Greek riots enter sixth day, threaten government
posted at 9:48 am on December 11, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The center-right party currently governing Greece may soon find itself in an election and in poor shape to win it, thanks to six days of rioting stemming from the death of a teenage boy at the hands of police. The riots started when a bullet hit the head of the boy. Rioters claim the officer fired directly at the boy; the cop says he fired a warning shot that ricocheted into his head. Either way, the death has become a secondary issue as the rioters protest Greece’s failing economy:
Gangs of high school students hurled stones and fire bombs at police stations in Athens suburbs on Thursday, in a sixth day of anti-government violence since the police shooting of a teenager.
Central Athens was calmer than in previous days as people returned to work after a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday called by unions opposed to pension reforms and privatizations.
Trouble flared before dawn in Athens when students occupying the university clashed with police. By mid-morning, it spread to 15 police stations, from upmarket neighborhoods of north Athens to the working-class south. …
A left-wing rally was due later in central Athens, more protests were announced for Friday and Monday, and many Greeks asked how much longer the government could remain in power.
“The government has shown it cannot handle this. If police start imposing the law everyone will say the military junta is back,” said Yannis Kalaitzakis, 49, an electrician. “The government is stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
First, the explanation given by the police hardly relieves the officer of responsibility. Warning shots can be lethal even without an accidental ricochet, because what goes up must come down, and at a deadly velocity. Bullets fired in the air come back to Earth, which people seem to forget at New Years Eve and other celebrations. They kill randomly, accounting for an occasional homicide even here in the US. That’s why, contrary to what Hollywood puts in movies and television shows, police here don’t fire warning shots, in the air or anywhere else.
However justified the outrage over this death was, though, it appears that the opposition to the New Democracy party has decided to take advantage of it for electoral purposes. The socialists of the various opposition parties, including the largest, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, only have a one-seat minority to the New Democracy Party. The government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has already been hit by the economic tribulations that have sent the global economy reeling. The unions staged a strike and plan more protest rallies to encourage enough instability to force Karamanlis to resign.
We can expect more of this as the economy worsens over the next several months. Economic upheaval usually leads to political realignment, especially in parliamentary systems. Karamanlis will eventually have to hold an election, and he can expect to shift to the opposition for a while until Greeks figure out that socialism will only make their plight worse.
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What this means is the Communists have been looking for an excuse to take power by attacking the legitimacy of Law & Order and using the economy as a wedge to introduce a Socialist form of governing. Greeks have had Communist Russian influence for over 4 decades. This latest boondoggle is just the Commies harvesting the fruits of Soviet Labor.
Egfrow on December 11, 2008 at 9:59 AM
anybody know why those boys attacked the police in the first place?
Phoenician on December 11, 2008 at 9:59 AM
“these riots are roughly what eurosceptics expected to see, at some point, at the periphery of the euro-zone as the slow-burn effects (excuse the pun) of Europe’s monetary union begin to corrode the democratic legitimacy of governments.”
“”Athens riots spin totally out of control”
And an editorial: “Greece has gone up in flames and the concept of democracy and law and order has been eliminated”"
“The current account deficit is 15pc of GDP, the eurozone’s highest by far. Indeed, the deficit ($53bn) is the sixth biggest in the world in absolute terms — quite a feat for a country of 11m people.”
the_nile on December 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/ambrose_evans-pritchard/blog/2008/12/10/greek_fighting_the_eurozones_weakest_link_starts_to_crack
the_nile on December 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM
But… but… I thought we won the Cold War
faraway on December 11, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Didn’t the boys attack the police? Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. Weird how that seems to be lost in the leftists diatribe.
Just remember the US leftists ginned up the same phony hatred for the last US election … It’s all about politics.
tarpon on December 11, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Enough! with the coddling of the Youths.
Time for the Iron Fist to come out.
pseudonominus on December 11, 2008 at 10:08 AM
It’s the Med, I’m telling ya. That ocean air causes all sorts of problems. How else to explain why the Italians and Greeks change governments every full moon?
Thank God for the Republic! Paraliments are for Beta Males.
Limerick on December 11, 2008 at 10:11 AM
It’s going to be a long four years. OK, maybe less, as the dems start going to prison. Meanwhile, select parts of the world will burn.
Vashta.Nerada on December 11, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Bloody Muslims!!
lexhamfox on December 11, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Marxists and Jihadists can be expected to play the spreading instability for all it’s worth, throwing gas to the fire as expedient. Wars seem likely, if the global meltdown gets as bad as some forecast.
petefrt on December 11, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Gee….an armed civilian militia would come in real handy in Greece right about now…..
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Nobody’s Fool – 1994 starting Paul Newman
Office Raymer – “You’re honor, it was a warning shot.”
Judge Flatt – “A warning shot? Do you know who you warned? A little old lady sitting on a commode 5 blocks away. Ollie, you know my feelings about arming morons: you arm one, you’ve got to arm them all, otherwise it wouldn’t be good sport.”
DakRoland on December 11, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Has the teenager’s name been reported?
Kralizec on December 11, 2008 at 10:25 AM
These are not Muslims – more like Communists
faraway on December 11, 2008 at 10:26 AM
I’m stocking up on figs, dates and olive oil. Sheep…not so much.
Bishop on December 11, 2008 at 10:27 AM
It’s a mix. They all want to bring down the “capitalist system”.
the_nile on December 11, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Has the teenager’s name been reported?
Kralizec on December 11, 2008 at 10:25 AM
No, only that he was a “youth of middle eastern extraction”…ahem.
Bishop on December 11, 2008 at 10:28 AM
So….are the rioters ‘middle eastern’ (wink wink)?
If so, break out the flechettes.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Yeah, when I first heard about “Youths rioting” I first assumed it was similar to France, where it was a Muslim population. But Greece doesn’t have hardly any Muslims.
You know what this is? Its a terrible precedent. If this forces the Right Wing Government to step down, it is only an example for future angry leftists that all they need to do is riot to get what they want, because, at least in modern times, it is the far left government that is much more likely to respond to violence with violence than the far right government (not that a far right government has ever actually existed.) And by far left, I mean…communist. Look at China, Look at Hugo Chavez. They are the ones who murder protesters.
jimmy the notable on December 11, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Angry and communists? This looks like a job for Obamaman.
Able to bring people together with a wave of his hand! Let’s get those idle youts off the street and get them to work building bridges. No, not bridges of understanding and good fellowship, but actual bridges. We’ll fix the economy and the infrastructure of the known universe ALL AT THE SAME TIME!
Hey! Since Obama’s citizenship is kookburger territory, can we see if other countrys can elect Barrack Obama too? I mean, since no one can question him, he is theoretically eligible to be President..anywhere! Why, he could be President for the entire planet! We don’t just want to put his face on Mt. Rushmore…we should go for Kilimanjaro! Hillary, tell Bill to get his speedo, we’re going to Greece!
austinnelly on December 11, 2008 at 10:33 AM
I lost power yesterday for awhile. Talk about feeling castrated. I think these survivalist people may be on to something. Hmmmm….
ex-Democrat on December 11, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Mark Steyn Dictionary of the Fall of Cicilization
thomasaur on December 11, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Cicilization= civilization
thomasaur on December 11, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Oh I dunno….our civilization is profoundly cissyfied….”cicilization” has a ring to it ;)
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Perhaps we should submit it to Oxford?
thomasaur on December 11, 2008 at 10:40 AM
More problems caused by unions?
Count to 10 on December 11, 2008 at 10:45 AM
With all due respect to Americans of Greek heritage and the good people in Greece, that country is an armpit. It’s a third world state that we pretend isn’t third world because it’s located in Europe. That it’s been dominated by socialists for decades goes a long way toward explaining that. Yes, they have a “center right” government in place now, but they have such systematic unionization, welfare state policies, and other such crap that I’m sure the “center right government” is not able to effectively govern the country in a center-right way.
Outlander on December 11, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Maybe this is why the Greeks have given up on having kids.
forest on December 11, 2008 at 10:46 AM
”cicilization” has a ring to it ;)
Or:
-As in the actress Cicily Tyson who starred in “Roots”.
-A character from Roots was known as “Chicken George.”
-Obarfy’s half brother from Kenya is named George.
-George earns a dollar a month.
It’s all tying together, Obarfa is going to ruin the economy and we are headed for buck a month wages.
Bishop on December 11, 2008 at 10:47 AM
What would Leonidas do?
WWLD…quick, someone produce a few million rubber wristbands, we can sell them to Greeks and make a killing.
Bishop on December 11, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Yeah why can’t these Greeks be more civilized when the cops pick off their kids?
I mean look how “civilized” we are, we will be robbed of trillions, not even taking into account money supply expansion, by the time these massive thefts (bailouts) are over and you’d be lucky to get a phone call to your congressman from the average subject (or citizen if you like). When will the greeks learn to just grab their ankles like us.
LevStrauss on December 11, 2008 at 10:50 AM
I’m sure somebody will hole up in a book depository well before we get to that point ;)
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 10:50 AM
They’re the ass-masters.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 10:52 AM
About eight years ago I worked with a lady who took a vacation on Greece. She told me that there were large bands of gypsies and other refugees from the Balkans that roved the Greek countryside, laid villages to waste and stole, murdered and raped as they pleased. I never saw any coverage of this in the Beeb, Financial Times or our dinosaur media. But ever since I have thought of Greece as tottering on the edge of anarchy while Europe ignores them. The recent Olympics in Greece were held in a small number of well secured sites And I saw no coverage of conditions in rural Greece.
snaggletoothie on December 11, 2008 at 10:52 AM
That’s bollocks. Hyperbolic bollocks. Yes, there are plenty of thieving gypsy bastards around, but that’s largely a result of the dismal economy. You just learn to avoid certain places like you’d avoid ‘certain’ black neighbourhoods.
The fate of Greece is desperately sad. It’s a beautiful country, with wonderful people and a vibrant culture. I have had some great Greek friends. Good times.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 10:59 AM
LevStrauss on December 11, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Agreed; nothing says “societal stability” like violent overthrow of the government.
Yessir, nationwide riots, tanks in the streets, looting, vandalism, the occasional murder. Joy.
Let’s be like the Greeks, everyone, come on!
Bishop on December 11, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Limey
I tried to make it clear that I didn’t have this as absolute fact. But I tended to take serious most of what this woman said because I had worked closely with her for years and was always impressed by her good judgment and sense of responsibility.
snaggletoothie on December 11, 2008 at 11:17 AM
I understand your position :) I wasn’t flaming you, just the ‘facts’ as reported by the woman.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 11:22 AM
We have a house in Greece (Crete) and have gone there every summer for the last 8 years. I would agree with Limey at 10.59 am: there are lots of illegal immigrants, mostly Albanians but also from the former Yugoslvia, and even some Indians(!) here in Crete. But they aren’t to be seen roaming about and looting (that’s more like the British tourists that infest the coast every summer); they mostly work very hard for cash in hand. Our neighbors are Albanians: he’s a day labourer on building sites — and there’s been a construction boom all over the island — she stays at home and has two beautiful children: happy, healthy and not in the least spoiled like the over-indulged Greek children I know. Greece is much safer than say, London, where we lived for 25 years.
But yes, Greeks have been spoiled by the EU paying for everything and they aspire to a lifestyle not possible on their productivity levels. They still have new cars (on credit), while hiring Albanians to do the harvesting work that a previous generation would have done for themselves. This recession is going to hurt. Luckily my house is in a village so I expect it’s still standing, even though it’s empty.
Fortunata on December 11, 2008 at 11:32 AM
ROFL :)
You speak the truth.
Be grateful though, Spain has a far worse time with the limey louts.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 11:35 AM
I never liked Greece when I was there. People were rude, Athens is gross and dirty and I got sick on the food.
And a few of the Greeks seemed a little too proud of how many Jews they got rid of during the Nazi phase in Europe. Which was really creepy.
Italy on the other hand, was incredible.
mjk on December 11, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Just to be clear, this is true if the bullet maintains trajectory. If it’s shot straight enough up, it will break trajectory, come to a halt and then fall to earth. The maximum velocity it can reach falling is probably not lethal.
Hey, I watch Mythbusters.
TedInATL on December 11, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Good show ;)
It’s far rarer to be killed by a tumbling bullet falling to earth than it is for a stray bullet, on its trajectory, striking somebody out of range and injuring/killing them – and even this is rare.
Be sure of your target and beyond.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 11:39 AM
These riots will continue until the government there decides to turn the police loose and allow them to crack down and arrest these people.
JeffinSac on December 11, 2008 at 11:42 AM
So… not to make light of the situation, but I glanced at the headline, and my brain saw “Geek riots enter sixth day, threaten government”
crazy_legs on December 11, 2008 at 11:44 AM
That’s OK, Hillary will solve it. Hopefully she won’t complain of having stones hurled her way during welcoming ceremonies at the Athens airport.
I have bad memories of being in Greece going back 25 years so as far as I am concerned, those f’ing peasants can kill each other and those remaining can go back to their communist masters in Moscow and let the Russians go back to propping them up.
grdred944 on December 11, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Geeks are too smart to risk their brains/lives with mindless rioting.
They’d hack the shit outta the government’s IT infrastructure.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Mythbusters had a show about firing bullets up in the air. The result was that the only time a bullet would have enough force to cause injury beyond a welt on the skin was when the bullet was fired at an angle and was able to maintain some of its initial velocity. Fired straight up, or even at a slight angle to which the velocity is reversed on the way down didnt do anything.
RiteWingFascist on December 11, 2008 at 11:53 AM
I’ve never been to Athens, so I can’t say. But yes, Greeks are very anti-American (while also being willing to sell Granny’s false leg for a chance to get here) and the Orthodox church is pretty nationalistic and probably anti-Semitic, par for the course in Eastern Europe. You should read “Balkan Ghosts” by Robert Kaplan to understand the psychology of Eastern Europe. I’ve found Greeks in our village and elsewhere in Crete to be unfailingly welcoming, generous and pleasant (in an exuberant kind of way). Sometimes you meet a surly Greek, I don’t take it personally, even though they are probably racist, there have been too many good encounters to get me down. Speaking Greek helps, of course.
Fortunata on December 11, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Is this it?! The Zombie apocalypse?! First stages of rage!
Agrippa2k on December 11, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Man, the Greeks have fallen. Is this what to expect of Britain?
Tim Burton on December 11, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Hmmm…doubt it, not at this stage. But there is simmering discontent. These “rioters” are the usual far-left/anarchist loons that have a presence in all the universities in Europe and can call up their fellow rent-a-mobbers at a moment’s notice. I don’t think it’s ordinary middle-class people rioting, just the most “politically conscious” of their waste-of-skin children.
Fortunata on December 11, 2008 at 12:27 PM
My distant memories of Britain are of a police force not afraid to bludgeon oiks.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Key word distance. After all, they used to not put up with crap from enemies, now they surrender their naval ships without firing a shot.
Tim Burton on December 11, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Sorry, Limey, but ever since they were found to be “institutionally racist” the police have been the biggest bunch of politically correct cissies around. Every so often they shoot someone, usually by mistake however. In north London the wealthier areas have their own private security forces that patrol the neighbourhood; they got fed up of being mugged in their own driveways and the police saying there was nothing they could do about it. Too busy going to sensitivity training.
Fortunata on December 11, 2008 at 12:40 PM
*sigh*
Why am I not surprised? It’s a shame…..these oiks need a good truncheon upside the head.
LimeyGeek on December 11, 2008 at 1:07 PM
The deceased’s name is Alexandros Grigoropoulos, he’s of Greek descent, his dad’s a Greek banker. The majority of the rioters are wearing black hoodies, and a lot are carrying traditional red and black Anarchy flags and banners. On day three of the riots there was a sympathy riot of asylum seekers who are mostly muslim, but the large riots in downtown Athens are largely driven by anarcho marxists. See
Here
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/ambrose_evans-pritchard/blog/2008/12/10/greek_fighting_the_eurozones_weakest_link_starts_to_crack
and here
http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=iafp081210134537.pu5×1b11p0&show_article=1&article_id=081210134537.pu5×1b11
Tark on December 11, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Glad to see someone out there knows how to stand up to police brutality in their society.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 11, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Death, how is destroying tourism and burning down the center of Athens standing up to police? Sounds more like it’s a way to make an ugly situtaion worse.
Tark on December 11, 2008 at 1:11 PM
DeathToMediaHacks…or just plain HACK
Is Bill Ayers one of your hero’s? Violence begets violence in your twisted brain, fight the man and all that crap. You must not have a family or actually work for a living, you are a very sad individual.
dmann on December 11, 2008 at 1:24 PM
Oh, I see, you are just another idiot troll. Nevermind, go on with your spam.
Tark on December 11, 2008 at 1:28 PM
The “kid”?
The one who was with the other “molotov kids” acting like adults and suffered adult consequences by getting himself dead?
A bored rich boy from a “prominent Athenian family” with a lot of time on his hands (too much) that decided it was a great idea to play “revolutionary”.
It’s nice to have family over there who know people..that know people..that know people.
I’m just sorry that the Greek riot cops have only shot one Che-wannabe punk dead – so far. It was a ricochet that killed him after a few warning shots, btw.
But in my perfect world, Arianna, Moulitsas and a few more would be over there with them, acting as human shields.
Put Up Or ST*U, “community organizers”!
Teddy on December 11, 2008 at 1:34 PM
+1, fella.
Looks like those poor sods whose shops have been burnt and looted are now beginning to speak up. “People’s uprising”, my ar-se, it’s the usual anarcho-commies hoping to topple the government. And yes, I wish the police would shoot a lot more of them, especially the rent-a-mobs at Davos etc.
Fortunata on December 11, 2008 at 1:41 PM
And +1 to you for your point about the independent shop and kiask owners, Fortunata! Couldn’t agree with you more!
I’m Still trying to figure out how any of this is their “fault” too. Live images don’t lie, and when I’m watching their livelihoods go up in flames, I can’t help but Rage as think of my like-minded family and friends there!
As for those punks, we call them the “κουκουλοφόρη”, or the “Hooded Ones”.
They are PASOK’s (Greece’s democRat Party) “boots on the ground” in the same manner that those hippie assholes were at the DNC Convention in 68′, with one twist.
PASOK sent them out there in the hopes of raising hell and imploding Greece’s current standing “New Democracy (Pro-American, No Gubment Cheese for you socialist slackers)” government.
Sure would nice if this All backfires (pun intended) and another trio of colonels were to take the reigns, and law and restore order though.
Now those were some good times!
Teddy on December 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
How the riots got started isn’t as important as the failure of the legitimate government to stop it. There is not enough force used today, and (of what there is) far too much “non-lethal” force that doesn’t impress the anarchists.
Tell the cops to aim their guns and use them, put out police snipers, and take out the bomb-throwers early on and you’ll put a stop to it right quick.
Leftist destroyers are criminals and they should feel oppressed.
Feedie on December 11, 2008 at 3:34 PM
These are the types of people HotAir attracts.
Nonfactor on December 11, 2008 at 4:24 PM
And what “types” are those, Nonfactor?
People who prefer civilized dissent to rioting, but who are more than willing to allow the authorities to “quash” radical hippie-wannabes when they start looting and destroying private Or public property?
I mean, what’s a wee-bit of your life’s work going up in smoke compared to your missing out on some twin-hooped, (Hellene) senior, Bill Ayers-”type” who’s preaching the “big picture”. Right?
Wow Man. Dig It.
Teddy on December 11, 2008 at 5:32 PM
I haven’t got time for a long, proper comment, but my friends in country tell me it has little to do with the economy and much more to do with corruption, cronyism and political dynasties, and that western media view the situation through a prism which is quite foreign to the Greek view–that is, the west sees the Greek rioters/protesters (not always the same) as acting for the reasons that they themselves would.
Tzetzes on December 11, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Angry and communists? This looks like a job for Obamaman.
Able to bring people together with a wave of his hand! Let’s get those idle youts off the street and get them to work building bridges. No, not bridges of understanding and good fellowship, but actual bridges. We’ll fix the economy and the infrastructure of the known universe ALL AT THE SAME TIME!
Hey! Since Obama’s citizenship is kookburger territory, can we see if other countrys can elect Barrack Obama too? I mean, since no one can question him, he is theoretically eligible to be President..anywhere! Why, he could be President for the entire planet! We don’t just want to put his face on Mt. Rushmore…we should go for Kilimanjaro! Hillary, tell Bill to get his speedo, we’re going to Greece!
austinnelly on December 11, 2008 at 10:33 AM
The funniest post I’ve ever read – thanks for a good laugh!
greekinfidel on December 11, 2008 at 7:55 PM
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