Sabotage in downtown neighborhoods
by fried glues

Koukaki was one of the first examples in Greece where the model of
violent touristification was observed through the mass purchase of real estate by various large investment funds with the aim of exploiting it for short-term rentals.

This situation soon spread to the rest of the city center, and today the problem is found in all large cities, resulting in the displacement of the poorest and most oppressed social classes from their neighborhoods and the creation of a nightmarish situation in terms of finding housing. One of our most basic needs has thus become a game of profit in the hands of local and foreign capital, with the Greek state naturally supporting the situation,
exploiting it to politically suppress entire neighborhoods (see
Exarcheia) and, of course, to maintain the interests of its friends.

The Squats of Koukaki Community flourished in Koukaki from 2017 until its violent eviction by the state in 2020. Among many other political struggles that emerged from the occupied houses of the community was the one against gentrification, with the squatters raising the issue early on in its true scale and warning of what would follow, which was not particularly difficult since the enormous social problems caused by the Airbnb model had already
become apparent in many other European cities.

Five years after the community was evacuated, Koukaki bears little
resemblance to a neighborhood, as the investment boom has now ended, with real estate prices and the overall cost of living in the neighborhood seeming unaffordable for greek wages, leading to the displacement of a large part of the neighborhood’s population. At the same time, squatters from the community have been sentenced in the first degree to 6.5 years in prison for daring to defend their homes and community against the forces of capital and alienation.

In solidarity with our comrades who are threatened with imprisonment we proceeded to sabotage 420 key boxes for Airbnb apartments in various neighborhoods of Athens.

PROTEST, SATURDAY 29/11 1PM, PROTOMAGIA SQUARE

COURT, TUESDAY 2/12  9PM, EVELPIDON

NOBODY ALONE IN THE HANDS OF THE STATE

SOLIDARITY WITH THE COMRADES PERSECUTED SINCE THE REOCCUPATION OF MATROZOU 45

via: athens.indymedia

Translated by Act for freedom now!