Political culture

A day after 18 members of the Rouvikonas (Rubicon) anarchist group entered the Spanish Embassy in Athens to protest the use of police violence in Catalonia, a court Thursday imposed suspended six-month prison sentences on them for disturbing the peace.

Police arrested 18 people after members of the anti-establishment group Rouvikonas (Greek for Rubicon) entered the Spanish Embassy on the capital's central Dionysiou Areopagitou Street on Wednesday, scattering fliers and hanging a banner on the facade of the building in condemnation of police violence in Catalonia.

Opposition circles, or the "other half of Turkey," are suffering from post-system change trauma. It is not just the end of the parliamentary system and the authoritarian sway that has been sealed after the July 2016 coup attempt and the April 2017 referendum, everybody feels a deeper transformation of the political regime underway.

The Greek government’s tolerant and passive stance towards disruptive actions, which in some cases lead to violent attacks by anti-establishment and anarchist groups, has led police officers in the field to feel baffled and disappointed. As the most recent incidents illustrated, anarchist groups operate in an environment of complete impunity.

The anti-establisment organization “Rouvikonas”, known for their surprise “attacks” against symbolic -as they say- offices, buildings and establishments, hit once again this time at the Greek Parliament. They usually throw leaflets with messages about certain issues that bother them and then they go as fast as possible.

The union representing the Greek Police's special guards issued a complaint Wednesday over a decision by the force to take disciplinary action against union chief Vasilios Doumas over the latter's description of Exarchia, the central Athens neighborhood which has a reputation as an anarchist stronghold, as "the new state of Exarchistan."

An Athens prosecutor has ordered an investigation into the presence of a cargo container in the capital's central Exarchia Square, which members of anarchist groups set up earlier this month and have dubbed a "political kiosk."

It is unfair to pin the whole blame on Donald Trump and his election win in the United States on the new political concept of "post-truth." 

What we call "truth" doesn't depend on what people feel about it. It doesn't change when you look from different aspects. 

When Donald Trump won, many people; not only residents of the United States, but also millions in the world asked, "How can people elect someone as the president of the United States when most of the words coming out of his mouth are based on lies? 

An armed anarchist group in Greece is calling for "attacks and clashes" during next week's visit by US President Barack Obama.

The Conspiracy Cells of Fire group is urging anarchists to "spoil the party ... and sabotage" the November 15-16 visit to Athens.