Rochester, NY Joins International Solidarity Marches in Support of Greek Uprising
Originally from and photos at http://rochester.indymedia.org [1]
by Zarha Dillon-Zuppelli, Photos by Mary Adams
Two weeks ago in Athens, Greece, a 16 year old anarchist got shot in the back of the head by a cop. Rochester SDS [2] - Students for a Democratic Society -organized a march of approximately 20 people on December 20th, a day of international solidarity, to support the uprising that is happening in Greece and spread the word about what is going on. The demonstrators marched from Washington Square park to the News 10 NBC building on East Avenue where SDS delivered a statement to the corporate media. In addition to condemning the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, SDS demanded that local media cover the uprising in Greece.
Statement Read by Rochester SDS Member
by Maggie
RESISTANCE
Rochester Students for a Democratic Society condemn the murder of fellow student Alexandros Grigoropoulos, and support our Greek counterparts in their uprising against police brutality and state totalitarianism.
In the 13 days since Alexandros's murder, daily rallies, marches and riots have illustrated the dedication of students no longer willing to swallow their rage and submit to forces of exploitation and corruption. 600 schools and 150 universities have been occupied. 4,600 capsules of teargas have been fired, and 4 defense lawyers have refused to represent Alexandros's murderers. Labor unions, including the Hellenic Federation of University Teachers' Associations, have joined in the protests, calling a three-day strike. Amnesty International has accused Greek police of brutality in response to rioters, and eyewitnesses have reported peaceful demonstrators having their lives threatened by the police.
The events in Greece are part of a growing global social uprising against the corrupt states and their servants who conspire to oppress and brutalize us, to turn us against one another, and to break our spirits. Exorbitant university prices, unemployment, political and police corruption and poverty are not unique to Greece. These problems are simply symptoms of a greater disease. Until the inherent inequities of global capitalism are addressed, we will continue to be exploited by the ruling oligarchy, and lawmakers and law enforcers will continue to have the right to dictate our lives to us. We as American students do not have refuge in our universities the way Greek students do, nor would an American officer in the exact same situation be charged with murder. Rochester SDS is inspired by the actions of the students of Greece, and is invigorated in our commitment to take back control of our schools, homes, and lives.
We as students have always been privileged to lead social movements, and now is no exception. After Alexandros's murder, the defense for his murderers issued a statement regarding the boy as a deviant, saying "the victim did not show the expected behavior and personality of a 15-year old adolescent." Theses same character assassination techniques are used to cover the wrong doings of the Rochester police, in addition to the exploitation of institutionalized classism and racism as a vehicle to kill our empathy for one another and to keep us separated and powerless. We, like the students in Greece, are not fooled. We understand perfectly that our rage is justified, and that the powers of global capitalism, not it's victims, are to be blamed for these incidents. We will not be divided.
We demand that these events get the media attention that they deserve.
We stand in solidarity with the students of Greece and all of Europe, and with one another.
RESIST!