Category Archives: English

Repression against comrades participating to May 1st in Milan

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Source: Infoaut

On thursay november 12th morning a joint international police operation in Milan arrested 8 comrades – 4 of them being based in Milan and other 4 in Athens – in the framework of an inquiry about the riots which erupted during the great No Expo demonstration, last May 1st, in the Northern Italian metropolis. Other two comrades, a Greek and an Italian one, are on the run – while 4 more from Milan and Como and another one from Athens are charged and under investigation without being arrested.

The charges are those of arson, illegal disguise, aggravated resistance to a public officer, devastation and pillage – “devastazione e saccheggio”, a legacy crime from the Codice Rocco fascist law that was never abolished after the fall of the regime: just to be arbitrarily used through the years in several trials concerning street riots – but producing an executive sentence only in the case of the GenoaG8 trial, when sentences ranging from 6 to 14 years in jail were inflicted upon 10 demonstrators framed for public disorder.

Political police DIGOS commissioner Ciccimarra talked at the press conference of a work of analysis on 600 GB-worth video and photo material, fingerprints and DNA samples, warning about more arrest to come in the search for an “international masterplan” behind the riots.

Among the mainstream media, the most sickening work was that of the Milan-based national daily Corriere della Sera (one of the biggest Italian press outlets), which anticipated the arrests a couple of weeks ago, in the aftermath of the closure of the Expo kermesse. In spite of the different perspectives among the participants to that May 1 that reconstruction and the following arrests, coming after the show was over, implied a fear of retribution from the autonomous antagonist movement by the authorities.

The Corriere also published pictures, names and surnames of the convicted comrades, in spite of the legal safeguards of their presumption of innocence until found guilt.

We will publish addresses of the comrades in prison as soon as the will be available, in order to let everyone write them.

Liberi Tutti! Eleftheria!

Update 16/11/2015

You can write to the ‪4 No Expo Italian comrades imprisoned after the police operation last thursday at this address:

Alessio Dell’Acqua

Niccolò Ripani

Edoardo Algardi

Casieri Andrea

C.C. San Vittore
Piazza Filangieri 2
20123 Milano
Italy

We also invite to join actions organized by the movement in Athens in order to prevent extradition of the Greek comrades – which are now free but under investigation and compulsory sign-in – to Italy.

Solidarity is a weapon!

All belarus official political prisoners has been released!

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Source: ABC Belarus

On 22nd August president Lukashenko has signed papers to release all the political prisoners, including our comrades Ihar, Mikalai and Artsiom as well as the nationalist Jauhen Vas’kovich.

This release comes after 5 years that they had to spend in prison. All the time prisoners were subject to psychological and physical torture. Numerous days were spent in solitary confinement as a punishment for struggle aginst the prison oppression.

We are glad to meet our comrades and see them in good spirits! They are now together with their families and friends. They will be under constant police control for next 5 years.

With this happening we would like to thank everyone who was helping ABC-Belarus all these years. We enjoyed incredible support of communities all around the world and through this we manage to create a really encouraging atmosphere of solidarity. Thank you very much!

Though these people are free, there are still several comrades who are in prisons in Belarus. They also need your support.

Till all are free.
ABC-Belarus


Artyom Prokopenko


Nikolaj Dedok


Igor Alinevich

После 5 лет заключения в беларуских колониях и тюрьмах трое анархистов — Игорь Олиневич, Николай Дедок и Артем Прокопенко — смогут заснуть в нормальных человеческих кроватях. Помимо анархистов Лукашенко выпустил и остальных официальных политических заключенных, в том числе и Евгения Васьковича.

Для нас стало удивлением, как и для всех остальных, когда на новостных сайтах начала появляться информациz о том, что Лукашенко подписал указ об освобождении наших товарищей.
Тем не менее ребята вышли из колоний. Родственники и друзья о неожиданной свободе узнали уже постфактум. Приходилось узнавать, кто где. К примеру, ситуация с Игорем Олиневичем до сих пор неясна: администрация колонии никакой информации об освобождении не дала, Игорь приехал в Минск на автобусе, но родители встретить его не смогли. В конце концов, Игорь просто пришел обратно домой.
Так произошло со всеми заключенными — им пришлось выпрашивать у людей телефон, чтобы сообщить родственникам о том, что их выпустили и когда и куда они прибывают.
Хотя в тюрьмах остаются другие наши товарищи, сегодня мы отмечаем этот славный день и хотим поздавить всех, кто вышел на свободу, а в особенности Николая Дедка, Игоря Олиневича и Артема Прокопенко — они стали примером стойкости перед беларускими властями. Поздравляем мы и всех тех, кто все эти годы поддерживал ребят и не словами, а делом доказывал важность солидарности.
Сегодня мы отмечаем, а завтра борьба продолжается.

Пока все не будут свободны
АЧК-Беларусь

Antifascist is sentenced to 6 years (Belarus) [en, ru/рy]

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Source: ABC Belarus

Vlad Lenko is an anti-fascist from Ivatsevichy (Belarus). On December 27, 2014 he was arrested for a fight with neo-nazis, which occurred on the 23rd of December of the same year. He is charged under Art. 339.2 (hooliganism of the group of people) and 147.2 (causing grievous bodily harm). The court sentenced Vlad to a six-year period of imprisonment in a maximum security colony. It is necessary to collect a large sum to appeal the verdict, as well as to pay the victim a compensation ordered by a court in the amount of 1000 euro. There is the hope to reduce the period by half. Please, everyone, do not stay on the sidelines, help our mate in a difficult moment, only together we can help him. Also Vlad needs moral support, and later we’ll publish a postal address of the correctional institution.

Fundraising WebMoney:
$ Z418615316084
€ E146518161935
Paypal: belarus_abc@riseup.net

—

Русский:

Влад Ленько — антифашист из Ивацевичей. 27 декабря 2014 года был задержан за драку с неонацистами, которая произошла 23 декабря того же года. Обвиняется по ст. 339.2 (хулиганство группой лиц) и 147.2 (причинение тяжких телесных повреждений).
Суд приговорил Влада к 6 годам колонии усиленного режима.
Нужно собрать крупную сумму, чтобы обжаловать приговор, а также выплатить потерпевшему, назначенную судом компенсацию, в размере 20 млн. бел. рублей. Есть надежда уменьшить срок вдвое.
Просим всех, не оставайтесь в стороне, помогите товарищу в трудную минуту, только вместе мы сможем помочь. Владу необходима и моральная поддержка — позже будет опубликован почтовый адрес исправительного учреждения.

Сбор средств:

Реквизиты карты Беларусбанка: 9112 0000 9431 4883.
Срок действия:10\17

Электронный кошелек WebMoney:
$ Z418615316084
€ E146518161935

Источник (BК)

Tough sentences announced to antifascists (Brest) [en, ru/рy]

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Source: ABC Belarus

A verdict was delivered today in the case of Brest antifascists acused of participation in a group fight with neonazis which happened on May 8, 2013.

Antifascists were tried under the art. 339.3 (malicious group hooliganism) and 147.2 (malicious bodily harm). The case was qualified as malicious due to the fact of pepper spray usage in the fight.

Dzmitry Stsyashenka got 5 years of penal colony with reinforced regime (339.3) and 500 euro of damages to be paid to the injured nazis.

Roman Bogdan got 8 years of penal colony with reinforced regime (339.3, 147.2) and 3500 euro of damages to be paid to the injured nazis.

One more antifascist (full name unknown) got 5 years of penal colony with reinforced regime (339.3) and 500 euro of damages to be paid to the injured nazis.

It should be pointed out that in 2014 Dzmitry Zvan’ko was sentenced to 5 years of prison for the same account. Dzmitry Stsyashenka is serving another sentence of 4 years at the moment.

—

Русский:

Сегодня был вынесен приговор по делу брестских антифашистов, которые обвинялись в участии в драке с неонацистами, состоявшейся 8 мая 2013 года.

Антифашистов судили по ст. 339.3 (злостное хулиганство группой лиц) и 147.2 (нанесение тяжких телесных повреждений). Дело было квалифицировано как злостное хулиганство использование перцового баллона в драке.

Дмитрий Стешенко приговорен к 5 годам лишения свободы в колонии усиленного режима (ст. 339.3) и выплате иска потерпевшим в размере 10 млн. рублей.

Роман Богдан приговорен к 8 годам лишения свободы в колонии усиленного режима (ст. 339.3 и ст. 147.2 ) и выплате иска потерпевшим в размере 70 млн. рублей.

Еще один антифашист (полное имя неизвестно) был приговорен к 5 годам лишения свободы в колонии усиленного режима (ст. 339.3) и выплате иска потерпевшим в размере 10 млн. рублей.

Напомним, в 2014 году по этому делу был осужден Дмитрий Званько на 5 лет лишения свободы. Дмитрий Стешенко на данный момент отбывает наказание по другому эпизоду.

Against solidarity tourism in Greece [en, it]

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Source: Classe

ITA
Per la traduzione in italiano dell’articolo vai qui: Contro il turismo solidale in Grecia
—

After the OXI referendum I have noticed that more and more people are becoming interested in the faith of the greek country.

I’ve also noticed some ridiculous arguments that invite middle class people (especially from northern European countries) to travel there in order to help Greece to get out of the crisis.

Anyway since I hate tourism as much as I hate capitalism itself I need to write something about both the idea of solidarity tourism, and the reality of tourism itself.

Why is solidarity tourism in Greece useless and wrong complete bullshit?

The very idea that tourism can work as an act of solidarity towards the poor* of a country is not only ridiculous**, but also wrong, because it is based on the ideological fallacy known as “trickle-down economics” (TDE).

TDE means that if the bosses, the employers, (e.g. a shop or hotel’s owner) get more profit, this will automatically produce a trickle-down effect that will make everyone in the economic system better off, including the poor.


This picture shows how we’re told it works

This is one of the main concepts upon which neoliberalism is based, and it has been proven historically wrong if not even false in its premises.

Basically because when the rich get richer, the rich get richer. That’s it.


This picture shows what actually happens

Only the organised struggle of the poor produces a real improvement in their material conditions of life by means of re-appropriation of direct and indirect income from the rich.

This means that the best way to help the poor in Greece is by understanding how you can help people organising struggles there. And I’m sorry to tell you that your option is a bit less easy than you thought. In fact to concretely help their struggle you may have to organise with other people around you, to achieve the noble objective of fucking the bosses where you live.

For example organising a struggle so strong that will induce other people to refuse austerity measures imposed by your government. The more people reject austerity globally, the weaker the institutions (banks, IMF, hedge funds) that use it as a tool of expropriation and transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich become.

Sending money directly to the workers and their organisations in Greece is nothing but it is still better than going to Greece as a tourist.

Which brings me to the second point.

Why do we fucking hate tourism?

I explained why tourism is ineffective, but why is tourism also bad for the poor in a country?

I tried to produce an explanation for this some time ago. Tourism only produces bad effects in the medium/long term for a country. Because tourism means consumption: of land, environment, services, relationships and affections.

Tourism is one of the biggest vectors of gentrification in many countries, cities, villages and neighborhoods.

I will quote what I already wrote because I believe it is still valid.

because, being in a position of power in respect to the visited countries (tourism brings the cash!), tourists also own an unimaginable power to modify (or better, have modified for them) the urban and rural assets to cater for their own needs and desires. Not only what the tourists consciously want, but also what is necessary for them in term of facilities, logistics, transportation etc.

Moreover, the people living in mass tourism destinations are also shaped by this duality of Desires and Needs. You may have heard this sentence before “they are so friendly, [because they are] accustomed to tourists!” in regard to people living in mass-tourism destinations.

That’s not “friendly”, that’s just a skill people develop to sell richer people an “experience” which consists in pure consumption, of land, cities and relationships.

A mass of consumerist tourists is no more than a swarm of unconscious architects and designers; the “attractions” – whether they are urban, natural environments or even subjectivities – their theme park, their actors; to be constantly shaped by the capital flows to maximise the value they can generate.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t travel to a place(!) but this means you must reconsider completely how you used to travel before: by what means, to do what, how and where you will stay, what connections you will make and if you will be just a consumer or a comrade with the people there. And no, transferring money from your wallet to their bosses’ by buying services will not make you their comrades.
—
*I will write “the poor” meaning generally the working class, the unemployed people, the proletarians;

**and extremely ignorant of how economics work. Tourism never solved the economic problems of the poor anywhere. There are highly visited countries where the poor lives in slums and, consequently, the rich in golden palaces. All the same, going to Greece will not solve the financial and productive crisis that caused the country to be in this mess.

AFA Stockholm: Joel is doing the time – We will pay his fine!

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Source: Antifascistisk Aktion

Joel was one of the antifascists who chose to defend the anti-racist demonstration in Kärrtorp when it was attacked by fascists. He acted in self-defense but was sentenced to a 5,5 year long imprisonment in Svea Court for attempted manslaughter.

Today Joel is active within Fånggruppen and tries to make the best of the situation by building a network with other political prisoners and spread knowledge about prison struggle and solidarity work even to us who still have our freedom intact. The work he performs is important, but he will never get back the years inside the walls. It’s years without close contact with family and friends, years without freedom, and natural connection. For most of us it’s impossible to imagine that kind of situation, but we are many who stand united with his actions and we continue to claim that antifascism is self-defense. The least we can do, those who are on the other side of the walls, is to come together to pay the bills he has to pay in addition to his imprisonment.

These 40 000 kr (approx.. 4268 euro or 4697 USD) is a cost that Joel shouldn’t have to pay personally, but instead we take it as a collective, all of us who stand with Joel and the other antifascists who defended the popular demonstration on the square in Kärrtorp.

To contribute to this fundraising is a concrete way to show solidarity, but it’s also a symbolic act which shows that we are many who stands up against fascism together. The price of antifascist activism should never fall on individuals, instead we pay for it as a collective movement.

To donate from a non-swedish bank account:
IBAN: SE0680000832799438650120
Bic: SWEDSESS

/Antifascist Action Stockholm, Föreningen Fånggruppen

(Updated!) New arrests for antifascist demo of January 24th (Italy)

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Source: Informa-Azione, InfoAut, Cremona Oggi

New phase in the aftermath of repression following the angry demo in Cremonaon January 24th 2015, a few days after the attack by members of the fascist organization Casapound to the CSA Dordoni’s comrades and the serious wounding of Emilio. For practices implemented during that event, four boys are still subjected to home arrest and mandatory residence.
On the morning of October 20th, after nine months by the events, a number of searches and precautionary measures hit the comrades residents in different parts of Italy.

Three arrests were made in Cremona, Milan and Palermo, while it is impossible to find comrade based in Brescia.
From the police headquarters, we know that the identification of one of those arrested has been help by the recovery of helmets and other material left to the end of the demo, through which the cops would have climbed back to the store and then to the buyer.
To spread the names of antifascists arrested expect to know the prisons in which they were imprisoned, although it has already been published in the local media.

At dawn this morning four comrades were arrested, living in the province of Cremona (one militant CSA Dordoni), one from Brescia (fugitive at the time), one of Palermo and one in Milan, with heavy charges, including destruction and looting (from 7 to 15 years of jail according to law) and external complicity (increased punishment) and connected directly to that day in which thousands of people have marked a profound incompatibility with the establishment of a fascist seat within the city area.

We got the adresses of the prisoners – please write to them to show solidarity!

Filippo Esposti
C.C. di Cremona
Via Palosca 2,
26100 Cremona

Kuljit Tawari
C.C. di Cremona
Via Palosca 2,
26100 Cremona

Giovanni Marco Codraro
C.C. Pagliarelli
Piazzale Pietro Cerulli 1,
90129 Palermo
Italia Italy

Occupied Ex-Telecom evicted in Bologna

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Source: LaRepubblica, InfoAut – photos and videos

October 20th: this morning big police forces have blocked both sides of the former Telecom building in Via Fioravanti (Bologna) to proceed to the eviction of the structure occupied on December 4th 2014 and which gives home to many families (280 individuals) that they can not afford a house because of the crisis.

Immediately the resistance of the occupiers engages, who in about 150 climbed on the roof and from inciting the solidarity picket formed immediately to support the effort against an act of repression that makes good account of the misery of management of the housing geared to not solve problems but to continue to reproduce.

After about ten minutes the picket was charged by the police who want to prevent any kind of active solidarity to those who are leading the resistance on the roof.

During the charges a guy was wounded in the hand, probably broken as a result of the brutality of police intervention.

Update 14.15: Antiriot cops are wearing helmets in the Ex-Telecom and take away the children from the parents making the space with batons! A child with respiratory problems was taken away by ambulance, while meanwhile, continues to divide the other children from their mothers.

Update 15.30: Firefighters are entering into the Ex-Telecom with the aim of trying to achieve resistant in the roof! Men, women and children do not want to surrender… that is their home!

Update 16:15: During the eviction and there are reports of an occupant with the jaw split due to a kick from a cop, resistance continues in and out of the building. The network Eat The Rich has held a solidarity dinner directly in front of the picket at 8 pm tonight. This long day is also seeing the great protagonists of the occupants of Via Mario De Maria and Muri di Porta Galliera, participating from early morning.

Squat Atlantide evicted (Bologna)

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Source: Zic.it, Infoaut.
More infos on AtlantideAtlantide Gigs, Atlantide R-esiste‘s statement regarding the immanent eviction.
Photos:

At 6.00 a.m. the police evicted Atlantide. The ultimatum of the City Council then took the body, through the tanks that surrounded the space and then drag the weight off the comrades inside. The operation has put so (temporary) end to a path more than ten years of struggle on the issues of self-determination, under the banner of antisexism, antifascism and antiracism.

Particularly ridiculous was the operation of the masonry of the entrance of the keep of Porta Santo Stefano that housted Atlantide; certainly not a good business card than the desire to transfer to that place social services, according to official statements of the City Council. Rather there is the suspect that like so many times before, after the eviction will follow only the abandonment and dust.

Once the operation finished, activists of Atlantide along with many solidarity came to the area have created a demo. Here there were relaunched future appointments, from the press conference today at 12 until you get to the demo that will take tomorrow to inform the city what happened.

(Updated) 5 people in hunger strike against nuclear power plant (Finland) [en, it – fi, it]

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Source: Hyökyaalto.net ; Takku.net ; Yle.fi

UPDATE:

FIN:
PUUSTA! THE PERSON IS BEEN TAKEN DOWN FROM THE TREE.

Puussa ollut henkilö on tänään otettu alas. Puun viereen raivattiin ja rakennettiin tie, jotta useat tehtävään tarvittavat ajoneuvot pääsivät puun lähelle. Yksi poliisi ja palomies aloittivat puun katkomisen latvasta. Samaan aikaan toinen pari lähestyi majaa alhaalta päin oksia karsien. Jonkin aikaa “orava ja näätäparvi” -leikki jatkui puussa, oksalla, majan alla, ylempänä, alempana kunnes lopulta kurren köydestä saatiin pitävä ote ja siirto kurottajaan vihdoin onnistui. Henkilö toimitettiin ambulanssilla nesteytykseen, mutta suht hyväkuntoisena hän on tänään pääsemässä jo vapaalle. Puun valtaus kesti 9 päivää ja osoitti, ettei kamppailu Fennovoiman järjetöntä hanketta vastaan ole laantunut. Toisin, kuin Fennovoiman tiedotteisiin nojaavassa uutisoinnissa väitetään, alue ei ole ydinvoimalatyömaa. Alueella ei ole edes virallista liikkumiskieltoa kuin aikaisintaan loppuvuodesta. Olemme iloisia, että toverimme on olosuhteisiin nähden hyvässä tilassa. Nälkälakot on nyt lopetettu.

Kiitämme kaikesta huomiosta ja tuesta!
—
ENG:
The person in a tree hut is been taken down by the cops. The operation required cutting trees, building a new road, special unit of cops and fire department, 3 big vehicles, guards, and many hours. Finally the mop of pine martens caught the squirrel. Our comrade was taken into hospital to get liquid, but was already released this night. We are happy that the person is quite ok. All the hunger strikes ended this evening.

Thanks for all solidarity and attention!
On Tuesday September 15th the cops and security guards from local security company Arlia and G4S (they legally are able to stop people and give them to police) started to evict the activists from the land where Fennovoima has planned the construction site of the nuclear power plan in Hanhikivi Cape in Pyhäjoki. 4 arrests were made but people were released the day after. Updates from a treehouse (where a comrade is protesting) tell us that by 23:00 Wednesday the cops have not yet succeeded to empty the area, but the destruction is still in progress.
—
—

Activists of Hyökyaalto (Tsunami)network and from all over Finland, Sweden and other countries has been present in the protest camp since April.

Since Sep 15th an activist is on a treehouse on hunger strike to pretend the stop of Fennovoima’s Nuclear power plant project. He is still able to communicate thanks to a mobile phone. Police and security don’t let activists to come closer and to help the comrade. His name is Tomas Aakenus, for one week he had food to eat, but on Sunday it finished, so he decided to continue the protest by an hunger strike.

In Pyhäjoki (Hanhikivi Cape is part of administration of the city) 3 people have gone on hunger strike in front of Fennovoima’s office, 1 more also in Helsinki, present in Occupied Porthania (University of Helsinki) on Monday 21th.

Hyökyaalto network inform that is worried about the health of Tomas, due to a previously fever he had and now he has difficulty in absorbing liquids: “Everyone knows the circumstances, if you have wet clothes on a tree for weeks, including three days without eating. So, yes, he begins to be in poor condition.”

Activists claim responsibility of Tomas’s health and safety to the nuclear power company: “These then will be to sort out, if necessary, in court. We believe that the responsibility is of Fennovoima. Which is the bigger criminal: an illegal demonstration or other life-endangering?”
—

ITA:
Martedí 15 Settembre gli sbirri e le vigilanti/guardie di sicurezza delle compagnie di sorveglianza Arlia e G4S (hanno il diritto di fermare le persone e consegnarle alla polizia) hanno iniziato lo sgombero degli attivisti dalle terre dove Fennovoima ha pianificato i cantieri della nuova centrale nucleare nel Capo di Hanhikivi a Pyhäjoki. 4 arresti sono avvenuti ma le persone sono state rilasciate il giorno dopo. Aggiornamenti dalla casa sull’albero (dove c’é un compagno) dicono che alle 23:00 di Venerdí gli sbirri non hanno completato lo sgombero dell’intera area, ma la distruzione continua.

Gli attivisti della rete Hyökyaalto (Tsunami) e da tutta la Finlandia, Svezia e altri paesi sono stati presenti nel campeggio di protesta da Aprile.

Dal 15 Settembre un attivista sull’albero é in sciopero della fame per pretendere lo stop al progetto della centrale della Fennovoima. É ancora in grado dicomunicare grazie ad un cellulare. Polizia e vigilanti non permettono agli attivisti di avvicinarsi ed aiutare il compagno. Il suo nome é Tomas Aakenus, per una settimana ha avuto cibo da mangiare, ma Domenica ha finito le provviste, quindi ha deciso di continuare la protesta con uno sciopero della fame.

A Pyhäjoki (il Capo di Hanhikivi é parte dell’amministrazione della cittá) 3 attivisti sono entrati anch’essi in sciopero della fame di fronte aggli uffici di Fennovoima, un altro compagno in piú ad Helsinki, presente nell’Occupazione di Porthania (Universitá di Helsinki) da Lunedí 21.

La rete Hyökyaalto informa che é preoccupata della salute di Tomas, vista la precedente febbre che ha avuto e la presente difficoltá di assorbire liquidi: “Tutti conosciamo le circostanze, se hai vestiti umidi su un albero per settimane, e la fame da giorni. Quindi, sí, lui ha iniziato ad essere in condizioni gravi.”

Gli attivists danno la responsibilitá della salute di Tomas’s alla compagnia nucleare: “Se sará necessario, risolveremo questo caso anche in tribunale. Noi crediamo che la responsibilitá sia di Fennovoima. Cos’é piú criminale: un manifestante illegale o il rischio di vita?”

Comrades in hunger strike in front of Fennovoima’s offices / Compagn* in sciopero della fame davanti agli uffici di Fennovoima: