Shots Fired at Squatted Social Center in Exarcheia, Athens
Athens, Greece – Eight bullets were fired at K*VOX (Κ*ΒΟΞ) social center on early Saturday morning. Those who were inside said they heard the bullets whizzing past but nobody was injured.
People in K*VOX during the shooting reported to Unicorn Riot that police were garrisoned nearby and patrols were passing by every 10-15 minutes. However, during the time of the shooting and for hours immediately afterwards, there was no police presence.
Vox squat social center at exarcheia has been attacked by a man with a gun. 8 bullets have been shot #antireport pic.twitter.com/PSmrzMhJdT
— U (@kinimatini) August 29, 2020
K*VOX is a self-organized squat in the historically anti-authoritarian and anti-fascist district of Exarcheia. With its meeting spaces, a bar, and a free and open library, the social center houses many initiatives. Unicorn Riot has reported on two of those initiatives operating out of K*VOX, ADYE and Rouvikonas.
Eight bullets were fired at K*Vox, the squatted social center in the heart of the #Exarcheia district in #Athens, #Greece.
This attack happened ~3 hours ago, around 3am on Saturday morning.
Those who were inside said nobody was injured.
pics via @kinimatini & @SpDapergolas pic.twitter.com/XQZNT3grYG
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) August 29, 2020
ADYE is an anarchist-created patient-centered healthcare facility operating in a portion of the squat. Volunteer doctors and dentists serve the broader Exarcheia community free of charge. See our special on ADYE from 2017 below:
The basement of K*VOX is home to a meeting space for many assemblies, or initiative-like working groups. It’s also home to the headquarters of the Rouvikonas Anarchist Collective. Since 2013, the Rouvikonas Anarchist Collective has been striking back at abusive government power, economic exploitation, and organizing against state repression.
This elusive anarchist group is known for its swift, high-profile, controlled attacks. Each target was carefully chosen for their negative impacts on society. See our special on Rouvikonas from 2019 below:
Since the far-right New Democracy government took office in mid-2019, they’ve occupied the anti-authoritarian cultural center of Exarcheia with police forces, changing the everyday life of the residents in what was once known as an autonomous zone, with little police presence on the streets.
Raids and evacuations of housing squats late last fall by the Greek government transferred many hundreds of refugees from their sanctuary living situations to detention centers and ‘concentration camps’.
Police attacked K*VOX numerous times last year, smashing windows, beating patrons, and lobbying tear gas into the social center. People guarding the social center prevented an invasion of forces into the squat.
Tonight riot cops attacked again to K*VOX with tear gases inside the building from distance because the occupation defenders waited at the entrance ready for fight. #Exarchia pic.twitter.com/zXgNhWVYpA
— NοControl🏴 (@nocontrolatalll) August 31, 2019
Riot cops for third night in a row throw tear gas inside to K*VOX and run away from the spot. #Exarcheia_resist pic.twitter.com/3xGdfsMvFP
— NοControl🏴 (@nocontrolatalll) September 2, 2019
Though still under daily threat, K*VOX has survived the police attacks, the coronavirus lockdown, and they continue to be open.
Now it’s a slow war of authoritarian attrition. The state engages in mass detentions, harassment and fear. The goal changed from cleansing exarcheia of the bad elements to pacifying the entire area.
— Exiled Arizona (@exiledarizona) August 29, 2020
Βίντεο σχετικά με τους πυροβολισμούς εναντίον του Κ-ΒΟΞ pic.twitter.com/3663UKyeNF
— Stergios Alexiou (@stergiosale) August 29, 2020
It’s unclear who fired the shots. Speculations are ongoing as to whether it was the mafia, or drug dealers, fascists, or police. What’s clear is that those who self-manage VOX have not been intimidated; people gathered immediately after the shooting, and the social center was open again the next day.
Cover image via Kinimatini & SpDapergolas/Twitter
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Unicorn Riot's Specials From Greece [2018-2021]:
- Greece: New Education Bill Brings a New Students Movement - May 29, 2021
- Greek Police Occupy and Desecrate Memorial Site of Teen They Killed - December 8, 2020
- Historic Squats, Rosa Nera and Terra Incognita, Raided by Greek Police - September 9, 2020
- Shots Fired at Squatted Social Center in Exarcheia, Athens - August 30, 2020
- Mutual Aid to Detained Refugee Women Grows — Coronavirus in Greece Part 3 - May 7, 2020
- Worker-Occupied Factory Sends Soap to Refugee Camp – Coronavirus in Greece, Part 2 - April 28, 2020
- A Country Quarantined, Coronavirus in Greece Part 1 - April 25, 2020
- Greek Government Cuts Power to Worker-Run Factory in Midst of Pandemic - March 30, 2020
- Passing the Point of No Return: Interview with Rouvikonas Anarchist Collective - December 24, 2019
- Attacks on Capitalist Targets on the Rise as Greek Police Increase Violence - December 23, 2019
- Government Deadline of Greek Squat Evictions Draws Near - December 4, 2019
- Greek Police Raid Squats and Evacuate 269 Refugees, Community Symbolically Reoccupies Spirou Trikoupi 17 - September 21, 2019
- 143 Refugees Arrested as Greek Police Begin Exarcheia Raids - August 27, 2019
- OmniaTV, Grassroots Independent Media in Greece - August 14, 2019
- Life-Sentence Overturned for Greek Police Officer that Killed Teenager - July 30, 2019
- Occupy, Resist, Produce: Inside the Self-Managed Factory of Vio.Me. - Apr 16, 2019
- Workers Healthcare Center of Vio.Me., Created by the Workers for the Community - Apr 16, 2019
- Greece: Political Prisoners Pt. 3 – Criminalized by Association - Feb 7, 2019
- Major Clashes Mark 10 Years Since Greek Police Killing of 15 Year Old Alexis - Dec 9, 2018
- Athens Prepares for 10th Anniversary of Teenager’s Death by Police - Dec 6, 2018
- Heraklion’s Autonomous Open Market Generates Solidarity Economy - Nov 23, 2018
- Occupied Urban Gardens Grow Community, Stunt French Gentrification - Nov 21, 2018
- Greek Police Attack Anarchists After Demo for Victims of 1973 Student Uprising - Nov 18, 2018
- Reports From Greece – 13 Part Series – 2017
Unicorn Riot's Special Reports From Greece [2017]:
- Greece: Alternatives to Neoliberal Capitalism – Introduction
- Greece: Action of Solidarity With Squats and Against Evictions
- Greece: Anarchists Defend Exarcheia’s Autonomous Zone From Police
- Greece: ADYE, Exarcheia’s Free Self-Organized Healthcare Clinic
- Greece: Political Prisoners Pt. 1 – Tasos Freed & Irianna Jailed (Τάσος & Ηριάννα)
- Greece: Political Prisoners Pt. 2 – Targeting of Anarchists & Autonomous Groups
- Greece: Networks of Resistance Pt. 1 – ZAD, Bure, Hambach Forest
- Greece: Networks of Resistance Pt. 2 – Infrastructure; ExarcheiaNet & Cooperativa Integral
- Greece: Alternative Economies & Community Currencies Pt. 1 - Athens Integral Cooperative
- Greece: Alternative Economies & Community Currencies Pt. 2 - Kenya’s Sarafu-Credit
- Greece: Alternative Economies & Community Currencies Pt. 3 - FairCoop
- Greece: The House of Women for Empowerment and Emancipation
- Greece’s First Housing Squat for Refugees & Migrants, Notara 26
Access to all 13 Stories:
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