Violence continues in Greece as rioters firebomb buildings

[bemildred]

Source: Guardian.UK

Violent protests continued in Greece last night as hundreds of rioters fought running battles with police in central Athens and firebombed the offices of a credit checking agency.

The violence erupted following a memorial gathering at the spot where 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos died on 6 December after being shot by a policeman.

The rioters, using the National Technical University of Athens as a base, launched attacks against police, throwing rocks and petrol bombs and erecting roadblocks. Police responded with volleys of tear gas.

Greek law prevents security forces from entering the university grounds unless the school's administration gives the go-ahead. So far no permission has been given.


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/21/greece-protests-athens-violence

[Odin2005]

1. Oh man, things are really getting out of hand, there.

:wow:

[acmavm]

2. Yep, sure are. And who'd fault is that?

[GodlessBiker]

3. It is unfortunate that this is often the only way to get police to think twice before...

shooting people dead.

[bemildred]

4. Legitimacy is like virginity.

Once you lose it, it's really hard to get it back.

[tom_paine]

28. Well said and true.

:applause:

[nosillies]

5. If I were running around destroying innocent people's property, regardless of my age

my momma would march right into the melee, snatch my little punk ass up, and start beating the ever-lovin' shit out of me with her hairbrush. And I'd deserve every lick I got.

Where are these people's parents?

[killbotfactory]

6. I guess the rioters don't feel the police or credit agencies are innocent

[nosillies]

9. If they were only destroying property that belonged to police or credit agencies, then fine

I have a very hard time believing that every last burned car, demolished restaurant, broken window, etc. belongs only to the police department, creditors, evil group du jour, etc. and the employees of such or their subsidiaries.

Take your anger out on the appropriate agencies, you have my respect and support. Take your anger out on uninvolved private parties, you lose my respect and support. It's that simple. And I never condone violence. It's immature, tacky, counterproductive, self-defeating...I could go on. But I do follow the teachings of Ghandhi, Buddha, MLK, Christ, et al, as opposed to Bush, Cheney, Karadzic, Bagosora, et al, so maybe that just makes me a sissy. Or a hippy. Or a nice person. Cal it what you like.

They need to grow the fuck up and have a long hard think about personal accountability. No matter what set them off, spreading an indiscriminate path of destruction and harm is not the answer. They are fast becoming worse than the problem they fight.

[killbotfactory]

14. I imagine that if you were systematically denied work and kept in poverty

and harassed and murdered by the police on a regular basis, while corrupt officials make out like bandits, your priorities might change.

[nosillies]

19. No, they wouldn't. I'm quite secure in my beliefs.

I've had some very bad, bad things happen to me and/or my loved ones. Didn't make me want to go out and hurt people or break things.

And I don't know how I could be murdered on a regular basis. It seems like if it happened once, well, that would be the end of that!

[Alamuti Lotus]

15. Ghandiji, Buddha, MLK, Christ..

75% of your heroes were killed by those slightly less non-violent than they were, and all have had their message mutilated and mangled post-mortum by the survivors, who have lived to see their respective causes trampled upon. Where is your complaints when the police and other state agencies commit violence (in various forms) on citizens *everyday*? There seems to only be outrage when the activities swing in the other direction..

[nosillies]

20. How do you know what I complain about? And how do you know where my outrage lies?

Unless you live with or know me personally, I don't see how you can presume to know what causes I fight for with any accuracy.

[Alamuti Lotus]

23. speaking in general, and

I also looked at some of the original Greek police murder incident threads to see a lacking comment. Mostly, however, the point was speaking in general, and deserves consideration; "worse than the problem they fight" speaks loudly as to perspective.

[Odin2005]

17. I hate it when fellow left-wingers defends this crap, it just confirms stereotypes in people's minds

Destroying the property of innocent people is simply wrong.

[Leftest]

18. This reminds me of a Malcolm X quote

You don't have a peaceful revolution. You don't have a turn-the-other-cheek revolution. There's no such thing as a nonviolent revolution. Revolution is bloody. Revolution is hostile. Revolution knows no compromise. Revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way.

-- Malcolm X

[DRex]

8. reminds me of that terrible Boston incident with the tea...

Poor, innocent tea merchants. Where were the mothers of Boston to quell the unrest?

[nosillies]

10. Maybe I read a different history book than you, but I don't recall the Boston Tea Party

resulting in the complete destruction of Boston.

Don't put words in my mouth, and don't presume that you know what I think. Your smart-assiness isn't as cute as you think it is. I don't support the government or police, and I don't think the authorities are at all innocent. But I will never support a bunch of punk-ass kids who get their rocks off by harming innocent people.

[tabasco]

25. Is Athens completely destroyed? n/t

[AngryAmish]

29. next thing you know they will tear down the long walls...

[Odin2005]

16. It's these ne'er-do-wells that that give real Anarchists a bad name

:banghead:

[killbotfactory]

26. Yeah, if it weren't for them anarchism would be so much more popular.

How dare they not place high value private property.

[roamer65]

7. I wonder if the EU will occupy Greece.

What will the EU do with one of the Eurozone countries in near open rebellion? I realy am curious if they will act or use NATO as a cover org to act.

[Flagg]

11. This is nothing compared to what happened in France 3 years ago

[roamer65]

12. I was just wondering if this will refuel what happened in France.

You must be reading my mind.

[bemildred]

13. Things are peachy in Sweden too:

Calm night in southern Sweden after recent riots

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jIL5D-W5V3LmNXlUyUAEWuk7q73w

[roamer65]

21. As the credit crisis worsens, expect riots in many more countries.

Greece, China and Sweden are just a start. Expect more.

[bemildred]

22. Oh, I do. I expect civil disturbances, wars and revolution, and all of the four horsemen.

I read a lot of news, and a lot of history. The stupid sons-of-b*tches (sorry ladies) who are running things have not learned squat. Masters of the Universe, and still a bunch of cheap, lazy bastards who don't care a fig for anyone but themselves and their "peers". They are filled with hubris, and Nemesis is preparing for a visit.

[junior college]

27. Yeah but it's a totally different situation

These are white kids and a lot of them are into punk and metal.

[StudsT]

24. a preview of what is coming here in 2009 - Happy New Year!

if Obama doesn't make all the right moves, we are going down that very same road, on a bobsled.

StudsT