ATHENES :les chauffeurs routiers campent toute la nuit devant le Parlement
Live from Syntagma square, Athens : hundreds of lorry drivers set to spend the night outside parliament
Just got back from Syntagma square in Athens. The situation there is very odd : of the hundreds (could easily be in the thousands, too, it’s very hard to estimate) of lorry drivers there, many are carrying greek national flags, they cheer the soldiers guarding parliament and some, as the tv news reported, even cheered the ex-king of greece who happened to be nearby.
On the other hand, what the TV news are quite tactically failing to report is that apart from the lorry drivers themselves, there are many, many others who are slowly gathering at the square to support the lorry drivers. As someone reported on Athens IMC, “there seems to be some lust for an impromptu mobilisation”.
For those of you trying to get close to Syntagma, be aware that there are hundreds and hundreds (!) of police off the nearby streets : a few vans on Akadimias Avenue ; the whole of Filellinon Ave is cordoned off ; there are strong police forces in the national gardens and around Zapeio and delta motorcyclists are cruising the streets around parliament.
3,000 lorry drivers have reached parliament ; plan to stay there until tomorrow
Update, 15.22 GMT+2. The lorry drivers’ demonstration has now reached the parliament. Although mostly peaceful, the demonstrators were attacked with tear gas and stun grenades by the riot police at parliament square. At least three main avenues in central Athens are blocked off by the demo. According to their union, more than 1,000 lorries are now parked up around the entrances of Athens.
ATHENES :les chauffeurs routiers campent toute la nuit devant le Parlement
Live from Syntagma square, Athens : hundreds of lorry drivers set to spend the night outside parliament
Just got back from Syntagma square in Athens. The situation there is very odd : of the hundreds (could easily be in the thousands, too, it’s very hard to estimate) of lorry drivers there, many are carrying greek national flags, they cheer the soldiers guarding parliament and some, as the tv news reported, even cheered the ex-king of greece who happened to be nearby.
On the other hand, what the TV news are quite tactically failing to report is that apart from the lorry drivers themselves, there are many, many others who are slowly gathering at the square to support the lorry drivers. As someone reported on Athens IMC, “there seems to be some lust for an impromptu mobilisation”.
For those of you trying to get close to Syntagma, be aware that there are hundreds and hundreds (!) of police off the nearby streets : a few vans on Akadimias Avenue ; the whole of Filellinon Ave is cordoned off ; there are strong police forces in the national gardens and around Zapeio and delta motorcyclists are cruising the streets around parliament.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2010/09/21/376-live-from-syntagma-square-athens-hundreds-of-lorry-drivers-set-to-spend-the-night-outside-parliament/
3,000 lorry drivers have reached parliament ; plan to stay there until tomorrow
Update, 15.22 GMT+2. The lorry drivers’ demonstration has now reached the parliament. Although mostly peaceful, the demonstrators were attacked with tear gas and stun grenades by the riot police at parliament square. At least three main avenues in central Athens are blocked off by the demo. According to their union, more than 1,000 lorries are now parked up around the entrances of Athens.
More info as it comes.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2010/09/21/375-3000-lorry-drivers-have-reached-parliament-plan-to-stay-there-until-tomorrow/
http://libcom.org/news/truck-drivers-railway-workers-strike-greece-15092010