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Simon was arrested on Saturday June 21st at the anti-EU demonstration in Thessaloniki, Greece. He was by the anti-authoritarian block march which left the occupied university at around 5.00pm. Initial scuffles broke out between the police and part of the march with the police responding with hundreds of cannisters of CS gas and other chemical weapons. Simon was caught up in this attack by the police and was overcome by teargas. A police snatch squad then went for simon and proceeded to kick Simon in the head and face repeatedly. At this point Simon was wearing a distinctive blue and purple rucksack as a photo taken by Reuters shows. His bag was subsequently taken by undercover police who proceeded to place three black rucksacks of molotovs near him as a photo taken by AP shows. In addition to this evidence, a film footage moments after the initial contact with the police shows clearly undercover police placing the bags full of molotovs near Simon as well as placing a hammer and pickaxe handle in the bags. The Greek authorities claim that Simons Blue and Purple rucksack does not exist! Well we know and can show different!

So as it stands Simon and six others are temporarily imprisoned and charged with resisting authority, construction and possesion of molotovs, arson, serious damage to property and riot which could theoritically mean a prison sentence of between 7 and 25 years!! Their cases could take up to 18 months to come to trial. All seven have so far had 3 bail appeals rejected by the prosecutor, who has refused to look at the video and photographic evidence.

At the time of writing all 7 prisoners remain in prison on hunger strike. Their demands are: bail for all seven, and that one of the prisoners, Suleiman "Castro" Dakduk - a Syrian who has been living in exile in Crete for 18 years, and who is now threatened with deportation back to Syria where he faces torture and imprisonment for trade union activity - be allowed to remain in Greece.

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