Riots and violent protests in Greece

[belfastuniguy 18]

Rather surprised this has not already appeared in the thread.

Greek police shooting sparks riot

Youths rioted after the news of the teenager's death was reported

Riots have broken out in several Greek cities after police shot dead a teenager in the capital Athens.

The unrest began soon after the shooting in the central Exarchia district, a regular scene of clashes between police and leftist groups.

Youths threw petrol bombs, burned cars and smashed shop windows.

Riots then spread to Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, to the northern cities of Komotini and Ioannina, and to Crete.

Two officers have been suspended, and an inquiry is under way, after the worst such violence in several years.

Protesters screamed slogans, attacking police cars with rocks Paul Johnston Local resident Eyewitness: Athens riot In pictures: Athens riots

The BBC's Malcolm Brabant, in Athens, says that the rioters have set fire to banks and stores in the city's main shopping district. A four-storey building has also been torched and many cars destroyed.

Police lured

Greece's anarchists regard the quarter of Exarchia as their fortress and they frequently lure police into ambushes so they can attack them with rocks and fire bombs, our correspondent says.

As dawn broke over the city, emergency crews were damping down fires while many of the youths were understood to have retreated to Athens Polytechnic.

There are no reports of casualties among the police or rioters.

In a statement, interior minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos expressed the government's "profound regret" for the shooting of the boy, reported to be 16-years old.

"An inquiry on the circumstances of the death has already begun and, if the policemen are found to have been derelict in their duty, the punishment will be exemplary."

In Athens, police fired tear gas at hundreds of stone-throwing youths, who went on a rampage as news of the shooting spread.

After a lull of a couple of hours, rioting resumed shortly after midnight local time (2200 GMT), with some protesters marching through Athens city centre and others fighting police outside the National Technical University of Athens, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Although damage was widespread, there were no reports of looting.

Witnesses said that the destruction was not indiscriminate. While clothing shops and banks were badly damaged, the numerous snack bars were all left intact.

Vassilis Papadopoulos, who owns a shop that was badly damaged in the rioting, said the timing was particularly bad.

"It happened just before Christmas, we made an effort to decorate it, now the staff will come and see this," he said.

Many cars have been destroyed in the Athens riots

"Where will they get their Christmas bonus and Christmas gift from now? Its completely damaged, its tragic."

In Thessaloniki dozens of youths attacked a police precinct, while others blocked a road near the university campus.

People were being encouraged to join in the protests via some websites, AP said.

An Interior Ministry press officer told Reuters news agency that Mr Pavlopoulos had offered his resignation to Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, but it had been rejected.

Police issued a statement after the shooting, saying a patrol car with two officers inside was attacked by about 30 youths throwing stones.

They were attacked again and responded, with one firing a stun grenade and the other shooting and fatally wounding the boy, AP quoted the statement as saying.

Correspondents say the shooting and rioting are certain to ramp up clashes between anarchists and police.

A similar shooting in 1985 led to years of violence.

Residents have recently protested over rising crime and lawlessness, and complain that the police fail to answer emergency calls, staying barricaded in their police stations, our correspondent adds.

There were clashes between students and police in Athens last week when about 4,000 people attended a rally to oppose education reforms.

Police made 12 arrests after a group of violent protesters broke away and damaged banks and shop fronts. quote>

Fresh riots erupt in Greek cities

Rioters throw bottles and petrol bombs at police on Sunday evening

Thousands of protesters have attacked banks and shops in Athens and Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki, angered by the police's killing of a teenager.

Demonstrators threw petrol bombs, rocks and other objects at the buildings and at police, who responded with tear gas.

In Athens, many protesters have taken refuge in the Polytechnic university, protected by law from police intrusion.

The city centre is still strewn with glass after riots overnight triggered by the shooting in the Exarchia area.

Police said the first day of riots had left 24 police officers injured, one seriously, and 31 shops, nine banks and 25 cars damaged or burned.

It is everyone's right to demonstrate and to advocate for their rights... But I stress, not by destroying the property of others Prokopis Pavlopoulos Greek Interior Minister In pictures: Athens riots Eyewitness: Athens riot

Six people were arrested, one of them for carrying a weapon.

Alex Hadjisavvas, the owner of a shop on Patission Avenue in central Athens, told the BBC businesses had been looted and the street resembled a "warzone".

"The window was smashed, the shop front damaged and a large quantity of stock taken from inside has been used by the rioters as material to start street fires," he said.

The unrest, the worst in the country in several years, later spread to Thessaloniki, Patras, and the islands of Crete and Corfu.

Police 'powerless'

After a lull in the fighting on Sunday morning, youths left the National Technical University of Athens, known as the Polytechnic, and joined thousands of leftist demonstrators and anarchists on a march towards the police headquarters on Alexandras Avenue.

See main locations of Athens protests

They passed close to where 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot dead on Saturday. One banner called the police "murderers".

One protester told the BBC he had been greatly angered by the actions of the police.

"It's not the first time. They always kill people - immigrants, innocent people - and without any excuse," he said. "They murdered him in cold blood."

The unrest, the worst in several years, has spread throughout the country

"I think [the violence] is justified. Peaceful demonstrations cannot get a solution to the problem."

The march soon turned violent, with protesters chanting "killers in uniform" and throwing petrol bombs at riot police, who fired back tear gas.

Several banks and shops were attacked, while a car showroom was set alight, trapping people living in the floors above. Clashes also broke out near the parliament.

At least 34 people were injured as a result of the violence on Sunday, officials told the Reuters news agency. At least 10 demonstrators were detained.

As night fell, groups of protesters used rubbish bins and overturned cars to erect burning barricades in the streets around the Polytechnic, inside whose campus many have taken refuge in the knowledge that police are prohibited from entering.

The police said they planned to pull out of the area overnight in order to defuse tensions, although many officers were still deployed around the university late on Sunday.

Earlier, a march by more than 1,000 people on two police stations in Thessaloniki descended into violence when protesters attacked police and shops with firebombs and rocks.

MAJOR RIOTING IN GREECE 1973 - Brutal repression of student uprising in Athens helps bring down the military junta 1985 - Youths clash with police in Athens after rally marking 1973 uprising becomes violent and police shoot dead 15-year-old boy 1991 - Riots break out across the country after a school teacher is killed during protests in Patras 1995 - Riots erupt after protest in Athens and revolt in prison ahead of 1973 uprising's anniversary 1999 - Police clash with protesters opposing a visit by US President Bill Clinton to Athens 2003 - Youths battle police during an EU summit in Thessaloniki 2008 - Protesters battle police across country after an officer shoots dead a teenager in Athens

There were unconfirmed reports that a policeman was injured and banks and cars set on fire during protests in the western port of Patras. Clashes were also reported on the islands of Crete and Corfu.

The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says Greece's conservative government, which is currently reeling from a series of scandals and economic troubles, is desperately trying to calm the situation.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has written to Andreas Grigoropoulos's parents expressing his profound sorrow.

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, whose offer to resign was refused by the prime minister, has urged both protesters and police to act with restraint.

The two police officers involved in the shooting of the teenager have been arrested, and an inquiry is under way.

In a statement, the police said their patrol car had been attacked by about 30 youths and responded, with one officer firing a stun grenade and another shooting and fatally wounding the boy.

However, our correspondent says that nothing the politicians or authorities can say or do is likely to reduce the anger that is building.

A similar shooting incident in 1985 led to a lengthy vendetta between the youths and police, with violence continuing for years.

MAIN LOCATIONS OF ATHENS PROTESTS Thousands of students, leftist demonstrators and anarchists on Sunday marched from the National Archaeological Museum and Polytechnic on Patission Avenue towards the police headquarters on Alexandras Avenue

quote>

Protests as Athens funeral held

Protesters and police clashed in the streets

Violence continued for a fourth day in Athens, as a funeral was held for a teenager whose death has sparked rioting across Greece.

Clashes erupted near the cemetery where 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot by police on Saturday, was buried.

Youths also fought police outside parliament, in a repeat of the violence that has seen hundreds of buildings torched and dozens injured.

The opposition said the government had lost public support and should resign.

On Wednesday union leaders plan to hold a 24-hour general strike over welfare reforms. Police fear the stoppage, which is expected to bring the country to a standstill, could fuel further violence.

Funeral clashes

Fresh protests began in central Athens early on Tuesday. Schools were shut as thousands of teachers, schoolchildren and parents marched on parliament to protest against the killing.

See where unrest has spread

The situation escalated as hundreds of young people joined the protest, throwing stones and bottles at lines of riot police, who responded with tear gas.

Police used tear gas to disperse stone-throwing protesters

In the afternoon thousands of mourners gathered for the teenager's funeral in a coastal suburb further south.

The ceremony was calm, but violence then erupted outside the cemetery. Police used tear gas against groups of youths who threw stones and set rubbish bins ablaze.

By late evening, 15,000 police were deployed in the capital to maintain control, Reuters news agency said.

There was more fighting elsewhere in the country too.

In Thessaloniki, police clashed with groups of young people following a protest march earlier in the day. In Patras, a western port, rioters armed with petrol bombs and stones attacked the main police station.

Two police officers have been charged in connection with Alexandros Grigoropoulos's death, but results of a post-mortem to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed him are not yet known.

The officer who fired says it was a ricochet from a warning shot but witnesses told Greek TV he fired directly at the teenager.

Lost confidence

In Athens, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis held talks with President Karolos Papoulias and opposition leaders to discuss what action to take.

Rebellion deeply embedded In pictures: Greek riots Greece riots: Your stories Thessaloniki riot: 'War zone here'

Mr Karamanlis, whose conservative party has a parliamentary majority of just one seat, called for unity and said rioters would not be shown any leniency.

"No one has the right to use this tragic incident as an excuse for acts of violence," he said.

But socialist leader George Papandreou said Greeks had lost confidence in the government.

"The only thing this government can offer is to resign and turn to the people for its verdict," he said.

'Rage'

Scores of arrests have been made since Saturday. Protesters wielding petrol bombs have set fire to banks, shops, hotels, vehicles and even the giant Christmas tree in Athens' central Syntagma Square.

Violent clashes have been reported in towns and cities across the country.

Appeals for calm have so far been largely ignored. Police appear to be powerless to prevent rioters from attacking symbols of wealth and prestige in Athens, the BBC's Malcolm Brabant reports.

"Rage is what I feel for what has happened, rage," said one protesting student. "This cop who did it must see what it is to kill a kid and to destroy a life."

Mr Karamanlis has blamed "extreme elements" for taking advantage of the situation to engage in vandalism and pledged to compensate damaged businesses.

Observers say a state of emergency may be imposed, giving the authorities special powers to clear the streets.

But there is no question of calling in troops, our correspondent says: Greece has bitter memories of military rule so seeing troops on streets would be beyond the pale.

quote>

[belfastuniguy 18]

Sorry for double post, but the first was too long and articles were cut off.

Greek capital hit by major strike

Protesters clash with riot police at the strike by unions

Hundreds of people have marched through the Greek capital to protest against the government's economic policies.

Flights in and out of Athens airport have been cancelled, and public transport has been badly disrupted.

But fewer people turned out, says a BBC correspondent, and police were able to deal with low-level violence.

The one-day general strike was planned before riots sparked by the shooting of a teenager. Sources say the police bullet that killed him was a ricochet.

Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs at police

The ballistics report has not yet been published, but defence lawyer Alexis Kougias told the Reuters news agency that an investigation showed it was a ricochet.

"In the end, this was an accident," he said.

In the wake of the killing, witnesses told Greek TV that police had fired directly at the teenager, fanning popular anger.

But the officer who fired the shot had said it was a ricochet from a warning shot, as the dead teenager had been among a group of youths who reportedly threw stones at a police car.

Union demands

Flight have been cancelled, banks and schools closed, and some hospital services are said to be restricted.

About 4,000-5,000 workers have been gathering in Constitution Square central Athens for a rally outside the Greek parliament, waving banners and shouting anti-government slogans.

Small groups of youths have been throwing rocks and petrol bombs at police near the square, and riot police have been responding with tear gas grenades.

GENERAL STRIKE Athens International airport closed Athens bus, metro and suburban train systems disrupted Teachers, journalists, bank clerks and public sector workers also expected to strike Rebellion deeply embedded In pictures: Greek riots Greece riots: Your stories Thessaloniki riot: 'War zone here'

The BBC's Athens correspondent Malcolm Brabant says this level of violence is easily tolerated by Greece's riot police.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis had appealed to the unions to cancel a rally planned for central Athens.

The two main umbrella unions - the Greek General Confederation of Workers (GSEE) and the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) - are demanding increased social spending in light of the global financial crisis, as well as higher wages and pensions.

They represent about 2.5 million workers - roughly half of the total Greek work force, according to Associated Press news agency.

"Participation in the strike is total, the country has come to a standstill," Stathis Anestis, spokesman for the GSEE, told the Reuters news agency.

The day is a litmus test of public mood, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens, amid fears of further violence.

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If the strike passes peacefully, the government of Mr Karamanlis will survive for another day, our correspondent says.

The strike comes after three consecutive days and nights of riots in which shops and offices were set alight and riot police battled groups of stone- and bottle-throwing youths.

However, Greek television reported that a group of about 100 Roma attacked a police station in the impoverished suburb of Zefyri, where they set a lorry on fire and tried unsuccessfully to push it into a station. In the port city of Patras, 215km (134 miles) west of Athens, a crowd of people, including shop-owners, are said to have turned on rioters and forced them to stop a wave of destruction, our correspondent says.

Entrepreneurs have been sleeping in their shops to defend them against rioters and looters.

The Athens Traders Association estimates that four days of rioting has caused 1bn euros ($1.3bn, £874m) worth of damage.

Several 24-hour strikes against the government's economic reform policies have brought the country to a standstill this year.

'Warning shot'

The riots were triggered by the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot by police in Athens on Saturday, and spread to a number of towns and cities across Greece.

The unrest was sparked by the fatal shooting of a teenager by police

Clashes erupted near the suburban Athens cemetery where his funeral was held on Tuesday.

Two police officers have been charged in connection with the teenager's death, and are due to appear before a public prosecutor on Wednesday.

The protesters' frustration has been fuelled by corruption scandals and poor economic prospects for many, our correspondent says.

Opposition Socialist leader George Papandreou has called for early elections, saying the government had lost the confidence of the people and could not handle the crisis.

Mr Karamanlis, whose conservative party has a parliamentary majority of just one seat, has called for unity and said rioters would not be shown any leniency.quote>

 

Greek MPs consider riot response

Rioting continues in Greece for a third night

The Greek government has held an emergency meeting to consider its response to continued violent rioting across the country.

Rioters clashed with police for a third day on Monday, in protests which erupted after a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed by police on Saturday.

Alexandros Grigoropoulos's funeral is being held on Tuesday.

Appeals for calm have so far been largely ignored by the mostly young protesters in Greek towns and cities.

Dozens of people have been injured throughout the country and there are reports of looting in some areas.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has appealed for calm, saying the government was obliged to protect the community.

"The unacceptable and dangerous events that have gone on under the most extreme of emotions cannot and most not be tolerated," he said, and called for a sense of solidarity with the dead boy's family.

Mr Karamanlis is due to meet President Karolos Papoulias on Tuesday morning and will also consult the leader of every opposition party in an attempt to reach a consensus on what action to take.

Police powerless

But the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in the capital Athens said police appeared to be powerless to prevent rioters from attacking symbols of wealth and prestige.

Rebellion deeply embedded In pictures: Greek riots Eyewitness: Athens riot Read your comments

The city's giant Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square was set on fire and windows were smashed on hotels, banks, government buildings and departments stores.

Police used teargas against protesters throwing petrol bombs and setting fire to buildings, vehicles and rubbish bins.

"Rage is what I feel for what has happened, rage," said a student taking part in the protests.

"This cop who did it must see what is to kill a kid and to destroy a life."

Siran Zebaharian, whose shop was damaged, said police arrived too late to protect her business from rioters.

"They were battering the windows with terrible force, attacking passing cars, throwing petrol bombs at parked jeeps," she said.

Violent clashes were also seen across the country, with rioting reported in the central city of Trikala and police stations attacked in Piraeus and Corfu.

People have lost their faith in everything Vassiliki Polychronopoulou

Hundreds of students clashed with riot police in Thessaloniki, Greece's second biggest city, where students used university buildings to stockpile petrol bombs.

Photo journalist Vassiliki Polychronopoulou told the BBC that the teenager's death had acted as a spark for protests over a range of frustrations.

"The government they don't seem to be able to control anything at all in terms of economics, in terms of social changes," she said.

"People have lost their faith in everything."

No military

Mr Karamanlis has blamed "extreme elements" for taking advantage of the situation to engage in vandalism.

He has pledged to compensate businesses damaged.

As he left the emergency cabinet meeting, Greece's Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said the unrest was "unacceptable" and would not be tolerated, but did not say what the government's plans were to handle the crisis.

Mr Pavlopoulos said police were handling the violence well. he said "not a single life" was in danger and that protecting life was more important than protecting property.

Observers say a state of emergency may be imposed, giving the authorities special powers to clear the streets.

But there is no question of calling in troops. Greece has bitter memories of military rule so seeing troops on streets would be beyond the pale, says our correspondent.

Anger

The authorities fear there could be further unrest when Alexandros Grigoropoulos, the boy whose death initiated the protests, is buried on Tuesday.

Witnesses say Alexandros was killed by a direct hit from a bullet

A post-mortem has been carried out on his body to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed him. The results are not yet known.

Two police officers have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The officer who fired contends it was a ricochet from a warning shot, but witnesses told Greek TV it was a direct hit.

The boy's family has hired an independent pathologist to ensure there is no cover-up.

On Sunday, the prime minister wrote to the boy's parents: "In these difficult moments please accept my condolences for the unfair loss of your son. Like all Greeks I am deeply saddened."

However, analysts say nothing the politicians or authorities can say or do is likely to reduce the anger that is building.

A similar shooting incident in 1985 led to a lengthy vendetta between the youths and police, with violence continuing for years.quote>

 

GREEK RIOTS

RIOTS IN PICTURES

[Easy Bakes 253]

What a mess.

Is it just me,  or if someone is throwing rocks at policemen be supprized when they fight back?

[JanYpe 17]

Youths threw petrol bombs, burned cars and smashed shop windows. quote>

(repeat five times)

Throwing molotov cocktails around as if they were candy is not protest, it's criminal. Throwing molotovs at the cops? Not the greatest idea you'll ever have.

[fukuda 351]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes What a mess.

Is it just me,  or if someone is throwing rocks at policemen be supprized when they fight back?

quote>

Indeed, but not killed by a firearm, we're not talking about someone dead by contusions

[hamsterTK 93]

So this is like the LA Riots...

Can't we all get along?

[belfastuniguy 18]

So this is like the LA Riots...

Can't we all get along? quote>

Not really..

In LA the police purposely abused that man becuase he was black, it was blatant racism.

[derwilly 17]

Originally posted by: belfastuniguy

So this is like the LA Riots...

Can't we all get along? quote>

Not really..

In LA the police purposely abused that man becuase he was black, it was blatant racism.quote>

Be it like LA riots or not, one thing is common: thugs, and not victims, take the streets and trash and destroy everything around them.

The funny thing is that some left wing morons in Europe still dared to say the first days that this was a youth revolution... the European youth was awakening and rebelling against the system... may 1968 was coming again...

Now they keep their mouth shut because it's too obvious that it's the usual suspects, those hooded anarchists; the ones behind the molotov cocktails and the burning shops and cars, the ones that trash cities every time.

But... what European government has what it takes to use the force against them? The Greek government in this case is afraid to give a strong answer, because the Socialists and Unions will accuse them of fascists.

And this is how our beloved Europe works.

[belfastuniguy 18]

Be it like LA riots or not, one thing is common: thugs, and not victims, take the streets and trash and destroy everything around them.

The funny thing is that some left wing morons in Europe still dared to say the first days that this was a youth revolution... the European youth was awakening and rebelling against the system... may 1968 was coming again...

Now they keep their mouth shut because it's too obvious that it's the usual suspects, those hooded anarchists; the ones behind the molotov cocktails and the burning shops and cars, the ones that trash cities every time.

But... what European government has what it takes to use the force against them? The Greek government in this case is afraid to give a strong answer, because the Socialists and Unions will accuse them of fascists.

And this is how our beloved Europe works. quote>

Do not tar all European governments with one brush. We are made up of many and different styles of government.

Greece has a long history of such protest and violence. The government in Greece only has a majority of 1...yes 1 hence they are not able to carry out all measures they may wish to. Greece also has a rather recent history of military rule which was not exactly pleasant for its people. Hence the government has thus far not called the army onto the streets.

I little more insight into such things can be beneficial.

[panthersimcity4 162]

Originally posted by: derwilly 

The Greek government in this case is afraid to give a strong answer, because the Socialists and Unions will accuse them of fascists.

quote>

 

Well, here in the US that's called political correctness...

Why did they start rioting just because of some teenager? Was he a member of some gang or something? It seems to me these rioters are just looking for an excuse to cause trouble.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: panthersimcity4

Why did they start rioting just because of some teenager? Was he a member of some gang or something? It seems to me these rioters are just looking for an excuse to cause trouble.quote>

The point is these are anarchists we're talking about. They hate cops, so when someone gets killed by the police for any reason, on purpose, by accident, whatever - it automatically gets interpreted as "the police murdered him in cold blood". And that will, of course, cause outrage, and it can turn violent. From the perspective of the rioters, what they're doing is fighting the enemy.

Of course, that argument works in a twisted sort of way if you're targeting police, a.k.a "the enemy". If you're incinerating cars and stores, that's just random violence and there's really no excuse you can think up for it.

Police are only human. Sometimes they'll make mistakes. Sometimes they'll be unnecessarily abusive. But ultimately, they're just trying to do their job. Fighting them is pointless and will get you nowhere.

[hym 358]

I can't find the link, but there was an article earlier today that was suggesting that the teenager that was shot wasn't intentionally shot.  Rather, the bullet richoted and hit him that way.

Originally posted by: belfastuniguy

So this is like the LA Riots...

Can't we all get along? quote>

Not really..

In LA the police purposely abused that man becuase he was black, it was blatant racism.quote>

You might also be interested to know that there is video suggesting he attacked the police and the beating was in response to his attempted assault on the officers involved.  When someone gets physically violent, it's only reasonable to expect that the police reaction will be more severe.

[krbe 193]

Originally posted by: panthersimcity4

Why did they start rioting just because of some teenager? Was he a member of some gang or something? It seems to me these rioters are just looking for an excuse to cause trouble.quote>

A member of a gang that threw rocks and fire bombs on the police for fun, apparently:

Originally posted by: BBC News

Greece's anarchists regard the quarter of Exarchia as their fortress and they frequently lure police into ambushes so they can attack them with rocks and fire bombs, our correspondent says.quote>

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[coolotter88 2]

The actions of the greeks are unacceptable. If I were the president, I would have made a public announcement that violent protest would not be tolerated at all. Declare a state of emergency and crush the stupid rioters, that's what I say. IMO you have a right to your opinion until you start destroying property and committing violence, after that, I don't care what you have to say, it doesn't matter.

[hamsterTK 93]

I wonder if a wedge could be driven here? I bet 99% of the public is already really sick of all this, once you calm done all the angry kids then you've successfully isolated the core anarchist element that has a agenda.

Once you have them seperated it would probably be supported by the public to take them down.

[fukuda 351]

My grandfather must be spinning in his grave just seeing how "anarchism" is used as an argument by the radicals....

[GreekMan 246]

WOW isn't Greece a lovely country?

There seems to be a riot in Greece every few years or so.....it's kinda wierd

Also these protests are spreading about Europe and into Spain,Italy, and Germany!

God I love Greece!

[Odainsaker 2,134]

Gotta love the youthful dystopia of anarchy...is gets even better when the power and water goes out, food becomes scarce, and the rival gangs petty warlords move in. I say give them what they want...evacuate from Exarchia those who wish to be evacuated, throw in every self-styled anarchist, wall it all in, and then cut off the power, water, food, and goods shipments. The problem will then solve itself.

[fukuda 351]

Originally posted by: GreekMan

Also these protests are spreading about Europe and into Spain,Italy, and Germany!quote>

Err really? *checks the newspaper*.... doen't seem so

We've been camping in the campus, but it bears no relationship with greece

[GreekMan 246]

Yeah:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081211/ap_on_re_eu/eu_europe_unrest

[fukuda 351]

Protesters in Spain, Denmark and Italy smashed shop windows, pelted police with bottles and attacked banks this week, while in France, cars were set ablaze Thursday outside the Greek consulate in Bordeaux,quote>

Huh? There's no unrest at all here..

EDIT

Ah wait, finally found it.. 200 persons in Madrid and 300 in Barcelona.. huge protests...

Only 2 peeps in Madrid and 9 in Barcelona caused damages though, it has a long way to go before becoming "unrest". Those numbers are usual every week

[Ntq€310 1]

as a greek-american is saddens me to see this, espically is such a historic country. But it's to be expected, espically with the anarchist, which are known for violence anyway. But also the anarchist are using the general dislike of the current goverment, espically with the youths, and over the economy.

Honestly these tensions have been building for awhile. Though it seems to be starting to go down now.

But yea greece is very tolerant of protest, so again to be expected.

[Terring 6,473]

The people of Greece are upset. Upset because of the president, because of the economical scandals, because of the priests that care only for the money, because of everything. The murder of a teenage because of a policeman makes the start of a revolution that nobody knows when it will ends, if will ends.

[awake_78 0]

I red all the messages you ve written very carefully and i really think that people outside Greece can understand and are interested in this situation better then we do (Greeks). i haven't ever lived in other countries except Greece in my life but I 've traveled  a lot in European cities and i could tell how an organized society (or cities or countries if you don't like teh word society) works. Athens or Greece in General is not organized at all. After the military juntas fall in 1974 the state became the toy of all political parties and every part of the state is corrupted and disfunctioning. (Greece is the most corrupted country in Europe)  All institutions had been blown away. The educational system in Greece traped under the same mentallity as the whole other state part. Teachers in schools have permenent posts so they don' t care to do their work right. And in the univeristies after the junta happened the most useless thing ever. Establised a situation called "asylum" in wich no police can enter in the university area. is like another country financed by the goverment (all universities in Greece belong to the state) and has no rules. Also political parties are inside the univeristies so if you belong to the party you could take your degree faster. in general in greece we have an educational system creating mobs and useless people for the world society. You have to try a lot to resist in this situation. And through time is getting worst. 

From the other hand the police had been demerited after the junta because reminds to some people the military status quo. If the policemen do their jobs are called facists and if they don't called lazy and useless. Because that's how we greeks learn through aour educational system to act in every purpose. 

So Is the only country in europe or the western civilization that the mobs and the criminals have more rights then ordinary people....a little punks life is more important then hundreds of people who lost their belongings and their lives been destroyed under this civil war....

[fukuda 351]

. Establised a situation called "asylum" in wich no police can enter in the university area. is like another country financed by the goverment (all universities in Greece belong to the state) and has no rules.quote>

Excepting the political party thing, it's the same here (and france)

[balkair 6]

Being Greek, and living in Greece's second largest city (Thessaloniki) I am really sad about what's going on. Having lived in the States (Philadelphia) I can but notice how completely unorganized Greece is (as awake_78 has already pointed out). I, too, am angered about the political situation and all the scandals. I havent seen the prime minister in months. The political system is not working. Not that the health or the educational ones are... My mom and dad are both doctors, and mom said that the state hospitals owe so much money to the state (ok, we have reached the point where the state owes to the state...) that they don't even have bandages... The public educational system TOTALLY sucks, which forced my parent to send me to private school so I could get a better education. My father also works at the University of Thessaloniki, which he says is "ok" but i disagree. It looks like its a war zone. Posters everywhere. The people there just "chill", they don't have classes. But what do you expect from students (...!) that violently interrupt the Professor's sessions and even hit them? And on top of that, because of the so-called "asylum" law after the Junta (probably the stupidest thing ever. They should at least have created a university police) the national police (EL.AS.) or any other division of the police can't enter the campus, meaning that the anarchists can get into the campus and prepare their bombs and other stuff there... What a complete mess Greece is...

Personally I agree with demonstrating against the government, but when it comes to burning down hotels and big department stores such as Prada and Burberry (the anarchists actually chose the stores they would burn. anti-capitalists?) I don't think this will help. I don't see how burning down the huge christmas tree in front of the parliament and all the presents for the poor kids would help. On tuesday, it was the first time in 120 years that my school (anatolia college) was closed because the students were demonstrating. I was away in boston, so I could not attend, though I would really like to. If, though, every time we demonstrate anarchists come along (because it is the ANARCHISTS who do all these awful things and not the DEMONSTRATORS) then the state does have the right to use the riot police, so we lose what rights we have concerning demonstrations...

All in all, I really hope the demonstrations stop, because this is REALLY bad for the image of Greece and for the Greeks as well.

[Glenni 1,444]

I hate those kind of people. Not the normal peaceful demonstrators but those hoodlums and criminals trashing stuff, attacking the police, burning cars, burning stores. They are the sole reason of why the police attack demonstrators, even the peaceful ones.

These anarchists solve notging, they just make things worse.

What did piss me off is that the cops hit a little 5 year old kid in Oslo a few years ago though, still doesn't mean that i ran arround in the streets trashing cars though...