Callum Williamson looks at the re-emergence of the struggle in Greece

On Saturday 6^th of December 2008 15 year old anarchist, Alexander Grigoropoulos, was shot dead by police in the Exarhia district of Athens. This was to spark weeks of rioting and the ascendance of a new movement in Greece. With this new movement came a rise in urban guerilla activity primarily from the groups ‘Revolutionary Struggle’ and ‘Popular Action’. They believed they could be the vanguard of this new resistance to capitalist and state oppression. However, their unrelenting attempts to avenge the death of Alexander by killing a policeman have lost them all sympathy.  It is the masses that must bring about a revolution, not a handful of arrogant militants.

During the height of the demonstrations and direct action; students occupied university and school buildings, activists occupied radio stations and a general strike was called on the 10^th of December. Rioting spread throughout the country and even around Europe with clashes in Berlin between anarchists and police. Reports of arson and fighting between the police and protesters continued well into January. In the weeks after the main rioting, urban guerillas began a wave of attacks on policeman and banks; the last attack was an explosion outside the Athens stock exchange on September 2^nd .

But why did this violence occur? No doubt the Greek people were shocked and disgusted by the murder of Grigoropoulos. However, there were many other reasons that lead to such a large scale and sustained period of disturbance. Serious unemployment, privatisation, numerous government scandals and education reforms apposed by the majority all had lead to this struggle emerging. As well as this, the police in the country are hated by many for their ‘heavy handedness’ and co-operation with the fascist organisation Golden Dawn. The workers disgruntlement stems from the fact that capitalism has left them in a powerless and exploited situation. On top of this they have been forced to put up with a particularly oppressive state. The workers showed their desire for change in the elections on October 4^th, ousting the conservative New Democracy party. It was clear for some time after the riots that the masses were no longer going to tolerate the ongoing scandals and neo-liberal economic policies.

Although the movement born of the riots will undoubtedly have contributed to the victory of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in the election, the workers and students will not forget how both the Greek communist party (KKE) and the ruling party condemned their ‘blind rage’ last year. The solution to the problems faced by the workers lies with a radical Marxist organisation of the workers, not with the allies of the state.

It is no surprise then that the first anniversary of the death of Alexander Grigoropoulos came with more rioting. The ‘socialist’ government has announced a zero-tolerance policy, Again we are seeing pitched battles between youths and the police. The anarchist flag is flying from occupied buildings in Athens and police ride at protesters with motorbikes. Bricks and Molotov cocktails have been thrown but what will be achieved? Although we sympathise with the anger displayed by the Greek workers, it is crucial that the working class in Greece organise and use this militancy to change their society. Only through Marxism can liberation and equality be achieved. Only through fighting for Marxism can the Greek working class free itself from mass unemployment. Otherwise they are doomed to  fighting more futile battles in the streets with the police for many years to come.  It is also a necessity that the working class across Europe takes notice of the struggle in Greece. This capitalist crisis will see heightened class conflict across the world and we must be able to set out our demands and set out our aims for the future, defending what we have won and pushing to achieve what we have yet to win. This means that the workers must have a party, without which we can never achieve political power and cast aside the bourgeoisie and their socio-economic system. In Greece this may mean a new party must arise, a tool with which the Greek working class can (alongside the international working class) smash capitalism.