Statement by the anarchist Rouvikonas collective about todays occupation of the Spanish embassy in Athens, Greece; Against the repression of the Spanish state – Solidarity with the oppressed in Catalonia.

The occupied Spanish embassy in Athens, Greece earlier today.

Originally published by Athens Indymedia. Translated by Black Cat.

Note: Enough is Enough is not organizing any of these events, we are publishing this text for people across the US and Europe to be able to see what is going on and for documentation only.

Read all our reports about Catalonia; here.

Statement by Rouvikonas About the Occupation of the Spanish Embassy in Athens

Against the repression of the Spanish state – Solidarity with the oppressed in Catalonia

Nationalism is one of the most serious, contagious and deadly diseases that plague society. It’s always born via the clash of the interests of dominant social classes either in the form of imperialist struggle in the case of national war or as a result of national repression, where a local hegemonic class uses it as a vehicle to ‘liberate’ it’s own herd. Next, nationalism would camouflage every social injustice or class discrepancy, creating the basis for the subsequent slaughter among the slaves in the name of their current or future masters. This is the causality of nationalism and billions of graves, massacres, desolation and indescribable human misery found in history prove just that.

This is what’s happening in Catalonia. Since there’s capitalism, the domestic bourgeoisie and the domestic political elite of a rich (in comparison to the others) region of a ‘civilized western state’ wants its own herd. Against that, the national bourgeoisie and the state elite of the former Spanish empire, a state which still maintains the myth around the glory of the empire, sees the danger and reacts violently: violence, repression, prohibitions…

We could say: ‘why should we care?’ If the bourgeois and the states want war and if the oppressed fall for that once again, would it suffice if we just condemned nationalism and called for a unity among the oppressed?

It would not suffice for anyone who wants to change the world and not just babble for the need to change it. As the Spanish anarcho-syndicalists from the CNT write, state independence won’t guarantee the self-determination of the Catalan workers. But the barbarian attack against them constitutes an unquestionable violation of every idea of self-determination. It constitutes a regression to the tried and appalling way of national repression, a wound for the workers and the poor and one more reason for resistance. We must not forget that national oppression might become an instrument for the domestic dominant class that wants to roll its dice, but it’s not the bourgeois who sooner or later end up at the hospital or the morgue. It’s the people, which will endure this oppression in all of its extent.

That is what happened in Catalonia. The empty words of democracy once again proved to be unsubstantiated. As soon as the cold sweat from the loss of profit and power covers the dominant class, what follows is batons and weapons. As it always has been and it always will be for as long as states exist. How ridiculous is the argument of constitutional legality, cited by the Spanish government in order to repress those who do not want to be ruled by its constitution? How ridiculous are referendums and democratic processes which supposedly express the will of the people?

It’s important to consider the following. Apart from the Catalans, the Basque also assert their independence. They have chosen the path of armed conflict against the Spanish state for decades now. How revealing is the fact that both the Catalans and the Basques, who have chosen two entirely different ways to fight for the same demand, ended up being treated with the same kind of violence, the same brutality.

Conclusion

As anarchists we fight for the complete and absolute self-determination of people: what we call self-management. The ability of the social majority to share the produced wealth and control directly and without any mediators the political decisions that concern society in its entirety. We won’t get there through the creation of states. But this conclusion will never become an instrument that allows a state, a dominant power, to clash the will of the people. What happened in Catalonia was a brutal attack of submission and humiliation of a social majority.

We do not know whether this will continue. We are not aware whether the Catalan bourgeoisie and the political elite plan to turn this into a negotiation to gain extra privileges in Spain. We don’t know if the popular imagination that evolved from the attacks will impose further developments. We look at the Spanish state with worry as it attempts to transfer the breach on the social basis through the use of civil war terminology calling for pro-unity mass nationalist rallies. We cannot ignore that this Spanish state is the descendant of the fascist Frankoist Spain, since in both Spain and in Greece, democracy has never really cleansed itself from the elements of the junta.

In any case the responsibility for past and possible future violence falls on the state. We trust that the revolutionary Spanish movement will handle the crisis and distinguish and use any progressive characteristics it can be identify within the Catalan movement. We won’t point the finger of any ideological purity at the Catalans nor the Basques nor the Kurdish, nor any people who still fight despite all the violence, even if their proclaimed goals are hiding lethal dangers.

We stand by the oppressed in Catalonia, Basque Country, Spain.

We stand against state violence and repression.

This is why we came here to protest today.

Anarchist collective Rouvikonas, October 11, 2017

Video of the occupation:

https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b63_1508145461

Help maintain our site and continue our work: Donate

We returned on Monday night from Barcelona. But on Wednesday October 18th we will return to Barcelona. Please continue to support our independent on the ground reports. Its your support that makes it possible.

We want to stay independent and want to expand our work with coverage from on the ground across Europe and even beyond. Therefore we need your support. Help maintain our site and continue our work.

You can donate on our Paypal account: enough14@gmx.net

Crowdfunding campaign: https://www.youcaring.com/enough14solidarity

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

Reddit

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Print

Email

Pocket

Telegram

WhatsApp

Skype



Like this: Like Loading...