On the murder of the 15-year-old boy in Greece

Statement by the Press Bureau of the CC of KNE

We condemn the murder in cold blood of 15-year-old Alexandros-Andreas Grigoropoulos committed by a policeman in the Exarchia area of Athens. The leadership of the police forces and the government bear outsized responsibility.

This incident is a result of the education and orientation of the security forces which are directed against the people, against the popular and working class movement, against the struggle of the youth.

The repressive measures of the state are fully in line with the attack against the life and the rights of the youth to work, education and stable working time, through the flexible working relations. Their target is to cause fear to the workers and the youth.

The arsons and damages have nothing to do with the mass popular movement. Such attacks legalise violence and authoritarianism.

On the other hand, they are used as an alibi by the government of ND as well as by the previous ones, in order to conceal the fact that the target of state repression is the popular labour movement. The only effective response to the provocations of the government is the organised popular movement; the combative, organised, self-protected mobilisation of the youth.

The real causes and the responsibility for this incident should not be concealed as it has been in other cases (e.g. torture of immigrants in police stations, the beating of the student in Thessaloniki etc.).

We appeal to the youth to express its indignation, to protest, to condemn and to make, through its organised struggle, accountable politically and criminally the responsibles for the police attacks.

Schools, universities, TEI (Technical Education Institutes), IEK (Vocational Training institutes) and evening schools should be closed down. The mass organisations should release statements condemning the police attacks and organise mass demonstrations and rallies. The youth along with the popular labor movement should participate organised in:

- the demonstration organised by KKE and KNE throughout Greece against the state authoritarianism (in Athens at 18:00 in Omonia)

- In the general strike on Wednesday 10/12 along with the class oriented movement, PAME, in the rallies organised in 63 towns throughout Greece (in Athens at 10:30 in Omonia)