Metaxourgio: residents of an iconic Athens neighborhood against gentrification

“Grieving” locals gathered and marched through the streets of the area to demonstrate their opposition to gentrification* and the “occupation” of Airbnb.

Dressed in black, hundreds of residents of Metaxourgio took part in the “funeral” of one of the oldest and once iconic areas of Athens.

Η κηδεία του Μεταξουργείου τώρα στην Πλαταιών και Λεωνιδίου. Κάτοικοι, συλλογικότητες και καλλιτέχνες καλούν τον κόσμο σε αφύπνιση ενάντια στην τουριστικοποίηση της περιοχής pic.twitter.com/trEo04Aj2s

— Τζεντάης (@toomuchcha0s) January 28, 2024

They gathered on Dimosios Sima Street (Plataion and Leonidou) and marched against the gentrification of the area and the “invasion” of Airbnb, which has caused rental prices to skyrocket, the news site reported on Sunday news247.gr.

“The appeal of alternative culture in areas such as Keramikos Metaxourgio and Exarchia has inevitably whetted the appetite of investors and created a large wave of tourism. This wave has benefited the tourism industry and platforms such as Airbnb, while the residents themselves are largely lower and middle class. -economic strata – displaced from these areas”, – said the committee responsible for this event.

Funeral notices for current and former residents: broken groups of friends, people in exile, homeless artists and activists, communities under persecution.

“Rising rents in our neighborhoods are forcing us to leave our homes and seek refuge on the outskirts of the city,” – the statement says “Committee of Metaxourgio Neighbors” calling for the event to be held on January 28.

Located in the northwestern part of the historical center of Athens, the Metaxourgio district and its stunning neoclassical buildings have in recent years transformed into a bohemian, cultural and artistic quarter, replete with theatres, cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as galleries showcasing the work of Greek and international artists. However, over the past 30 years, the area has increasingly fallen into disrepair, turning into a cesspool filled with brothels and criminal “raspberries”.

The capital’s mayor’s office clearly gave up on all areas north of Omonia, which by the end of the 2000s had slipped into a ghetto state, in the style of Harlem or their analogues, populated by illegal migrants, declassed elements or prostitutes. The “normal public” is trying to leave these areas, fearing for their lives and health, due to rampant crime.

Sharply falling property values ​​have attracted investors to the area, who are buying housing for short-term rentals. Owners of rental properties point to the proximity of the metro, as well as historical and cultural attractions, while “modestly” keeping silent about the complex criminal situation in the area.

*Gentrification (English gentrification) – reconstruction (revitalization) of decaying city neighborhoods through improvement and subsequent attraction of wealthier residents. As a result of gentrification, the average income level of the area’s population increases due to the replacement of low-income residents with wealthier ones[3].

The term was coined in 1964 by Ruth Glass in London: Aspects of Change to describe the displacement of the working class from parts of London by the middle class.

In the center of Athens, a similar process is associated with the proximity of areas to tourist sites.

Source link