Sunday, April 25, 2010

Greek riot police about to use pepper spray against protesters outside town hall - Thessaloniki, Greece

The riot police were used to break up a protest outside the town hall in Thessaloniki last week. Despite a pledge by the Minister for Protection of the Citizen (obviously, 1984 is not required reading for those who renamed the ministry) that the police would not be allowed to use chemical weapons such as tear gas and pepper spray they employed both liberally on the peaceful demonstration..



Riot police clash with protesters in entrance to Thessaloniki town hall - Greece

That, like some many other promise made by the recently elected PASOK administration seems to have gone out of the window. With the economic crisis set to worsen and austerity measures unprecedented in modern Greek history on the table this is just the beginning. As a speaker at a rally I attended today pointed out the war reparations which played a pivotal role in the economic collapse that brought down the Weimar republic amounted to 2.5% of GNP (the Wiki article on WWI reparations quotes a figure of 4-7%). Greece is being asked to devote 12.5% of its GNP to servicing its debt payments. There is no way any government can last with such a noose around its neck.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi I am a journalist at BBC World Service radio. I wondered if we might be able to talk to you about how the economic situation is affecting ordinary people in Greece. What number can we call you on ? is it possible to chat today Sunday ?
Thanks very much
Gabriela
gabriela.pomeroy@bbc.co.uk

Anonymous said...

Took me a while to find you again.
Seems indeed as if life up there is like it down here.
Please have a wonderful start into the new week.


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