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MARFIN BANK , three dead burned alive - ATHENS
gr - 05.05.2010 21:04
MARFIN BANK , three dead burned alive - ATHENS
outside the just burned Marfin bank of Mr Vgenopoulos. Three employees burned alive , after the bank was set to fire with Molotof . Earlier today the employess had to work although a day of general strike, and although the obvious risks, as the bank was on the main route of the Demo with extensive window glasses in the ground floor and no usable fire exit.
Communist party accuses and suggests that this was a provocative set up to demoralize the working class movement .
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RP6E-mUEP0&feature=player_embedded
 Website: http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-post_05.html
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| supplements | | | meer info | Pallas - 05.05.2010 22:53
Voor meer info zij vooral verwezen naar de zeer goed geïnformeerde site:
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/
Hieronder een verklaring van een van de werknemers van de bank:
An employee of the burnt bank speaks out on tonight’s tragic deaths in Athens – please spread
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tonight’s tragic deaths in Athens leave little space for comments – we are all very shocked and deeply saddened by the events. To those (on the “Occupied London” blog even) who speculate that the deaths might have been caused purposefully by anarchists, we can only reply the following: we do not take to the streets, we do not risk our freedom and our lives confronting the greek police in order to kill other people. Anarchists are not murderers, and no brainwashing attempted by Greek PM Papandreou, the national or the international media should convince anyone otherwise.
That being said, and with developments still running frantically, we want to publish a rough translation of a statement by an employee of Marfin Bank – the bank whose branch was set alight in Athens today, where the three employees found a tragic death.
Read the letter, translate it, spread it around to your networks; grassroots counter-information has a crucial role to play at a moment when the greek state and corporate media are leashing out on the anarchist movement over here in Greece.
I feel an obligation toward my co-workers who have so unjustly died today to speak out and to say some objective truths. I am sending this message to all media outlets. Anyone who still bares some consciousness should publish it. The rest can continue to play the government’s game.
The fire brigade had never issued an operating license to the building in question. The agreement for it to operate was under the table, as it practically happens with all businesses and companies in Greece.
The building in question has no fire safety mechanisms in place, neither planned nor installed ones – that is, it has no ceiling sprinklers, fire exits or fire hoses. There are only some portable fire extinguishers which, of course, cannot help in dealing with extensive fire in a building that is built with long-outdated security standards.
No branch of Marfin bank has had any member of staff trained in dealing with fire, not even in the use of the few fire extinguishers. The management also uses the high costs of such training as a pretext and will not take even the most basic measures to protect its staff.
There has never been a single evacuation exercise in any building by staff members, nor have there been any training sessions by the fire-brigade, to give instructions for situations like this. The only training sessions that have taken place at Marfin Bank concern terrorist action scenarios and specifically planning the escape of the banks’ “big heads” from their offices in such a situation.
The building in question had no special accommodation for the case of fire, even though its construction is very sensitive under such circumstances and even though it was filled with materials from floor to ceiling. Materials which are very inflammable, such as paper, plastics, wires, furniture. The building is objectively unsuitable for use as a bank due to its construction.
No member of security has any knowledge of first aid or fire extinguishing, even though they are every time practically charged with securing the building. The bank employees have to turn into firemen or security staff according to the appetite of Mr Vgenopoulos [owner of Marfin Bank].
The management of the bank strictly bared the employees from leaving today, even though they had persistently asked so themselves from very early this morning – while they also forced the employees to lock up the doors and repeatedly confirmed that the building remained locked up throughout the day, over the phone. They even blocked off their internet access so as to prevent the employees from communicating with the outside world.
For many days now there has been some complete terrorisation of the bank’s employees in regard to the mobilisations of these days, with the verbal “offer”: you either work, or you get fired.
The two undercover police who are dispatched at the branch in question for robbery prevention did not show up today, even though the bank’s management had verbally promised to the employees that they would be there.
At last, gentlemen, make your self-criticism and stop wandering around pretending to be shocked. You are responsible for what happened today and in any rightful state (like the ones you like to use from time to time as leading examples on your TV shows) you would have already been arrested for the above actions. My co-workers lost their lives today by malice: the malice of Marfin Bank and Mr. Vgenopoulos personally who explicitly stated that whoever didin’t come to work today [May 5th, a day of a general strike!] should not bother showing up for work tomorrow [as they would get fired].
- An employee of Marfin Bank [greek original]
| | Meer info | Pallas - 05.05.2010 23:46
Drie doden is natuurlijk afschuwelijk en als die door een mollie vanuit de demo veroorzaakt zouden zijn dan is dat zeer af te keuren. Maar los daarvan blijft die verklaring van die werknemer van de bank het wel in een ander perspectief zetten. Banken zijn traditioneel een doelwit tijdens dit soort demonstraties en die directeur heeft er, naar het nu laat uitzien, voor gekozen zijn personeel te dwingen die dag te werken en dat in een gebouw zonder enige brandpreventie en de mensen bovendien ingesloten op hun eigen werkplek.
De directeur van de bank die kort na de brand polshoogte kwam nemen werd door de omstanders helemaal verrot gescholden. Zie:
http://www.zougla.gr/page.ashx?pid=2&aid=131644&cid=4
Verder moet je nog maar afwachten of het inderdaad een mollie is geweest die deze brand veroorzaakte (zie onderstaand bericht).
http://libcom.org/news/war-zone-athens-three-people-dead-many-buildings-burning-general-strike-march-turns-battle-
War-Zone Athens: three people dead, many buildings burning as general strike march turns into a battle
Submitted by taxikipali on May 5 2010 15:14
Three people have suffocated to death as a result of a fire in Marfin Bank during ongoing battles between anti-measure protesters and police in Athens.
The Athens protest march marking the zenith of the general strike called for the 5th of May was attended by an approximate 200,000 (20,000 which is the foreign broadcast number referring to the PAME march alone), although because of lack of media coverage due to the media participation in the general strike no concrete estimates can be made. After the PAME (Communist Party union) protesters left Syntagma square, the first lines of the main march started arriving before the Parliament with the first clashes erupting at the end of Stadiou street. The march then walked on the Unknown Soldier grounds leading the Presidential Guard to retreat, and attempted to storm the Parliament but was pushed back by riot police forces which today demonstrated a particularly staunch attitude and resolve against the demonstrators. Soon battles erupted around the Parliament with protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks, with one riot police armored van torched, and the police responding by extended use of tear gas that soon made Athens’ atmosphere unbearably acrid. As more blocks reached Syntagma square, the battles spread across the city center and lasted for more than five hours.
During the clashes several state buildings were set ablaze including the County Headquarters of Attika. At the time of writing the Ministry of Finance is reported to be on fire, and vital tax documents as destroyed by the raging fire. However the strange thing is that it is the fourth floor of the building that is burning, at a height inapproachable to petrol bombs. The building is in danger of total collapse.
According to news reports that began at 14:00 Greek time after, under pressure by the events, most radio and TV stations decided to break their strike, claim that the fire at Marfin Bank’s Stadiou street branch that has led to the death of three workers (one a pregnant woman) was started by protesters. However this remains an unsubstantiated claim. A similar case three decades ago had originally put the blame for the fire at Kappa-Marousi building on Panepistimiou street, leading to the death of several people inside, to anarchists, while its was later proved the fire was caused by tear gas fired by the police.
A video of the fire-brigade trying to evacuate the building can be seen in http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8661385.stm
After the tragic death of the three workers made the round of Athens, new clashes started to spread in the Greek capital, with a large crowd gathered outside the burned bank when Marfin's boss tried to visit the site. Clashes broke out between the crowd and police when the former attacked the bank magnate accusing him of forcing the dead workers to scab on a general strike and locking them in the building despite them demanding to evacuate it since 12:00.
In Parliament the Communist Party of Greece has accused the government for the deaths, claiming it was a result of agents provocateur fascist groups. The claims of the Communist Party are based on the fact that 50 fascists tried to enter the PAME demo bearing the flags of the union earlier in the morning. The fascists were spotted, chased and sought refuge behind riot police lines. Accusing the extreme-right as being behind the deaths, the Coalition of Radical Left has declared in Parliament that the government cannot pretend to be in grief for the loss of life, as it has been attacking human life by all means possible.
Meanwhile, extended clashes broke out in Salonika where approximately 50,000 people marched destroying dozens of banks and corporate shops in Greece’s second largest city. Clashes with the police continued for several hours. According to news broadcasts anarchist have occupied the Labour Center of the city.
In Patras, around 20,000 protesters were joined by tractor drivers and garbage truck drivers on their vehicles, as flaming barricades were erected along central streets of the city and clashes developed between protestors and the police.
In Ioannina the protesters attacked banks and corporate shops leading to extended use of chemicals by the police. In Heraklion, 10,000 people are reported as marching against the measures. In Corfu, protesters taking part in the anti-measures march occupied the County Headquarters. Protesters have occupied the Administrative Headquarters of Naxos and the City Hall of Naoussa.
As a result of the Athens riots, the police have cordoned off the entire center of the city, erecting check points of entry and exit, while all police work permits have been recalled. At the time of writing battles continue to rage in the inner city, while news broadcasts claim the police is mobilising its forces to storm an anarchist squat in Exarcheia.
| | Bericht uit Griekenland... | wimmie - 06.05.2010 13:18
Een uur of twee geleden viel de stroom uit. Dat is op zich geen groot nieuws hier op Ikaria, hoewel het ondertussen wel een maandje geleden was dat we onze laptopbatterijen nog 's moesten testen op uithouding. Na een uurtje was het gefikst, internet aansluiten, kranten open en... zeker 3 doden bij onlusten in Athene!? Blijkbaar hebben enkele heethoofden een bankkantoor in brand gestoken. Hoe? Wat? Mijn vriendin belt meteen enkele Atheense vrienden op die meer moeten weten. Giannis? Die zat in Ikea, want zo'n nationale betogingsdag met stakend openbaar vervoer is een buitenkans... Dimitris? Die zat midden in de actie. Naar huis gaan was niet aan de orde, want zijn buurt - Exarchia (een ietwat anarchistische wijk in het centrum) - stond in de fik. Heel Athene staat in de fik. 3 doden? Ja, er zijn geruchten... De Griekse journalisten staken namelijk ook. Dus dan maar luisteren naar Radio Tamtam en surfen naar 'anarchistische' en buitenlandse sites...
Het zal nog moeten blijken wat er precies is gebeurd, maar één ding staat vast. De modale Griekse werkmens is waanzinnig woest. Loonsverhoging hebben de Grieken al jaren niet meer gehad. Extra geld wordt steevast betaald in de vorm van premies, die - zoals nu - te allen tijde kunnen worden ingetrokken. Ambtenaren verliezen tot 30% van hun inkomen, gepensioneerden tot 30% van hun pensioen (de pensioenkassen zelf zijn trouwens leegeplunderd), en de bedienden bibberen, want vanaf nu mag de werkgever zelf bepalen hoeveel extra's ze krijgen. Een gezin van twee leerkrachten kan bijvoorbeeld tot 8000 euro inkomen per jaar verliezen. In ruil voor dit loonverlies mogen ze volgend jaar ook nog 's 6 uur meer presteren met meer leerlingen per klas...
De mensen vragen rechtvaardigheid. De hallucinanten corruptie wordt ongemoeid gelaten, het leger en de politie krijgen zelfs meer budget en de orthodoxe kerk weigert gewoon belastingen te betalen op haar talloze eigendommen.
Het wordt een hete zomer.
Update 18u:
Volgens de behoorlijk betrouwbare blog Troktiko ( http://troktiko.blogspot.com/2010/05/12-marfin.html) vroegen de werknemers van de getroffen Marfin-bank al om 12 uur naar huis te mogen gaan. Het management weigerde dit. Toen er drie molotovs binnenkwamen hadden ze de foute reflex van naar boven te vluchten, alwaar ze als ratten in de val liepen voor gesloten deuren. Er was evenmin een nooduitgang. Ze zijn 1 voor 1 naar een buurgebouw kunnen vluchten via een klein raam dat uitgeeft op een kleine koker... 3 mensen waren te laat.
(En er gaan stemmen op om de noodtoestand uit te roepen...)
Update 20.00:
De doodsoorzaak is volgens de onafhankelijke nieuwsbron www.tvxs.gr verstikking. Er zijn ook vijf gewonden, van wie een heel ernstig. In tegenstelling tot de vorige update is het ook duidelijk dat sommigen via een balkon konden ontkomen.
Een gemaskerde kerel heeft een onbekend goedje door een verbrijzeld raam gesmeten en de bank zo in brand gestoken. Ondertussen gonst het van de geruchten. De verantwoordelijke voor de aanslag zou een agent provocateur zijn, wat trouwens schering en inslag is in Griekenland. Alle omroepen zouden geld gekregen hebben van de regering om de situatie zo zwart mogelijk voor te stellen de afgelopen maanden, de noodtoestand zou worden uitgeroepen... Ik wacht nu even op feiten, want met geruchten ben ik niks. Helaas is op deze manier ook de hele manifestatie overschaduwd. En ik kan me niet van de indruk ontdoen dat dat de bedoeling was... Volgens talloze getuigenissen begon de politie al traangas te spuiten op de naar schatting 200.000 betogers (geloof de officiële cijfers zeker niet.) nog voor er ook maar sprake was van incidenten. De zenuwen staan strak gespannen. Kapitaal vs. de werkmens, links vs. rechts, regering vs. oppositie. En dan komen er hier altijd smerige truken bij te pas...
(En de stakende journalisten? Die gingen toch maar weer aan het werk toen ze inzagen dat ze heel wat scoops aan het mislopen waren...)
| | geen discussie | nn - 07.05.2010 13:57
Ik gooi bij deze de discussie eraf,
alleen nieuws en aanvullingen blijven staan.
Wil je discussie ga naar revleft of kraak-forum,
of ravage of weet ik veel waar, maar iig
een plek die geschikt is voor discussie.
Het wordt hier anders onleesbaar en wie is er nou geinteresseerd in een 'ver van het vuur, veilig achter je pc' mening. Feiten en ooggetuige verslagen willen we zien!
groetjes de censuurknop van indy.
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