The anarchist Giannis Dimitrakis was arrested heavily wounded after a robbery at a branch of the National Bank in the center of Athens, on January 16th, 2006. He defended the choice to expropriate a bank, without statements of remorse and with clarity about his motives and intentions. He gave meaning to his act as a moment in his critique and action against the system of wage slavery and exploitation, against the antisocial role of the banks and as a part of the polymorphic social struggle. Because of his political identity the state moved with rage against him, attempting to apply a holistic plan of criminalizing anarchists, anti-authoritarians and class struggle.
In light of the appeal court of December 6, 2010, we call for acts of solidarity everywhere.
FREEDOM FOR GIANNIS DIMITRAKIS
A storm of misinformation was systematically supplied by the police and readily carried out by the mass media. The police constructed "the gang of robbers in black," so that other comrades could be named as members. They were attributed not only a string of robberies but also a close association to armed "terrorist" groups. Then it was proclaimed that the whole of the anarchist- antiauthoritarian movement is closely connected to organized crime!
His three supposed accomplices, Simos and M. Seisidis and G. Tsironis, comrades known for their many years of political activity, were later on convicted in secret and publicly declared wanted for astronomic rewards.
The blames against Giannis were based on the "anti-terror" law and enriched with unsolved robberies and other false charges which fell in court. None the less an exemplary, unheard of for a robbery, exhaustive sentence of 35 years was imposed on him.
The oppressive aggression against him continued with attacks by prison guards, vindictive transfers, disciplinary sentences and the provocative deprivation of basic rights for the preparation of his defense at the court of appeals.
In the wretched reality of the prisons, he stood dynamically and with dignity from the beginning. He participated in all of the prisoner's struggles happening the past years in Greece, also being an interactive channel of communication with them. He has advanced to hunger strikes and abstinence from the prison meals - despite the permanent health problems left him by the police's bullets - showing his solidarity for his fellow prisoners and fighting for the terms of his survival and existence in the difficult position of imprisonment. His dignified position has inspired a multitude of acts of solidarity and political defense in many places around the world.
Giannis Dimitrakis’ appeal trial, after having been rescheduled, is set for December 6th, 2010. It will be very important, as much for the legal outcome of his case, as for if we will allow the state's manipulations and experiments against us to flourish.
In the years which have passed since Gianni's arrest, what at first seemed a particularly repressive undertaking now appears common. The penalization of social relationships, guilt until proven otherwise, exemplary punishment, authoritarians targeting and criminalizing the whole of the antiauthoritarian space, attempting to obstruct the spread of its ideas and practice.
The state's constant and manic attempt to slander, oppress, marginalize and penalize the people of the struggle is becoming all the more clear. Zero tolerance to agonists, laborers and the impoverished while those who shamelessly steal from and misinform society are protected by armies of mercenary murderers.
Our key weapons against these politics are self organization and solidarity with all means possible.
In light of the appeal court of December 6, 2010, we call for acts of solidarity everywhere.
Many such actions would send a strong message of solidarity.
Freedom for Giannis Dimitrakis
Freedom for all prisoners in struggle