Santa Fe resident Linda Durham was among a handful of activists--en route to Gaza on an aid flotilla--harassed and cited by Greek police in a counterpoint to celebrations of US independence.
From UStoGaza.org:
Athens--Six members of the US Boat to Gaza held at an Athens police station after Greek police arrested them for sitting on a park bench across from the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Greece. This marks the second time in 24 hours that the fasters have been forcibly removed from their vigil and taken to the police station.
The six were on day two of a public, open-ended fast calling on the U.S. Embassy to help lift Israel’s blockade on Gaza and to free an international flotilla of boats, docked in Greek harbors, so that they can sail to Gazan shores.
After holding a public presence in front of the U.S. Embassy, today, the six activists had taken a brief walk to the Ambassador’s residence behind the Embassy. Passenger Linda Durham rang the doorbell of the residence and introduced herself, saying that her Senator, Senator Tom Udall, had called the Ambassador on her behalf earlier in the day. While Linda awaited a response, the others headed to the park bench. Twelve policemen arrived. Linda was roughly pulled away from the door. The others were ordered to leave the park. They asked why they were not allowed to sit in the park, and minutes later the police put Ray McGovern, Linda Durham, Debra Ellis, Ridgeley Fuller, Ken Mayers and Carol Murry into squad cars and took them to the police station. Mayers, Murry, Durham and Fuller were part of the group of eight fasters who had been arrested the previous day when they attempted to maintain their vigil overnight across from the U.S. Embassy to Greece.
Durham, unlike eight other activists, was not detained by police, but was critical of the Grecian government's behavior and the attitude of the US Embassy.
Updates are available at UStoGaza.org.
