Second Person Joins Hunger Strike Over Occupied Housing in Athens

In a powerful act of solidarity and protest, a second individual has joined a hunger strike at the occupied Exarcheia housing complex on Alexandras Avenue in Athens. Suzon Doppagne has commenced her hunger strike, standing alongside Aristotelis Chantzis, who is now on his 86th day of protest. This escalation underscores the community's desperation and their unwavering commitment to defending their homes and their vision for a different way of life against what they perceive as the Greek state's indifference.

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The Greek state and all its institutions have not responded to our demands so far, they have chosen silence and are letting Aristotelis Chantzis follow the path of death. Now, they will also bear the responsibility for my death.

Doppagne's decision to join the strike, as she declared, is a direct response to the perceived silence and inaction from the Greek state and its institutions. She stated that the state has failed to address their demands, leaving Chantzis to face a potentially fatal path. By joining the strike, Doppagne asserts that the responsibility for any tragic outcome will now be shared, emphasizing that the community's struggle is well-known and cannot be ignored. The occupied Exarcheia housing complex stands as a symbol of alternative living, and this protest is a fight for its survival and the principles it represents.

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Today, after 86 days of Aristotelis Chantzis' hunger strike, no one can say they didn't know. The Community of Occupied Housing is living proof that another way of life is possible.

The core demands of the hunger strikers revolve around the immediate cancellation of a contract by the Attica Region, ensuring the permanent residency of all inhabitants in their homes, and securing a commitment for the restoration of the complex by the non-profit organization 'Residents and Friends of Exarcheia Housing Complex' through self-funding. This is not just a fight over housing; it is a broader struggle for the right to self-determination and the preservation of a unique community model. The international community may view this through the lens of housing rights, but for the residents and their supporters in Greece, it represents a profound stand against gentrification and state-led displacement, championing a vision of community-led urban living.

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I am proceeding with this hunger strike until death, based on our collective decision as a Community to fight this battle to the end. With respect for life and for the defense of the Community, its structures, its people, its relationships, justice, and our social proposal as a whole.