Approximately three months ago activists squatted an old business hotel in downtown Athens. The hotel is located on Achanon Street 76 near the center of the poor district of Victoria. As activists reported, especially at night the area around the hotel is a rough neighborhood. Several news agencies, websites and newspapers have been reporting about the squat e.g. VICE News. The house is filled with photo- and video-journalist almost everyday, at least when we were visiting.

Right now City Plaza Hotel gives shelter to a little more than 400 refugees of whom at least 50 percent are children. The supporters on site do not try to guide a way for refugees, but support them in self-organisation. Decisions that concern the hotel are made in a full convention of all people on site. The first full convention was held just some weeks ago.

As we were on site Lina, an activist and supporter, gave reflektierter-bengel.de and me an interview on the overall situation right now. She explained what the goals are, where there is conflicts and how they are dealt with (subtitles in English and German):

 Before we shot the video-interview and the photo-reportage following below, we stayed quite a while in the house to get to know people – mostly hanging out at at the bar of the hotel that is located on 2^nd floor. Children are officially banned from this area to give adults a place where they can draw themselves back, study, learn or talk without a mass of small boys and girls jumping around them screaming. To be honest, this rules seems to be handled kind of lose. So we got in contact with Mohammed a probably around 10-year-old boy. He told us he already speaks 8 languages in fluent English. Other inhabitants seemed a little more distanced then the kids that were always grabbing cameras and gear, wanted to sit on shoulders, be carried around or to steal coffee. As it was ramadan most adults were sleeping and resting to then have a dinner all together at night.

Life seems very organized in the hotel. The house is clean, the kitchen is filled with goods – that we were told are donated. The hotel has an own pharmacy fed with medicine from the so called “social pharmacies” [1]. As Lina guided us around she explained that there is a schedule for doctors that come and check especially on the children. There is a storage room, filled with diapers and shampoo. At the reception there is a radio set charging. Lina explains:

“… as this is a rough neighborhood we have people patrolling around the building and watching out…”

Dangers to the hotel are various. Just some streets off the hotel there are celtic crosses sprayed against a wall. Neonazis and activists of Golden Dawn use it to demand an area to be theirs and cross out pro-refugee or left-wing Graffiti. But as City Plaza is also a squat, inhabitants and supporters are also always scared that police-forces will evict the building in the near future.
On 3^rd floor there are the first rooms. The elevator is not working anymore so everybody has to take the stairs, even up to the rooftop. As we are guided around, Lina shows us room 315. It’s an average looking hotel room with two separated beds and a balcony onto Achanon street. As it’s hot outside the air condition is running. All the way up the staircase there is a rooftop with a bar. The view from the rooftop is fabulous. One can overview Victoria and almost all of Athens. But to explain more what living in the hotel looks like :

Photo-reportage about City Hotel Plaza – Click on the first picture to scroll through

Entrance of City Plaza Hotel. The name of the original building is kept. Activists always stay behind the door to welcome everybody that enters the house and talk to them. This is a safety space for refugees and activists protect it from strangers and tourists that just want to look and disturb peoples lives.

The reception. A receptionist is always on-site helping people to find a way around in the big building.

The reception. City Plaza Hotel is always in danger by: Right-wing attackers and police therefore the reception is connected to guards outside that look after the safety of the house.

The reception.

The fountain. In the entry-hall the emptied out fountain welcomes every inhabitant or visitor.

The entry-hall. Stairs into a self-organized and better life for lots of refugees.

The lobby. Running around children everwhere. The house is very vivid. Full assemblies are held here.

“Welcome 2 Stay”. Political posters on the topic of asylum, refugees rights and self-organisation are all over the place.

The bar. Even though there is no alcohol served at City Hotel Plaza and alcohol is against the small set of house rules the bar flurishes. Children are usually not allowed to come in so adults have a quiet sace. Of course a lot of times the kids overcome this rule.

Adult education program. In work together with other self-organized projects at ‘City Plaza’ refugees are helped to educatethemselves in whatever they are interested in or they need.

The demonstration. City Plaza Hotel inhabitants, refugees and supporters live together and fight together.

The kitchen. All food is kept here. Due to the fact that there are at least 900 warm prepared everyday the amount of grocieries is enourmous. This is where noodles, rice etc. are kept.

The kitchen.

The kitchen.

The kitchen. One of the cooks is already preparing for tonights dinner.

Thekitchen. Fresh squid will be served tonight.

The dining hall. As it’s Ramadan right now and there is a lot of muslims living in the hotel, few people sit in the area.

The pharmacy. All kinds of medicine is kept here. Most of it is donationsgiven by social-pharmacies that can be found all over the city. They were founded as the Euro-crisis was hitting Greece very hard.

The pharmacy. All kinds of medicine is kept here. Most of it is donationsgiven by social-pharmacies that can be found all over the city. They were founded as the Euro-crisis was hitting Greece very hard.

The storage. Diapers and shampoo all over the place. 50 percent of City Plaza Hotel’s inhanbitants are children.

The storage. Diapers.

The guardian of the storage. A supporter kepps a look over what is needed, handed out and in the storage.

Room 325. The sign on every door reminds inhabitants to participate in self-organisation.

Room 325. The rooms are reminding of the fact that we are located in a hotel. Room 325- a room as the others.

Room 325.

Balcony of room 325. Every room has a balcony with a look over what is happening around.

The inhabitans. 400 men, women and children from many countries live at the refugee shelter. 50 percent of them are children. This is Husseine, a six year-old boy that has been living in City Plaza Hotel for the past month.

 Lookout over Victoria – sorrounding City Plaza

Many thanks to Lina and everyone living and helping at City Hotel Plaza, working where all of you live was amazing and we felt warmly welcomed. We recommend to everyone travelling to Athens or living the area to visit at least City Plaza once and maybe help out and support this great project.