Eyewitness from Greece: "The rich people and the bankers want us to pay for the problems but we didn't cause them and we won't pay anymore"

We have received the following report about the mood amongst the Greek masses from a British comrade who has been in Greece over the past few days.

I'd arranged my trip to Athens a few weeks before the referendum was called, so the timing seemed fortuitous. Whatever else was true, being in the city over the weekend of the referendum was bound to be interesting.

[Read also: Say No to Austerity, Break with capitalism]

The first person I spoke to, after arriving on Friday, was the taxi driver at the airport. Were there any new developments? He looked at me quizzically and said, 'The referendum? Yes, it's on Sunday'.

'What about demonstrations or rallies?' I asked.

'Yes,' he said, 'Tonight, there will be three events, two for No and one for Yes.'

He was a little surprised that I knew much about this but when I explained I was an English Marxist he warmed to his theme and told me that he would be voting 'No'.

'What else can I do?' he said. 'We can't go on as things are. Life has become so difficult and everyone is finding it hard to live. But it's worrying, because there's so much propaganda from the Europeans and the banks. They want to frighten us into voting yes, so I think it might be close, but I want everyone to say No. No is the only way to start changing things.'

Once at the hotel near Omonia Square, I'm in a conversation with the woman behind the reception desk. Her name is Zoe. She works in the hotel but she's an architect struggling to make a living. How will she vote?

'There's so much propaganda from the Troika,' she says. 'My heart tells me to vote No but they are trying to frighten us. At least, if we vote No we will have some chance to change things. The rich people and the bankers want us to pay for the problems but we didn't cause them and we won't pay anymore.'

Later, I go to Syntagma Square for the No rally in front of the Parliament building. It's busy well before the declared 7pm start but hardly a mass gathering. I wander back into Syntagma Metro Station to see what's going on and, suddenly, there is a huge chant of 'Oxi! Oxi! Oxi!' The station is quickly filling with people carrying flags and chanting. The atmosphere becomes electric. People are shouting, chanting, laughing. Some are crying, but these are tears of joyful solidarity, rather than sadness, as if a block has finally been removed from the human personality. It seems to be a celebration.

I have attended many demonstrations and rallies but this is different. I feel my own emotions welling up and I think, 'This is starting to feel like a revolution.' The woman next to me smiles broadly, as if acknowledging my thought, and raises her hand in a clenched fist. There is cheering and applause from the many hundreds coming up the stairs and escalator. Someone shouts, 'Oxi!', and the place erupts in a deafening cry of opposition. No, there will be no more austerity here. Not tonight.

The rally rapidly turns into a huge gathering, with an electric atmosphere of solidarity and confidence, but the BBC reports only 30,000 present whilst claiming 'A huge Yes rally took place elsewhere in the city.' This is a lie. That event happened about 500 metres from Syntagma Square and was hardly noticed.

The following evening, I talk to Stratos, who works in a restaurant and says he is definitely voting No.

'They are trying to defeat us,' he says, 'Because they think if they can beat Greece everyone else will surrender. They say it's a big problem that we can only withdraw €60 from the bank, but I only have €2 in the bank, so who cares about that? I have two little girls, aged eight, and I have to fight for their future. I think if Greece fights others will join us. I think we will win a No vote.'

When I speak to some KKE members I know, they say nothing about the confused position of the Communist Party (to spoil the ballot paper) but they agree that a No vote is necessary.

The impression I have from the last few days is one of great determination on the part of working people in Athens. I met nobody who thought the Troika's demands should be accepted, but a few people did, understandably, question the tactics of Syriza. Although most people appear to be supportive of the government, many are demanding a more clear opposition to capitalism.

As Stratos said to me, 'Anyway, we aren't fighting for money, we are fighting for freedom.'