Greece - PM “applauds” May 20th general strike demonstrations

from afterthegreekriots

Greek PM “applauds” May 20th general strike demonstrations: when the peoples’ ridiculing by authority reaches a new level
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Corporate media report that Greek PM Papandreou expressed his content for the general strike demonstrations of May 20th: “the voice of those who were out on the streets”, he stated, “was heard louder, because it wasn’t covered by any uproar or riots”.
So here we have it: the hunter applauding their prey; the executioner congratulating the convict for showing up on time for the execution. Postmodern government at its best (a PM-wannabe striker) and at the same time a return to the dark, dark pages of nationalist frenzy of which this corner of the world has seen so much: “we’re all in this together, our enemy lies beyond the border”. Papandreou’s statement shows in the most vivid manner the huge dilemma the antagonist movement in the greek territory will be faced with from now on: the tragic events of May 5th show that violence in demonstrations is no longer an option, that it must be ruled out – and yet, it was precisely this element that would prevent the most obvious recuperation attempts of the struggle by the state or capital – by the very targets of the demonstrations, that is.
Where does this leave the antagonist movement in the country? Surely the way to go must be working on the grassroots, neighbourhood level for the creation of structures that negate the authority of state and capital on the everyday level. “Neighbourhood assemblies against the IMF” are already springing up across Athens (more on a subsequent post) and this is, undoubtedly, a positive sign.