How to turn a problem into a crisis - Greek riot police storm the Acropolis

Today Greek riot police entered the grounds of the Acropolis this morning in order to expel protesting employees who were demonstrating over delays in payment of wages stretching back two years. In response the government sent in riot police units who used batons, shields and tear gas indiscriminately, attacking reporters covering the story as well as protesters (video from Skai News here - incident is 16 minutes in).

Junior minister for culture, Telemaxos Hiteris, speaking on Skai News defended the actions of the police saying that "the law was the law and 30 employees could not be allowed to close down the Acropolis."The permanent members of staff have gone on strike in support of colleagues on short term contracts.

What has happened is a minor industrial dispute involving a few dozen employees has through the violent intervention of the police been turned into a story which has gone global with yet more images of police officers clashing with demonstrators inside Greece's most familiar landmark. Once again the authorities have mixed indifference, incompetence and violent over reaction into a volatile cocktail which confirms many Greek's worst opinion of the government (One Greek Twitter user said the "we really do have a junta).

Instead of negotiation and discussion batons and tear gas were used so inflaming a tense situation and sending the message to the outside world that Greece is racked by violent confrontation. Of course, this is not the case but by providing such images the authorities are doing everything in their power to promote this idea.

Greek general strike - riot police attempt to split protest march in two

Greek general strike - riot police attempt to split protest march in two, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

"Greece's largest trade unions managed to bring much of the country to a halt with strikes in both the private and public sector. In the northern port city of Thessaloniki approximately 10,000 people took to the streets in protest against the government's recently announced austerity package. Thessaloniki, Greece. 07/03/2010.

Although mainly peaceful there were some clashes when riot police units attempted to split the march in two, provoking a reaction by members of the teachers' union who attempted to block the move. The police answered with tear gas but quickly withdrew after coming under a hail of rocks thrown by other demonstrators."

More pictures on Demotix.com

Greek protesters charge gates of ministry building - Thessaloniki, Greece

Greek protesters charge gates of ministry building - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

In what is shaping up to be a clash between the entire labour movement and the Greek government, thousands took to the streets today to march in the protests against prime minister's Giorgos Papandreou's new economic package which sees widespread cuts in public sector services and pay cuts for civil servants. In addition a number of raises in VAT and indirect taxes have sparked off a wave of anger and demonstrations. Thessaloniki, Greece. 05/03/2010.

In today's marches organised by the PAME trade union confederation, demonstrators shouted “Give us back our stolen money” a reference to the widerspread belief that much of the country's 300 billion euro debt as been pocketed by mainstream politicians and those with close economic ties to Greece's two main ruling parties, New Democracy and PASOK which have governed since 1974.

Riot police used tear gas and pepper spray when protesters belonging to a coalition of left wing parties and groups attempted to bring down the main gate at the entrance to the ex – ministry of Macedonia and Thrace in the northern port city of Thessaloniki. About a dozen of the demonstrators managed to enter the ground of the government building to stage a symbolic occupation.

More picture here on Demotix.com

400 - nil

I was going to write today about what happened last night in the Athens district of Exarchia when the MAT (Greek riot squad) tried their own version of "kettling" following a petrol bomb attack in the neighbourhood. Like their UK counterparts the police attempted to seal the area and then attacked anyone slow enough to be caught up in the cordon. As a result two students at least have been hospitalised with broken bones after being beaten by officers following their arrest, according to Greek bloggers.

According to that hotbed of anarcho - communist propaganda, The Economist 400 people have died in the last decade following contact with the police. Yet not one has ever been convicted of manslaughter, let alone murder. Is anyone placing bets against the officer who beat Tomlinson just before he died making that 401 - 0? With watchdogs like the Independent(?) Police Complaints Commission on the case it's a wonder that there has been an investigation at all.



It would be easy to write them off as toothless, but their wanton attempts at misleading the public, (CCTV? What CCTV?), surpressing video and conjuring up "favourable" evidence have shown them to be morally and legally compromised. Leaders such as Kim Il Sung , Pol Pot and Saddam Hussein could only have dreamed of such diligence by their functionaries.

Still, never mind the charade will go on, probably at the cost of millions to show that Great British Public that what they saw with their own eyes in the video did not, in fact happen, and if it did it was certainly not what it seemed and that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why masked members of the police are quite within their rights to attack people from behind while they are walking away.

Ground control to major Tom

Ground control to major Tom, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

More reasons to get mad

I just came across this account (and here to read it in Greek) of the arrest of a Greek student who happened to be in the centre of Athens at the time of the riots last week via Q-Sputnik's blog. Myrto, who is doing her postgraduate studies in England was shopping with her mother when she was beaten and arrested for the hideous crime of speaking back to a member of the MAT (Greek riot police).

"Seconds later, her mother witnessing the whole thing, four policemen attacked her. They kicked her on the back, knocking her down on the street. Myrto weighs no more than 50 kilos. She started shouting and swearing. Her mother yelled in panic and pleaded with them to leave her daughter alone.

Some of them were trying to stop her from running to her daughter, while the others (the four policemen) had already twisted Myrto’s arm behind her back, holding her down, on the street. They repeatedly kicked her on the stomach, the legs, the ribs, swearing at her with vulgar and blatantly sexist words!"

I, too went through a similar ordeal when I was attacked by the riot police during a peaceful demo last year. Taking pictures seemed to provoke them to violence and as Myrto's account points out;

"Myrto told them she came to her home city to spend Christmas with her mother, but they wouldn’t believe her – in fact they suspected her of being a foreign journalist, a “rat” etc...
They saw the photos she had taken in the last couple of days and said they would seize the memory card of the camera, but Myrto did not hand it in. The camera was a fairly sophisticated one - Digital SLR – which made them suspect her and repeat their accusations and ironic comments: how come she had such a good camera, since she was not a journalist, how could she afford it, how much did it cost and so on..."

However, whilst I was injured badly enough for the hospital doctors to want to keep me overnight I did not undergo the terrible harrassment that Myrto got whilst being questioned;

"The officers systematically tried to break her morale, humiliating her, verbally and psychologically assaulting her. They would put their faces right in front of hers, almost touching her, calling her… things; they vividly described the “sexu@l intercourse” they would have with her. They pulled her hair repeatedly.

When she asked if they would be long, one of them told her to ask them again later, when all of them would be f…ing her."

And people wonder why there has been such violence over the last two weeks. Time and time again these uniformed thugs have beaten and killed with immunity. I've lost count of the number of accounts of people who have suffered at their hands, been assaulted, belittled and demeaned by some power hungry demi - nazi with a club and a badge.

I know that this could all be a hoax as I have not been able to find the person's original post, however, there have been a number of other similar incidents captured on video (see here) in the past and the details of the whole procedure seemed accurate enough (and as I have witnessed it myself I am in a position to judge better than most). Also the police here has a long, inglorious history of violence (see here for a damning 2007 Council of Europe report) and footage of recent police violence prompted Amnesty International to complain about their behavior.

Greek riot police tear gas peaceful protest in Athens

One of the few good things to have come out of the events that Greece has witnessed over the last week is the growing awareness amongst ordinary people that they can get out their message without having to rely on the traditional media.

I have decided to share this video posted 13th December which shows the effects of the police using tear gas on a peaceful protest in Syntagma Square, central Athens. For those who haven't experienced this, imagine someone throwing vinegar in your eyes while you are in the middle of a severe asthma attack.

I include the text which accompanies the video on Youtube.

"Κάθε βράδυ στο Σύνταγμα, από την δευτέρα 8/12/08, μαζευόμαστε και κάνουμε μια ειρηνική διαδήλωση. Στις 13/12/2008 έγινε μία ειρηνική διαδήλωση. Φωνάζαμε συνθήματα, τραγουδούσαμε, μέχρι που, γύρω στις 12 το βράδυ, μας περικύκλωσαν τα ΜΑΤ. Τους είδαμε ότι είχαν προετοιμαστεί, φορόντας μάσκες και μετά, χωρίς να έχει προηγηθεί κάτι, προσπαθούσαν να διαλύσουν την ειρηνική διαδήλωση με χημικά (παρεπιπτώντος, επειδή έφαγα το χημικό στην μούρη, δεν μπορείτε να φανταστείτε πως πονάει) και ξύλο με τα γκλοπ. Δύο κοπέλες και ένα παλληκάρι πήγαν στο νοσοκομείο, η μία κοπέλα και το παιδί λόγω άσθματος, και η άλλη λιποθύμησε από το χημικό και την έδειραν. Ένα παιδί το βάρεσαν στο κεφάλι, και ένα άλλο το χτύπησαν στα πόδια.

Translation

"Every evening since Monday 8/12/08 we have been gathering in Syntagma Square to protest peacefully. On 13/12/08 there was also a peaceful demo. We shouted slogans, we sang and it was around about 12 midnight when the MAT (Greek riot police) surrounded us. We saw that they had prepared for this as they were wearing gas masks and then, without anything having happened they tried to break up the peaceful demo using tear gas. (BTW as I got some tear gas in the face you can't imagine how much it hurts) and truncheons. Two girls and a lad went to hospital . One of the girls and a kid because of asthma and the other who had fainted due to gas who was beaten. One guy was beaten in the head, the other on the legs."

Talking to CNN about the Greek riots

in about an hour I'm expecting a phone call from CNN. They want to interview me about the riots that have been going on in Greece over the last couple of days.

Even the state run TV channels, which usually follow the government line to the letter are now talking about the murder of 15 year old in Athens on Saturday night. It seems that eye witnesses are saying that the two officers got out of their patrol car after getting into an argument with a group of thirty teens in the Exarchia district. apparently, one of the officers throw a flash bomb at the group whilst the other fired at them three times resulting in the death of Andreas Grigoropoulos.

The police have a long and inglorious history of over reaction and violence. In part encouraged by the fact that even the most outrageous breeches of the law usually get over looked or punished lightly. Case in point was the savage beating on live TV of Cypriot student, Avgoustinos Dimitriou November 17, 2008. None of the eight oifficers involved spent time in jail. Indeed, the hapless student was charged with resisting arrest and tried recently in Thessaloniki.

In addition there have been a string of deaths of immigrants involving the police. Here in Thessaloniki last year Nigerian national,Tony Onouha, who died after falling from the balcony of a cafe in Kalamaria while "being chased by officers" according to the official report.

Last year the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) also noted in its report considerable number of allegations of abuse by police officials of foreign nationals in custody including the case of a detainee allegedly tortured with pliers while in custody in the northern Greek city of Alexandroupoli.

I, myself fell victim to these thugs last year when I was beaten by riot police during a peaceful demonstration on Tsimiski. My crime? Taking pictures of them.that cost me a broken nose, dislocated shoulder and extensive bruising.

Police await Siemens workers demo - Thessaloniki 2008

Police await Siemens workers demo - Thessaloniki 2008, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

After the annual 28th October parade in Thessaloniki workers recently laid off from the local Siemens factory attempted to march in order to protest the closure. Τense scenes followed with the riot police until permission was given and approximately 100 people demonstrated outside the Macedonia Palace hotel where Greek president, Karolos Papoulias and other politicians were staying.

Somebody on minimum wage in Greece would have to work over four months to stay just one night in the presidential suite. However, the price does include an American style buffet and a wonderful view of the sea. A great comfort, no doubt to those 240 Siemens employees who lost their job this month.

The riot police at the 28th October parade, Thessaloniki

The riot police at the 28th October parade, Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Hundreds of riots cops made sure that workers from the recently closed Siemens factory didn't spoil the traditional 28th October "Oxi" parade. God forbid, the politicians present should be made to look bad.

As seen on TV?

Tonight Greek TV (ET 1 at 10.00pm) will show a documentary made by the Reportage Horis Synora team (Reporting Without Borders) on police violence in Greece. When they were making the programme a film crew came up from Athens to interview me on my experiences at the hands of the riot police last September (see here for more details). For the dreadful crime of taking pictures of the police during a peaceful march I was attacked by them and detained. As a result I was left with a broken nose, dislocated shoulders and other various injuries that took up three pages in the medical report I received.

Still, compared with many other cases I got off lightly, I was released quickly and in the police department I was taken to (in an unmarked van with four uncover cops - not an experience I recommend) I was not beaten, which more than I can say for many.

Back from court

Just got back from court. It was a simple procedure in that all I had to do was tell a court official that everything I wanted to say was in the testimony I had already filed. The only thing they asked was if I had any more information on the names of the riot cops (MAT) who attacked me and since they refuse to reveal names, even to the ombudsman I had to say no. The reasons they gave for this refusal range from the absurd to the downright childish.

Interestingly, I saw in their reply to the ombudsman the reason why they choose me. It appears that

"προκλητικα και κατ' επαναληψη τους φωτογραφιζε τις κινησεις τους"

Meaning, I repeatedly and provocatively (?) photographed their movements. I never knew the goon squad was made up of such sensitive types.

A fugitive from justice

At long last my case against the riot police who attacked me in September simply for taking photos during a peaceful demonstration has shown signs of life. After spending a couple of months amassing evidence (including a doctor's report of my injuries that ran to more than two pages) I filed suit in December. This morning I found this taped to the front door of the apartment I live in.




Basically, it's a call to appear at the central police station within 48 hours or as it says I'll be taken there forcibly and fined the grand, if prosaic, sum of 14.67 Euros. Just one problem the date underneath is 18/01/2007 so technically I'm an outlaw subject to violent detention if caught.

UPDATE

Looks like I made a mistake in my translation as I have to go to the central courts and not the police station (got my megaros/halls mixed up). Phew!!!!!!!!!

For a full account of what happened click here.

For photos click here.

Hooligans

Hooligans, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

I've been looking through my photos with view to putting on an exhibition. Of all the pictures and all the tragic situations I've covered this is the one that brings back the worse memories. Minutes after I took this I was beaten badly enough that to be hospitalised and then arrested by the MAT (Greek riot police) simply for taking pictures during a peaceful demonstration (click here for more details).

Today in Athens members of the far right organisation Xrysi Avgi (I will not link to these b#st#rds)fought with left wing organisations. The TV has shown again and again these far right thugs joining the riot police in order to beat their "opponents".

If that wasn't enough there were pictures of the MAT beating bystanders even after the situation had calmed down (see here for the video).

Once again I see the representatives of the police unions saying that that they did nothing wrong. Whilst eye witnesses describe how the police handed out weapons and tear gas to the far right demonstrators.

Suing the police

Today I finally entered that most Kafkaesque of world; the Greek judicial system. I filed a suit against the riot police who attacked me without reason on 8th September this year (see here for more details). The interesting thing about this whole procedure are the details. For example to file suit the court clerk used at least ten stamps and I lost count after the 30th time she used them to stamp the documents I and my lawyer had brought with us.

Another fascinating detail is that in order to sue somebody you need to have a tax number (ΑΦΜ) so making it impossible for large swathes of the population such as immigrants and those working in unregistered jobs to use the system. We wouldn't to lower the tone of the place by letting in riff - raff now, would we?

I know my chances of achieving anything with this action are somewhere between slight and non-existent but I felt I had to make the gesture if only because I'm in the privileged position to do something. That is a luxury many victims of police violence here do not have.

Footage taken after I was attacked by Greek riot police

I guess I should be flattered that the police deemed it necessary to employ the services of four fully armed riot cops to subdue one 40 - year old, camera wielding English teacher. This footage of me laying, handcuffed face down on Tsimiski St was taken by Alter TV channel on the 8th September this year.I still wince when I see these images as I was in intense pain as one of the guys tried to yank my backpack off my dislocated shoulder and all I could see was my blood on the pavement.

What it doesn't show is the previous scene in which I was slammed into a lamp post by a riot cop's shield in an unprovoked attack whilst photographing a peaceful protest march (click here to see photos). As a result of that I suffered a suspected fractured nose, dislocated shoulder and multiple cuts and bruises. Even now, six weeks after the incident I do not have full use of my left arm.



I'm now in the process of suing the police for this attack but this is proving difficult as they are stone walling all attempts by my lawyer to get more information on what units were on duty at this particular point. They even went as far as to refuse him entry to the central police station when he went to ask. They really are a law unto themselves. See here for the full story.

The full story

It has been just over two weeks since I was violently detained by the Greek riot police during a peaceful rally and I thought I would try to put down what happened and give myself a sense of closure over the events that happened.

On Saturday 8th the Greek prime minister, Kostas Karamanlis was scheduled to give his annual address at the International Trade Fair (ΔΕΘ) in Thessaloniki. This is usually the cue for large scale demonstrations in the city and this year was expected to be no exception. The wave of popular disgust and indignation over the government's handling of the forest fire crisis was yet another reason for people to protest. I decided that the rallies organised would be a wonderful photo - opportunity, full of life, colour and a certain touch of drama. And indeed they were. Thousands filled Aristotelous Square and Egnatia Street. Walking through the crowds I was able to take lots of pictures which I intended to put on my Flickr page and blog.

At some point one one of the rallies decided that they were going to march down Agias Sophias St and then onto the Trade Fair and I decided to follow them. Almost immediately the march was accompanied by a phalanx of riot police. As images go, it doesn't get more dramatic than this so I decided to hang back and take shots of them marching down the road in battle formation.


At no point did anyone gesture or shout to me to stop, they remained impassive, if uncomfortably close to the main body of the march considering the fact that tensions were running high. Then as we were going along Tsimiski St a couple of the MAT left the main group and started running in my direction. At first I didn't realise what exactly was happening so kept on taking pictures until they were almost upon me.


I guess the cries and screams from the people behind me should have been a warning but rather stupidly I assumed that I had nothing to fear from them, considering the demonstration was peaceful and there hadn't been a hint of trouble.

What happened next is hazy. I recall being knocked to the ground and having people scream at me. I managed to shout out, "Δεν αντιστεκομαι" (I'm not resisting) and "help". The next thing I knew was that I was face down in a pool of my own blood on the pavement whilst somebody handcuffed me violently.

Witnesses to the incident who contacted me later told me that the riot cop had body slammed me with his shield into a nearby lamp post. That, at least would explain the dislocated shoulder.

I asked them what I had done but all I got was a guy screaming his head off at me. Later on, an officer, I think came along and in a calmer tone of voice told me I was being detained. After a succession of plain clothes police came along and told me I was being taken in for questioning. Again and again I was told that I shouldn't have taken pictures.

Four other plain clothes cops accompanied me in an unmarked white van to the central police station (Αστυνομικο Μεγαρο) where I was taken to the fourth floor to be questioned. There I was asked repeatedly, but politely about my reasons for taking pictures. They examined the photographs and took my details. Eventually, after an hour or so they seemed convinced by my story that I was just taking pictures as a hobby in order to post them on my blog and so said I could go.

Whilst being escorted out some of the officers said that I should clean myself up, though I'm not sure if this was out of kindness or the realisation that letting somebody walk out of a station whilst bloodied and bruised was not the best PR move.

After passing a group of jeering motorcycle cops who were hanging around the main entrance I got a taxi home to make sure that someone could pick up my daughter from her friend's house and to get my IKA book so as to be ready when I went to hospital.Itook this opportunity and posted something on the blog in order to let people know what had happened (see here) Luckily, a friend of mine offered to take me to the Agios Pavlos hospital, Kalamaria where I was treated by doctors in the orthopedic clinic. After being X-rayed, they informed me that I had suffered a dislocated shoulder and possible fractured nose.

After a couple of days I decided that I would press charges, even if I believe the chances of the person who did this being punished are tiny. I feel that if I don't do something then it is tantamount to saying what they did was right.

Two weeks later I am still in pain and I find sleeping difficult, if not impossible. I still can't figure what I did that deserved such a violent response. At no point had the police, either through gesture or verbal warning indicated that I should stop taking photos. Indeed, I'm absolutely sure on this point as I would have heeded them immediately, as I had done when taking pictures of some of those on the demonstration.

What's wrong with this picture?

I paid for these pictures with a dislocated shoulder, fractured nose, multiple bruising and smashed glasses.

All because the Greek riot police (MAT) didn't want me to take photos during a peaceful demonstration.

After being beaten, violently handcuffed( hence the dislocation), I was arrested questioned and later released without charge.

Pressing ahead

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone, and especially the Greek readers of this blog for their support and best wishes. It has really been great to know that so many people want to help. The good news is that I have found a lawyer to help me and we are in the process of pressing charges. I would like to ask anyone who saw what happened on Saturday to please get in contact if they would like to be a witness. Email me here if you can.

Πρωτα απο ολα, θα ηθελα να ευχαριστησω ολους σας που στειλατε μνηνηματα υποστηριξης και βοηθειας. Αν καποιοι απο σας ειδατε τι εγινε το Σαββατο και θελετε να βοηθησατε, στειλατε email.

Once again, thank you all for everything you have said and done.

For photos of the incident click here.

PRESSING CHARGES

I'm off to the public prosecutor here in Thessaloniki to press charges over my attack and arrest on Saturday.Wish me luck.

For photos of the incident click here.