On account of Alfredo Cospito, an anarchist from Italy, who has been detained in article 41-bis solitary confinement since May 2022 in a maximum-security prison in Sardinia and has started a hunger strike in October 2022, but was not given any outlook on better detention conditions until today and now is on the brink of death.
On account of Thanos Chatziangelou, a militant anarchist from Greece, who was illegally transferred from Korydallos to Nigrita prison in December 2022 and had been pulling through a hunger and thirst strike for more than two weeks, until he was assured to be sent back to Korydallos.
On account of the 11 revolutionaries from Turkey, who have been detained in Greek prisons, and sentenced to a total of 333 years of arrest, and who started a hunger strike in August 2022, until they were set free in January 2023 till the final trial is held.
And a group of antifascist activists from Germany, accused of 129 (formation of a criminal organization), who have been put on trial in a maximum-security hearing room in Dresden for more than two years now (Antifa Ost).
These are only a few stories from the last month that point to the draconian punishment people have to face, when they are caught and regarded as anarchist, revolutionary or antifascist. But these are also stories that point to another fact: Even if the laws might be different in every country, the problem is the same. We need to fight together, to bring down fascism whether it is walking on the streets or sitting in the government.
As the Antifa Ost trial will be coming to an end presumably in beginning of May, we call you to come to the autonomous day-X protest in Leipzig on the Saturday after the pronouncement of judgement in the Antifa Ost trial! It’s likely that day-X will fall on May 6 or the following weekend.
The state, represented by the General Prosecutor’s Office, presents itself in the trial as a defender of freedom of expression and social peace, as a superior and impartial authority that takes action against an organization of criminals. But this is hypocritical: It is the state itself that produces social discord, protects neo-Nazis with its laws and authorities, produces them itself and also hires and tolerates them in its own authorities. In this process, the state is nothing more than a protector, supporter and defender of fascists and national socialists, no matter what the state may think and say about itself. We stand by the side of the accused antifascists. As long as the roots of fascism are not torn out, we will fight against it, and as long as comrades are threatened and harassed by state repression, we will stand by their side.
The current state attacks are also fatal precisely because they are intended to sow fear and insecurity in the anti-fascist structures, especially at a time when autonomous anti-fascism is more bitterly needed than it has been for a long time. Since fascists from every sphere of society govern countries like Italy, Poland, Hungary or elsewhere, hold international annual meetings in Budapest, train for fighting events and for a self-predicted civil war, set refugee camps on fire or built up “secret” societies and academic institutions under the eyes of the public.
We express our continuing will to stand in the way of old, new Nazis and fascism in whatever form, and we want to express our solidarity with all prosecuted anti-fascists. If a verdict in the Antifa Ost trial is reached – no matter what the outcome – we will take to the streets in Leipzig on the following Saturday and show the state, the judiciary and the police that even in the face of repression we are strong anyway, that we become more and more and that their violence does not let it get us down!
UNITED WE FIGHT!
Connect international Struggles – Defend antifascist movements
*What we can do: We can host some of you, but we can’t organize camps.
*What we wish for: Reference to the Antifa Ost trial in your cities, solidarity actions in your cities, come and take your rage to the streets of Leipzig on that day!
Source: de.indymedia.org