Solidarity Protest in Zagreb

Zagreb: A protest of solidarity took place…

On Monday, the 14th of September of 2009., a protest of solidarity with the arrested Serbian anarchists took place. The protest was organised by the „Stop the repression!“ campaign initiated by The Network of Anarcho-Syndicalists (MASA).

The beginning of the protest took place at the Petar Preradovic Square with the gathering of approximately 30 people. Since the protest was reported to the police, quite a number of police officers were present. The protesters marched through the street of Ilica towards the British Square carrying the banner that said: „Stop the repression! Freedom for the Anarcho-Syndicalists!“ and those words were accompanied with the picture of the caged snow owl. The snow owl that is actually the logo of Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative (ASI), now caged, became the symbol of this campaign on the international level. While the protesters approached the British Square, some of them have been distributing leaflets to people passing by. All the leaflets were distributed even before we reached the British Square.On the British Square our official statement was read, it was the same statement as the one on the leaflets. After that, our unexpected visitors, a folk band of squatters from Belgium, played for us one of their songs.But, since they were not planned, the police didn’t allow them to perform more than just one song.

After the performance had been completed, three of our delegates, accompanied by two police officers, went by bus to the Serbian Embassy, where they put the protest letter and the leaflet into the letter-box.

The letter to the Serbian Embassy

Respected ambassador!

With this letter we protest against the arrest, harassment and the media lynch of five of our fellows and friends: Tadej Kurepa, Ivan Vulović, Sanja Đokić, Ratibor Trivunac and Nikola Mitrović. The majority of them are the members of The Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative (ASI), the Serbian section of The International Workingmen’s Association (IWA). They are accused for throwing two molotov cocktails on the Greek Embassy in Belgrade, on te 25th of August of 2009., and they are being charged for the criminal act of international terrorism. Although there are no evidence and no proof whatsoever that they commited that act , that did not prevent the media from writing about the accused as if they are proven to be guilty. This kind of behavior is deliberate and it has as its goal the ruination of ASI’s reputation and the criminalization of ASI’s syndical work. Except that, the state of Serbia would this way inaugurate a new praxis of punishing everybody who may present a threat to it, and who fight for a more just and more humane society, for a society that above all respects the human life, and not the needs of profit. The „Stop the repression!“ initiative strongly condemns this kind of behavior and demands the immediate release of the imprisoned anarchists.

If our demands won’t be respected, we shall continue with the pressure through the media and with further actions of solidarity, as well as our comrades throughout the world.

„Stop the repression!“ initiative