GAZA BOUND BOAT GROUNDED IN GREECE

Ray McGovern and Ridgely Fuller on the grounded boat in Greece

I am writing this at 3:30am having just completed my third night watch...I thought I was quite formidable as only I, with my flashlight, stood at the stern defending "The Audacity of Hope" against Israel, the world's 4th strongest military armed by the U.S., world's strongest military....and,yes, against blackmailed, beleaguered Greece....WOW....during my watch the police came by twice..we now seem be part of their routine patrol..They now demand that we are locked inside the pier gate between 9pm and 7am..so dinner was crackers and peanut butter

I have pretty much been on the boat for the past 48 hours and we get many 'visitors': police demanding the passports of those aboard;'fishermen' truly outfitted in the iconic Greek striped jerseys fishing at the end of the next pier in very filthy water ..They use wadded bread as bait and by the end of the day had caught 3-4 two inch fish. Also,the son of the owner of the boat next to ours told me a stranger came by asking for the whereabouts of a boat while carefully panning our ship with his video camera. Most unusual, several days ago a woman accompanied by several men offered the crew 1000 euros each to leave the ship for several hours..unsuccessful, she returned the next day offering 500 (her strategy?) and when still no success apologized for her attempted bribery by trying to deliver several bags of groceries on board!

For those of you who think I am having too good a time..yesterday I cleaned toilets and organized life jackets. Today I helped the nurse arrange the medical supplies and ran errands for the crew. We are well stocked and ready to sail..please everyone: email ambassador@greekembassy.com and demand we be allowed to sail..we have been inspected but, needless to say, haven't received any word of required changes.

Since I have been on the boat so much I am quite ignorant of the bigger picture..Or course, we know the Irish ship has also been subjected to sabotage by way of its propeller shaft in a manner that could have resulted in the boat sinking when at sea and that Syntagma Square became quite confrontational. A fellow passenger who has spent time with teargas in the West Bank, says the Greek police were supplied by Israel last week and so are using the same internationally outlawed brand. I don't have any word on how Riot Dog fared..It has been interesting talking with the Greek people when I can..their economic plight is dire..think Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine in terms of how the crisis was created by the powerful economic elite who now profit from the extreme privatization (think their islands) and further impoverishment of the population. I am sure I let you know how impressed I was by the different ages, dress etc that have come to the Square to oppose the government..

You might also know that now the Israeli press is reporting that the Americans aboard the Audacity have "violent intentions" including spraying their commandos with acid. In response we are inviting press aboard the Audacity tomorrow to inspect the boat for any potential weaponry and to interview passengers regarding their intent please keep checking www.ustogaza.org for updates..especially as I have less ability to connect online..

Take care,

Ridgely Fuller
Waltham, Massachusetts