We document a speech in solidarity with our comrades in greece at the refugee-protest-demonstration in Vienna yesterday (20.09.2013). It was held in frot of the main court in Vienna, wich is beside the main prison, where activists of the refugee-protest movement are held imprisoned for more than a month now.
I would like to take some time to speak shortly about the recent events in greece.
Two days ago, Wednesday Night, an antifascist comrade in Athens was attacked and murdered by fascists.
Pavlos was 34 years old, he was an activist in Athens growing antifascist scene. Under the Stage-Name “Killah P” he performed as a left-wing rap artist, also spreading his views through his lyrics and beats. Now he is dead.
The mob that attacked him with Sticks and Knifes were part of the neofascist party Golden Dawn, which has been on the rise in Greece in recent elections. Golden Dawn is mostly known for extreme anti-immigrant policies, in parliament - and also chasing people on the streets. A great amount of police officers are known as supporters of this fascist movement.
Antifascist activists and immigrants in Greece are therefore confronted not only with the devastating economical situation but also with constant danger of attacks, be it by the racist police or the fascists on the street. Also, imprisonment, endless court trials and evictions are part of daily life.
Here in Austria, where the economical situation is more stable, many people feel safe of these dangers.
But eventhough fascist street violence in Greece might be different, in some sense, we face a similar situation here. Here also, fascist parties are popular not only during elections. Here also, there is a constant threat of fascist violence. Here also, nearly every party in parliament is content with Austrias extreme anti-immigrant policies. And here also, the police arrests our friends, chases us through the streets, deports people every day.
Here also, as you all know, our friends and comrades were imprisoned more than a month ago as alleged gangster-bosses. Her also, racist mass-media supports these absurd accusations.
Here also, there are only a few people, who realize the obvious: The real gangsters, are not our friends, imprisoned in the building next to us. The real gangsters are the assholes over there with their guns and sticks and stupid blue uniforms. And the real gangster-bosses are the ones that rule this country and help making it the racist, anti-semitic, patriarchal, and violent place that it is.
This situation, for me personally, makes me sad. It makes me afraid. It makes me angry.
But one thought gives me hope:
They can imprison our friends, deport our brothers and sisters, stab our comrades.
But with every hit, they give us more and more reason to hate them.
And more important, with every hit, they give us more reason to fight them.
So we will keep hating them. And we will, definitely, keep fighting them.
And then some day, maybe, we can stop running from the fascists on the street.
And then some day, maybe, we can stop hiding from the police.
One day, maybe, they might have to start running from us.
As we start moving towards the police station, where the Demonstration will end, we would like to play one song by Pavlos.
I think it shows, that they can kill him, but his songs, his ideas and his fight, will live on.
Its title translates to:
"I won't cry, I won't fear"
One verse became famous in the last days all over the world:
“To those who betrayed me backstabbing me
I want them to know that I will not bother to cry.”
Some of us, including me, will bother to cry. But still, we will keep on fighting. And they will not stop us.
WE DO NOT FORGET
WE DO NOT FORGIVE…
Song with english subtitles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUVGzyrUmgA
Video zur Refugee-Demo: http://refugeecampvienna.noblogs.org/post/2013/09/16/rise-together-video...