The riot police force just entered the studio. We are on a live show. The police forces have just entered the studio of the Hellenic Radio. You can hear the police radios, I guess they go on air. The time is 5:32, here, at the studio of Hellenic Radio, in the Radio House of Aghia Paraskevi, from where you can listen to us, all over Greece. This show is going on under the eyes of the policemen, these last minutes. [Police radio: "let him go now, let him go now"]. And all over the mixers and the expensive equipment that is here.
[Talking to the policemen:] Yes, the items outside are mine. The backpack and the sleeping bag. The microphone is on, lads. Whoever wants can speak. I see, a policeman is recording via a video-camera. New ethics and customs. So, you will be listening to me and another 6 police squads, who are in front of the studio, as I am waiting to be detained. Have a nice evening. Greece, 2013, 21st century. Welcome 1930. Welcome to the Middle Ages.
I hope somebody is recording all this. Really. I hope that somebody of you, friends, fellow travellers, comrades, has been recording all these and send me at some point, so that we can listen. How the motorolla radios of the policemen that invaded ERT studios, were heard in the air. You cannot hear them now, since the door has close, but two police squads remain outside. I guess it will be our time in a little.
You can text us by sending an SMS starting with "AP" followed by your message to 54160. Thanks to Leros, Zante, Saghiada, ach [sigh]. Text message from Saghiada; I know Saghiada, on the border to Albania. Text message from Berni of Nestos. The requested the song "The enemies invaded the city", unfortunately our technical capabilities are limited at the moment. Thanks to my colleague Ilías Maravás from Mytilene. We thank you all. Believe me, it is shaking to be on the microphone, surrounded by police guarding; I guess, what are they guarding? They have surrounded the studio of the sound engineer, who is no longer in place, and the studio of live shows, here. Undercovered policemen with video-cameras are recording us. And in case you are wondering how legal this is, do not look for any legality. Even words have lost their meaning [sigh]. We thank Amaliada, Ithaka, Orestiada, our colleague from the Music Groups. Music Groups, you should have a music protest today.
I will dare to say that apart from the immediate need that you all come here, to Aghia Paraskevi, a big demonstration should be organized tomorrow, in the center of Athens, a big one. Either directly in Aghia Paraskevi, it may be better in Aghia Paraskevi. I don't want to take at this time the responsibility to to call for a demonstration somewhere, as I don't know where we, those who are inside, will be. But it is easy for it to be arranged through the social media, and if my colleagues in ERT Open and ERT Social are tuned in, le t them initiate, along with any colleagues and union representative that are still out of the building, so that the necessary arrangements take place and devise a call for tomorrow: no matter if it will be in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon; wherever they think it is better, in Aghia Paraskevi, or in the city center, so that a big demonstration takes place.
Not only for ERT, not for our job positions, but for the democracy itself, for how things have turned out. For this flagrant repression, for this retreat towards the older decades. For all those who should have defended and we could not. It is not time to see why we couldn't, but it is time to get back to the defense. For our dignity and our honour. In order to stand one next to another. In order to hold the hand of an unknown person and send by them. Because we were together in the same street, because we had the same struggle. For all these reasons, there must be a big dmeonstration. But we also ask you to come now to Aghia Paraskevi, to come to the Radio House.
Also keep in mind; when this microphone turns off, what you'll be able to listen to, won't be your voice, it won't be the voice of Hellenic Radio, it won't be the voice of ERT. Those who will be talking to you, those who will be talking to you, those who will be talking to you, won't be the struggling ERT employees; they won't be the struggling ERT employees, they won't be the struggling ERT employees.
I see, we are being evicted, I hear that a command has been given that I stop talking
-[Policeman:] "He should stop the show..."
-[Another policeman:] "Could you pleas go out?"
-Is it your command? Yes, of course, may I take my stuff, my personal belongings?
At this point, dear listeners, the Hellenic Radio is going mute, good luck. See you again, we will meet again.
These microphones are being turned off.
Deep soul.
ERT producer Nikos Tsimpidas
