nikolas
12-23-2008, 11:52 PM
Hello.
I think I ought to let you know of the happenings here in Greece. I'm assuming that you know a bit of what's going on, but hearing it from a Greek might give further insights... (plus I was reminded that you do get info, when Gary asked me how I am...)
THE FACTS
On December the 6th, a group of youths were out on the streets. It is still uncertain if they were out for trouble, or just minding their own business. Probably a bit of both. They run into 2-3 cops. A small clash happened, they broke off. Group of youths wen their way, cops retreated. Then they met again, clashed again (as it appears).
In the process of all that, it does appear (yet to be detirmined) that there was a shooting FROM the cops to the groups of youths.
The result is that a 15 year old boy, named Alexis Grigoropoulos died!
RIOTS
Since then, more than 2 weeks ago hell has broken loose all over Greece.
The death of Alexis (here in Greece we don't, generally, call people by their first names unless we know them. So in general I'm "Mr. Sideris", and the dead boy should be "Grigoropoulos". However since his death everyone decided that they "know" him and should call him by his first name.) has triggered a series of events which only gets worst. But it was only the trigger.
The economic crisis which made Iceland crumble and the Brittish pound lose almost 1/3rd in value has also hit Greece. Not in currency value, since we use the Euro, but in job values, etc...
The goverment, elected for the second time, is unable to do anything and has been dealing with shady methods for quite a bit of time (it does feel similar to getting Bush elected for the 2nd time actually). Scandals emerge every once in a while, and the country is in debt, far worst than any other time, without any major works being done. See, with the Olympics (2004), we were in debt, but at least we saw an underground system being built, major roads (REALLY MAJOR), being made and updated, the largest overwater bridge in Europe, etc... Which does give an excuse of being in debt (along with the Olympics). Now nothing has been made.
People ARE struggling to get enough money to live. Everyone is trying to evade tax (which seems natural to us Greeks), (and btw, as well as pirate anything possible), due to the fact that there's simply NOT enough to go by. Not an excuse for being illegal, just what's happening, mind you!
So, get an act of murdering, get a general dissapointment, at very large portions, and you get Greece in riot.
THE USUAL STUFF?
Usually we would get a bit of rioting from 50-100 anarchists, or leftists, in very specific dates! It does happen, it was always assumed that it's 'a bit of fun from young people', and it would end in a day or two. Now we get 1000s, literally, people rioting, all over Greece, in every major city, all universities, etc... Not so small anymore.
Most of Athens (the center) has been burned down, with myriads of shops, banks, cars being burned to the groun.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/2008_greek_riots.html (for some pics)
THE WORST HAS YET TO COME
Yesterday, or the day before there was a bus full of special officer policemen. At 5 o'clock in the morning, they got hit by bullets, coming from the Athens Polytechnic university! So, in other words, somebody was in the university and started shooting towards the police!
Now, I don't know, what the situation is in other parts of the world, but the universities over here are protected by absolutle sanctuary! No matter what! Unless the head gives permission! Which he did 5 minutes after the shooting took place. Of course he would give permission to the police to enter the university, if someone shoot at them! :(
Yet the police did NOT enter. It appears that they were too afraid to enter the university!
___________________________________________
So, what now?
Well, I'm ok, family is ok, everyone I know is ok. There's not been any death in Greece yet, apart from the 15 year old.
A lot of families have lost their cars, shops, etc. It's not just banks, which could be assumed to be faceless. It's everything! So these people are upset to say the least.
Seeing the police is unable to do anything, and seeing that the goverment is totally unable to even start talking, not to mention protect it's citizens, the people of various smaller cities (not Athens), are taking things into their hands. Some people in Patras and Ioannina (I think for the 2nd city), took over the universities! In order for them not to be ceized by anarchist/leftist forces.
It's not a civil war yet, but it certainly doesn't look good.:mad:
Further links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/world/europe/10greece.html?_r=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Greek_riots (which reminds me that, indeed, all over the world there does seem to be 'support' towards Greeks... :()
(which makes things even worst: http://www.facebook.com/people/Alexandros-Grigoropoulos/1315614780#/group.php?gid=48511897215 and http://www.hashtags.org/tag/griots)
I think I ought to let you know of the happenings here in Greece. I'm assuming that you know a bit of what's going on, but hearing it from a Greek might give further insights... (plus I was reminded that you do get info, when Gary asked me how I am...)
THE FACTS
On December the 6th, a group of youths were out on the streets. It is still uncertain if they were out for trouble, or just minding their own business. Probably a bit of both. They run into 2-3 cops. A small clash happened, they broke off. Group of youths wen their way, cops retreated. Then they met again, clashed again (as it appears).
In the process of all that, it does appear (yet to be detirmined) that there was a shooting FROM the cops to the groups of youths.
The result is that a 15 year old boy, named Alexis Grigoropoulos died!
RIOTS
Since then, more than 2 weeks ago hell has broken loose all over Greece.
The death of Alexis (here in Greece we don't, generally, call people by their first names unless we know them. So in general I'm "Mr. Sideris", and the dead boy should be "Grigoropoulos". However since his death everyone decided that they "know" him and should call him by his first name.) has triggered a series of events which only gets worst. But it was only the trigger.
The economic crisis which made Iceland crumble and the Brittish pound lose almost 1/3rd in value has also hit Greece. Not in currency value, since we use the Euro, but in job values, etc...
The goverment, elected for the second time, is unable to do anything and has been dealing with shady methods for quite a bit of time (it does feel similar to getting Bush elected for the 2nd time actually). Scandals emerge every once in a while, and the country is in debt, far worst than any other time, without any major works being done. See, with the Olympics (2004), we were in debt, but at least we saw an underground system being built, major roads (REALLY MAJOR), being made and updated, the largest overwater bridge in Europe, etc... Which does give an excuse of being in debt (along with the Olympics). Now nothing has been made.
People ARE struggling to get enough money to live. Everyone is trying to evade tax (which seems natural to us Greeks), (and btw, as well as pirate anything possible), due to the fact that there's simply NOT enough to go by. Not an excuse for being illegal, just what's happening, mind you!
So, get an act of murdering, get a general dissapointment, at very large portions, and you get Greece in riot.
THE USUAL STUFF?
Usually we would get a bit of rioting from 50-100 anarchists, or leftists, in very specific dates! It does happen, it was always assumed that it's 'a bit of fun from young people', and it would end in a day or two. Now we get 1000s, literally, people rioting, all over Greece, in every major city, all universities, etc... Not so small anymore.
Most of Athens (the center) has been burned down, with myriads of shops, banks, cars being burned to the groun.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/2008_greek_riots.html (for some pics)
THE WORST HAS YET TO COME
Yesterday, or the day before there was a bus full of special officer policemen. At 5 o'clock in the morning, they got hit by bullets, coming from the Athens Polytechnic university! So, in other words, somebody was in the university and started shooting towards the police!
Now, I don't know, what the situation is in other parts of the world, but the universities over here are protected by absolutle sanctuary! No matter what! Unless the head gives permission! Which he did 5 minutes after the shooting took place. Of course he would give permission to the police to enter the university, if someone shoot at them! :(
Yet the police did NOT enter. It appears that they were too afraid to enter the university!
___________________________________________
So, what now?
Well, I'm ok, family is ok, everyone I know is ok. There's not been any death in Greece yet, apart from the 15 year old.
A lot of families have lost their cars, shops, etc. It's not just banks, which could be assumed to be faceless. It's everything! So these people are upset to say the least.
Seeing the police is unable to do anything, and seeing that the goverment is totally unable to even start talking, not to mention protect it's citizens, the people of various smaller cities (not Athens), are taking things into their hands. Some people in Patras and Ioannina (I think for the 2nd city), took over the universities! In order for them not to be ceized by anarchist/leftist forces.
It's not a civil war yet, but it certainly doesn't look good.:mad:
Further links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/world/europe/10greece.html?_r=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Greek_riots (which reminds me that, indeed, all over the world there does seem to be 'support' towards Greeks... :()
(which makes things even worst: http://www.facebook.com/people/Alexandros-Grigoropoulos/1315614780#/group.php?gid=48511897215 and http://www.hashtags.org/tag/griots)