Militant anti-fascism: some updates from Heraklion, Crete

August updates from the struggle between militant anti-fascists and neo-nazis in the city of Heraklion, Crete (Heraklion is the largest city in the island and fourth biggest in the country).

Greek original

The present text comprises an update regarding the events of August 2012 in Heraklion, Crete, as part of the undeclared war between the Nazis and the city’s anti-fascist group.

Regarding the events of June/July, you can read here (in Greek)

Let’s trash the fascists

No space and no neighbourhood for the Nazis.

End of July – early August: the Golden Dawn in Heraklion announces it will not abandon its offices in the city centre and even, that it plans to soon evict the Eyagelismos [anarchist] squat. The announcement is reproduced by all local media, creating a military atmosphere in the city. On the same day, a neighbourhood assembly takes place, ending with a raid in the offices. Their door was removed and an anti-fascist banner was hanged.

August 7: Anti-fascist demonstration of 400+ people. On the same day, the owner of the offices pastes a new ‘for rent’ sign at the supposed offices and the issue is permanently closed. Despite their fanciful declarations, the GD never entered their offices. The banner remained in its place until it was removed by the building owner.

August 12: Attack by the fascists against migrants in the area of Lakkos at approximately 9pm. The GD were chased by residents of the area and only returned at approximately 1am, around 15 of them, to throw a smoke flare to the house of a migrant who participated in the events. On the same night, two migrants are beaten in Chanioporta.

August 15: a speech of the head of the GD in Crete, Karefyllakis, is posted on the GD website. The speech is recorded in a hotel in Hersonisos. It is indicative to note that the speech eventually took place 25 km outside Heraklion and was not announced anywhere. In the video, on the 24th minute, there is a joyful part where this idiot unsuccessfully tries to explain why the offices of the GD in the city center were abandoned.

August 16: Demonstration by 100 migrants and some leftists in the centre of Heraklion

August 21: An Athenian visiting neonazi is beaten up in the city centre.

August 22: new opening of offices of the GD, eventually in Nea Alikarnassos (3 km from the city centre) is met with some “high praise”, as in the first four days either the offices, or the cops guarding them received attacks either with stones or inflammatory devices. The opening of the offices was not announced anywhere. On the night of their opening 15 nazis took to the city centre, beat 2 migrants and immediately returned to the opening where they joined the patrolling crew. Unfortunately, they never crossed paths with a 40-strong anti-fascist group which missed them by a minute or two.

End of August: Beating of local neonazi and arson of his motorbike.

Early September: distribution of leaflets and fly-posting in Nea Alikarnassos with some good reception in the neighbourhood. A popular assembly is called to deal with the issue of the offices of the nazis. The only presence of the fascists in the neighbourhoods is on Wednesdays, with an important number of paid thugs and obviously riot cops present to protect them.

September 6: Approximately 100 people attend the anti-fascist popular assembly in Alikarnassos, while approximately 30-35 nazis unsuccessfully attempt to cancel it.

Always in the streets…