesday, December 28, 2016, at the Port of Igumenitsa, Mikel Zuloaga and Begoña Huarte (both of Basque origin) were arrested as they were trying to travel back to the Basque Country with eight refugees in their camper-van. This action was part of a major campaign to secure freedom of movement, decent housing and work for refugees, as well as a life free of discrimination and exclusion.

This is an act of gross injustice.

The two Basques are being detained in Igoumenitsa on serious charges. Six of the eight refugees were released, whilst two others are being held in custody in appalling conditions due to not having papers.

Mikel and Begoña, in a statement released shortly after their arrest, fully clarified their motives and revealed the strength of their solidarity: “… This was a non-profit action, self-funded by various individuals belonging to social movements, and has as its only goal the solidarity between people and political denunciation (…) If States do not respect human rights, civil disobedience guaranteeing these rights are respected is not only legitimate but also absolutely necessary…”

The organisations that sign this text wholeheartedly embrace the initiative of our Basque comrades, and we express our full solidarity both with them and with the detained refugees.

We strongly believe that this act of civil disobedience against a Europe of terror, exclusion, racism, and violations of refugees’ fundamental rights, is a model of internationalism, dignity and humanity.

The grassroots, labour and anti-racist movements will continue to fight for the immediate release and dismissal of any charges against these four people who stood up against closed borders, deportations and brutality. We will also continue to work for decent conditions of housing and education for refugees, for open borders, and to be free of racist agreements and imperialist wars.

Solidarity is our weapon.

Αναρχοσυνδικαλιστική Πρωτοβουλία Ροσινάντε
Ανασύνθεση ΟΝΡΑ
ΑΝΤΑΡΣΥΑ
Αντιρατσιστική πρωτοβουλία Θεσσαλονίκης
ΑΡΚ
Δίκτυο για τα Πολιτικά και Κοινωνικά Δικαιώματα
Δίκτυο Κοινωνικής Υποστήριξης Προσφύγων και Μεταναστών
Δικτύωση για τη Ριζοσπαστική Αριστερά
Επιτροπή Αλληλεγγύης στου Πολιτικούς Κρατούμενους στην Τουρκία και το Κουρδιστάν
Κίνηση Απελάστε τον Ρατσισμό
Κουζίνα Αλληλεγγύης Θεσσαλονίκης
Κυριακάτικο Σχολείο Μεταναστών
Λαϊκή Ενότητα (ΛΑΕ)

Translated by members of the Lower Left Network

Mikel and Begoña have now been released, on bail I think - I'm not sure with what conditions.

Edit: Twitter thread and news report in Spanish

https://mobile.twitter.com/Hibai_/status/814749585889431552

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=MATU8DOeZxk

AFP report: http://www.ekathimerini.com/214946/article/ekathimerini/news/spaniards-arrested-for-transporting-migrants-released

El País report: http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/12/29/inenglish/1483006400_033827.html

Interview (in Spanish):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=lvLuIhkjk3Y

https://samoschronicles.wordpress.com/2017/07/12/samos-notes-july-2017/

Samos Notes July 2017

Last week we asked a friend whose son works as a policeman in the port why he thought the police were so violent in searching out the refugees who tired of waiting and fearing a negative response to their asylum application tried to leave the island clandestinely – without the necessary papers. They do this in a variety of ways usually by hiding in or on the trucks leaving Samos for Pireaus. If they are discovered they are routinely given a beating before being released back to the camp. It appears from what he replied that the port police on Samos are penalised by losing wages if any unauthorised refugees from Samos are caught in Athens or Pireaus. In other words this threat to their livelihoods drives them towards violence in the hope that it will deter the refugees trying to escape Samos.

In the first week of July the police launched a major sweep to locate refugees who had exhausted the asylum process and are to be deported. 138 such refugees were caught although many more are thought to be in hiding. When refugees are in this position they do all they can to evade capture. The police routines are predictable. For example they tend to come into the sleeping cabins in the camp at around 6am looking for those who have been refused asylum. The refugees in turn move around the cabins and don’t stay in their allocated places. It is a life lived on the edge, always vigilant and always insecure.

The police presence on Samos is now significant. The island is rapidly losing those laid back characteristics which were commonplace on Greek islands. For the refugees in particular as well as for those local people still offering help and solidarity to refugees there is a tangible sense of being under police surveillance, including being photographed and stopped and questioned. It is a presence evident in the many new police vehicles of all kinds especially in Samos town where the camp is located. Less obvious are the many plain clothes police who wander the streets and bars and especially at the ports when the ferries arrive and depart.

A couple of our friends with their new born baby visited last week from Athens. Before leaving from Piraeus their papers were checked three times at the ferry by different plain clothes police. The same happened when they returned a week later. They are from Algeria and Somalia. We were standing with them waiting to board the ferry when a young guy in shorts and tee shirt sidled up to us and asked them for their papers. He identified himself as a policeman. This happened again 10 minutes later when another plain clothes policeman demanded to see their papers. And all these additional checks come after being checked at the gates to the terminal by private security workers before allowed access to the ferry area.

Last week there was a fire in cell where refugees are detained awaiting deportation. Sometimes they are held in the cell for weeks. This single room has 4 toilets and a shower. The floor is covered with foam mattresses. The only windows are high so there is no view of the outside world. There are no exercise facilities and they are locked in 24/7. The cell is on the ground floor of the police station and is under constant camera surveillance. At the time of the fire there were 33 people held in the cell and the day time temperatures had risen to over 40c. Fortunately there were no deaths but four refugees plus 6 police officers needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

On July 9th the Samos police workers issued a statement saying that it was by sheer luck that there were no fatalities and demanded to know who preciselywas responsible for imprisoning so many refugees in such a small space and complaining that they were being damaged by being expected to manage an inhumane policy.

The fact is that police cells all over Greece are being used in this way: cells which at best were expected to house detainees for a few days and never intended for long term incarceration. Greek prisons are not known for their positive qualities but the police cells go well beyond anything you will find in prison. The appalling conditions and the lack of basic rights are well known and have been the subject of endless condemnatory reports but nothing changes.

All of this taking place under a Syriza government that claims to be progressive and humane. It is nothing less than shameful.

Enough is Enough! Open the Islands! Refugees Protest on Lesvos

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