On this day, 22 March 2009, prison riots were sparked in Greece after the death of prison activist, Katerina Goulioni. Inmates in the women’s prison in Thebes refused to return to their cells, set fires and destroyed property, while protesters outside the prison clashed with riot police. 200 inmates in Athens also held a protest in solidarity.
Goulioni was a prominent incarcerated activist, who had campaigned against lack of facilities for physically disabled prisoners, prison transfers in which many prisoners suspiciously died, and vaginal inspections which she termed “informal rape”. In the wake of the rebellion, the government promised a review of vaginal inspection methods, and other prison conditions.
Goulioni’s fellow inmates sent the press the following goodbye statement:
“All your life was full of thirst. Thirst for struggle and justice. You fought for all and for everything without care for the consequences. And at the end the consequences of your struggles rewarded you in the worse of manners, with a violent, unexpected sudden death. But we are still here, Katerina, and we shall remember you and continue the struggle you began. You are everywhere. We sense you and we thank you for taking care of us. For us, you will live for ever. Have a great journey!”
More info here: https://libcom.org/news/prisoner-activists-death-sparks-uprising-womens-prison-thebe-greece-22032009https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1380865428765270/?type=3
On this day, 15 July 1902, the ‘Leckhampton Stalwarts’ led a march of 2,000 people from the centre of Cheltenham to Leckhampton Hill, where they tore down a cottage built by the new quarry owner. The Stalwarts were led by Walter Ballinger, a clay-digger, who was styled in the press as ‘The King of the Common’. The others were William Sparrow (road sweeper), Charlie Burford (labourer), Leonard Luce (painter), and John Price (tailor). The hill was quarried for its limestone for nearly 400 years, and for most of that time local people used the hill for recreation and travel. Piano merchant Henry Dale bought the quarries, as speculation, in 1894, and his first act was to post notices closing the paths and rights of way over the hill. He built a cottage for his foreman, Cratchley, which blocked a right of way and filled in a ‘pit’ where working people held a fair every Easter. Frustration came to a head in 1902 when at least 2,000 people marched on the hill and tore down the cottage, watched by the police who stated it was done ‘with no unnecessary circumstances of disorder.’ Tramway cottage was rebuilt and the Stalwarts set out to tear it down again in 1904 but the Riot Act was read and the ‘Stalwarts’ arrested and sentenced to hard labour. In 1927, Dale’s quarry company went bankrupt and the council bought the whole hill. It was designated as common land and today it remains open to all.
We have lots of anniversaries today, too many to post here. For all of them, follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wrkclasshistoryhttps://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1167285883456560/?type=3
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