The grandiose 50.000 strong march of students of occupied faculties, professors in strike and workers against the new neo-liberal law on higher education, in Athens, on March 8, was savagely attacked by the Riot Police (MAT) in front of the Parliament, in Syntagma Square, when the new law was voted by the right wing New Democracy 160 deputies alone.

The march was peaceful for 5 hours; then, using as a pretext some incidents with the anarchists the special forces of MAT attacked with clubs and massive use of tear gas the marchers. Street fights erupted for hours until late in the night. Tens of marchers were injured and sent to the hospital (including the chairman of the Federation of High School Teachers- OLME). 50 young students were arrested and will be put on trial. Particularly the students of EAAK, the front organization of radical left organizations (in which the students of EEK also participate) were the privileged target of the extreme violence used by the State repression forces. The State asked the Supreme Court Attorney to start investigation for the "moral instigators" of the clashes that already had be named by the Chief of Police last week: they are the leaders of EAAK and of POSDEP( the All Greek Federation of University professors and teaching personnel.)

The students, in protest, have occupied the Central Office of the Rector of the University of Athens in the central Panepistimiou Street (in the middle between Omonia Square and Syntagma Square). At that moment our comrades are inside the Rectorate and they issued a Call to the People for a new mass demonstration against State repression in Athens tomorrow at 18.00 pm. In the students official statement the immediate resignation of the Karamanlis government is demanded.

EEK has an Emergency Conference this weekend to confront the new explosive situation.

March 1, 2007

Savas Michael-Matsas Athens,