Greece is everywhere!
Smoke - 28.05.2010 19:55
Report back from the solidarity action on the 27th of may at the Greek embassy in The Hague with the people living and working in Greece and their struggle.
Yesterday there was a solidarity action with the people in Greece. The idea was to have at least a picket in front of the Greek embassy and take it from there depending on the turnout and what people would want. This 'first' action, organised by several individuals from different backgrounds, was not expected to be a big one, but was hoped to be some sort of kickstart and basis for further organising. It certainly seems like this hope was not idle.
Immediately, around 18.45, when only 3 of us were already at (near) the Greek embassy, the cops 'joined' us as well. Some more people dropped in and at 19.00 we moved to stand in front of the embassy. The cops, 4 by now, followed us immediately and removed us away from the embassy to the other side of the street. As stated by the cops by then we were already a “security-issue”. Some discussion followed around our failure to ask permission for our action (we didn't intent to actually) and they started to ask for our ID's, which noone gave. And while we rolled out our hastly made banners and started to hand out flyers, the cops stepped back and started to phone around and discuss amongst themselves (more cops had arrived by now, around 10 total) whether they would aprove of the action or not.
Meanwhile, more people joined the action including quite some people from Greece; we were with about 30 people now, of which about half people from Greece. Of course, 30 is not much, but still above our expectation for this action, quickly organised between some individuals after a wish for such expressed on the blog rooieravotr. Two of us 'stepped forward' and gave a talk and while the last was still speaking, speaking from the point of view of a person from Greece, the cops interrupted to state they 'tolerate' the action, but to order us again to another point of the crossing (we probably stood too near to a pile of bricks).
Much of the rest of the time we handed out the flyers and talked a lot around the need for international solidarity, resistance and the need for continued organising and actions in the Netherlands. We ended the action with more discussion, exchanging of contact-info and a clear will for follow-up actions in the “Autonoom Centrum”. Funny thing was that when we walked away from the embassy point for the half hour walk to AC, we became actually a small demo, banner up front, but the cops let us go without a hiss. This time, they made us laugh throughout.
To be continued...
Greece is everywhere!
If you want to keep up to date around further actions and/or help out with further organising, you can contact us at:
 griekenlandisoveral@live.nl
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