FROM AFTER THE GREEK RIOTS! OCCUPIED LONDON

#225 | Sweet, nationalist dreams… (You become a warmongering wanker, you are not born one)

“You are born Greek, you never become one; we’ll shed your blood, Albanian pigs.”

“There will be bloodbath and then I’ll take revenge, when you bow to the flag and the cross”

“They call them Skopjans*, they call them Albanians, I’ll stitch clothes with their skin”

(*Skopjans is the derogatory term greek nationalists use for Macedonians)

March 25th, the greek independence day. Panepistimiou Avenue, central Athens. Admittedly, this is not a very promising time or place for any sort of anti-authoritarian activity – a far cry from that. What is part of our typical demonstration route has today been re-decorated for the occasion, and what an occasion! Is the IMF on its way? Is a national default imminent? A franco-german rescue package? What strings are attached? I feel that the gathered crowd is there almost expecting to hear what will happen with the crisis, not to cheer the army units that are about to march for the greek state’s independence day. But this is my own wishful thinking and, as there is something so appalling to the image of goose-stepping troops being cheered by flag-waving crowds, I decide a swift exit toward Exarcheia is very much called for.

A few minutes later, the greek army’s underwater commando unit (OYK, ομαδα υποβρυχιων καταδρομων) came down marching on Panepistimou Avenue chanting the slogans above:

This is not some fringe far-right group, it is armed units participating in a national fiesta, chanting they’d stitch clothes with “enemies’” skins. Whatever happens “next” in this city, in this place, it would probably be wise to remember that this time round, there’ll be scum like them out on the streets – we’ve been warned, it’s only a matter of getting prepared…