I just came back from Syntagma due to a very unfortunate personal incident (I had otherwise planned to stay the night) and I have the following to report:
1) The people who came out today were literally in the hundreds of thousands; do not buy into the estimates that massively understate their numbers. At 8 p.m. the entire Syntagma square and all nearby streets were packed, which means approximately 100,000 people. Calculating the flows of people from 6 p.m. and given that people would constantly come and go, we are literally talking of hundreds of thousands – a participation that exceeded all expectations.
2) The nationalists faced a huge defeat. We are talking of an enormous crowd and in it there were three greek flags in total, a number that is smaller even than those at general strikes. And so, the scaremongering that this was a nationalist trap was unfounded. To the contrary!
3) Yes, the crowd was mixed, inexperienced and heterogeneous – but aren’t Athenians so? The fact that people with so different philosophies to one another coexisted is for me a huge victory. Perhaps for half these people this was their first or their second mobilisation. Once again, well done to them for taking to the streets, even if carrying their prejudice and bias.
4) The people FINALLY were insistent and would not leave. Even when I left there were quite a few people, and it was 3 a.m.!
5) The open assembly of Syntagma operated exceptionally well and openly, putting radical issues to the table. Indefinite strike, indefinite occupation of Syntagma, clear anti-fascist references. Elementary impromptu cleanup services worked as well, in line to the Tahrir square model! It was clear that the seed sown on February 23 has been fertilised and the much-craved occupation of Syntagma square has become a reality.
6) As an anarchist I pity all my comrades who snubbed, undermined and smeared today’s impromptu and leaderless mobilisation. Instead of joining in with these people and politically fermenting with them, they chose its snubbing and the easy elimitism against the “clueless and politically reactionary masses”. A great pity, but the space for immediate rectification still exists for all who can and want…
7) Finally, everything has began! The people took to the streets and would not leave. Syntagma has shown it can become an epicentre of social protest with radical characteristics and foremost social clash, just like many of us had dreamt on February 23. We have much to still face and huge hurdles to jump over, but today was an Historical day that no-one expected and everyone was pleasantly taken by surprise from. The social power of the internet was finally confirmed here, too.
In conclusion: take to Syntagma today, too, carrying the experiences of yesterday’s huge day!
Today, more of us and more determined, to the square!
Everything has began once again, and nothing remains the same!