The 75th Thessaloniki Trade Fair welcomes kids too

The 75th Thessaloniki Trade Fair welcomes kids too, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Gas masks are now available in sizes xxs, xs, s and junior.

Taken outside the Vellidio conference centre in the northern port city of Thessaloniki as Greek PM Giorgos Papandreou was addressing the nation over the state of the economy. Outside the speech was met with boos and jeers by protesting fire fighters and their families.

Greek anti-austerity protests turn violent

Greek anti-austerity protests turn violent, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek riot police use teargas on protesters outside Thessaloniki town hall

Several people were injured and at least two taken to hospital during the riot police attempts to breaks up a demonstration outside a town hall in Greece's second city, Thessaloniki.

According to eye witness reports relayed via Twitter two women bystanders needed medical assistance for respiratory problems following the police's use of tear gas and pepper spray.

The demonstration was over government plans to reorganise local authorities, a move opposition parties claim is part of Athens austerity measures and which will lead to massive job losses.

More photographs on Demotix.com

PAOK FC fans protest ban on them going to away matches- Thessaloniki, Greece

PAOK FC fans protest ban on them going to away matches- Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek trade unions fire opening salvo over austerity measures

Greek trade unions fire opening salvo over austerity measures, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

In what promises to be the opening shots in a war of attrition Greek public and private sector trade unions have taken to the streets in the country's major cities angry with the drastic cuts in pay announced by prime minister, Giorgos Papandreou yesterday. Thessaloniki, Greece 03/03/2010

The cuts in salaries combined with a rises in VAT of between 1 and 2% have angered many Greeks who believe the $420 billion debt has gone to line the pockets of the rich and that it is they who should shoulder the burden of reducing the deficit. Marching under the banner, “The plutocracy should pay” the communist controlled PAMe trade union confederation marched this today in Athens and Thessaloniki. Other actions also included an occupation of the economics ministry and the state run ET3 TV station.

On the internet Greek Twitter users could barely contain their outrage over the new economic measures which aim to fill government coffers and cut down on the bloated government budget. However there was anger over the fact that areas such as defence spending which soaks up 4.3% of GNP, a figure twice that of the UK was untouched wheras the education budget was cut by 600 million euros.

Tomorrow sees the first in a series of widespread strike actions across Greece which threaten to bring the country to a standstill.

Demotix

Greek general strike - Thessaloniki

Greek general strike - Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

In what promises to be the first round of a new series of confrontations between Greece's trade unions and the government public and private sector employees went on strike today across the country.

The strike action has paralyzed much of the nation's transport network and was accompanied by mass demonstrations in Athens and other major cities. As prime minister Giorgos Papandreou desperately tries to persuade Greece's EU partners that his government can reduce the massive $420 billion public debt burden threatens to destablisise not just Greece but the entire eurozone area.

However, recent government actions to raise revenues and reduce costs have put it on a collision course with trade unions anxious to protect members incomes and jobs. With some of the lowest wages in EU and unemployment rapidly rising labour leaders argue that the cost of country's debt repayments should not be shouldered by the country's poorest.

In Greece's second city between 8,000 and 10,000 marchers took to the streets demanding that the country's rich pay the price for the present crisis. European Union flags were also burnt in protest against the role of Brussels in role in applying austerity measures which threaten to derail the Greek economy and make any possible debt repayment plan even more difficult.

Demotix

Greek trade unions march and strike over government's austerity package

Greek trade unions march and strike over government's austerity package, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Students march in memory of Alexandros Grigoropoulos killed last year by the police in Athens

Students march in memory of Alexandros Grigoropoulos killed last year by the police in Athens, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Today thousands of students and pupils marched in cities across Greece to mark the first anniversary of the killing of Alexandros Grigoropoulos which sparked off the worst civil unrest for a generation.

More pictures at Demotix.com

Out the door

In about half an hour I'm off out to the centre of Thessaloniki to take part in the demonstrations and marches that will mark the anniversary the killing of Greek teenager, Alexandros Grigoropoulos last year. Already more than 400 schools and campuses have been occupied by students across the country and the media are saying that between 6000 and 10,000 police officers will be on hand in Athens alone. Many of my friends there have told me that centre looks more like a city under seige than ever before.

To those of you marching today, take care.

Anti - racist march in solidarity with immigrants - Thessaloniki, Greece

Anti - racist march in solidarity with immigrants - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Last night about 800 - 1000 people marched through the centre of Thessaloniki and many more in Athens in order to protest the government's anti - immigrant measures which include the rounding up of those without proper papers (which are virtually impossible to get from the authorities), and the deportation without trial of any foreign national who is accused of a crime which carries a sentence of three or more months.

The ruling New Democracy party has also announced that it will set up internment camps throughout the country to house those who do not have a legal right to stay in the country. It should be noted that at present Greece grants asylum to 0.1% of those who apply for it and has been repeatedly criticised by Amnesty International, other European governments and the UNHCR for its treatment of refugees and immigrants.

On the other hand the latest poll carried out by Public Issue found that 93% of those questioned thought that Greece could not take in any more immigrants and that 62% said that immigration is probably harming Greece.

Stung by his party's poor showing in the recent European elections prime minister Kostas Karamanlis has decided to get tough on the issue of immigration in order to avoid losing more support to the far right LAOS party. With the possibility of general elections in either September or March 2010 at the latest Karamanlis is hoping that a tough stance on crime and immigrants will help bring back voters who have deserted the party in droves after two years of corruption and influence peddling scandals involving several government ministers.

Last nights gathering

, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Last night there was a gathering of three to four thousand Greeks gathered outside Agia Sophia in the centre of the Thessaloniki. They were there in order to remember the deaths of thousands of Pontian (Greeks from round the Black Sea) during the last days of the Ottoman empire. Their hope is that these events will be declared a genocide by the world community.

In that respect their campaign closely mirrors the one by Armenians who have been attempting to have the deaths of their compatriots at the hands of Turkish soldiers between 1915 and 1923 considered a genocide as well.

As well as politicians from Thessaloniki and Athens the crowd was addressed by Michael Atkinson, South Australia's attorney general (his speech can be read here in English and Greek) who introduced a parliamentary motion to condemn the deaths.

Afterwards those present took part in candle - lit march to the Turkish consulate.

A group of 20 - 30 supporters of the ultra - right Xrysi Ayhi (Golden Dawn) party shouted anti - Turkish slogans during the speeches and then marched along Tsimiski street.

Manolis Glezos

Manolis Glezos, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

"On May 30, 1941, he and Apostolos Santas climbed on the Acropolis and tore down the Swastika, which had been there since April 27, 1941, when the Nazi forces had entered Athens. That was the first resistance act that took place in Greece, and probably among the very first ones in Europe. It inspired not only the Greeks, but all subjected people, to resist against the occupation, and established them both as two international anti-Nazi heroes. The Nazi regime responded by sentencing Glezos and Santas to death in absentia.

Glezos was arrested by the German occupation forces on March 24, 1942, and he was subjected to imprisonment and torture. As a result of this treatment, he was gravely affected by tuberculosis. He was arrested on April 21, 1943 by the Italian occupation forces and spent three months in jail. In February 7, 1944 he was arrested again, this time by Greek Nazi collaborators. He spent another seven and a half months in jail, until he finally escaped on September 21 of the same year."

Source :Wikipedia

Tonight Manolis Glezos marched with thousands of others in Thessaloniki, Greece to protest the acid attack on Konstandina Kouneva, the Bulgarian born labour activist who was fighting for the rights of ordinary people in Athens.

"If your whole life is one little car, set fire to it yourself"

"If your whole life is one little car, set fire to it yourself", originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Photos from today's demos in Thessaloniki over the death of Greek teen, Alexandros Grigoropulos, last Saturday at the hands of the police.

Another night of rioting hits Greece

Last night saw the another round of protests and riots in Greece's major cities sparked off by the shooting by police of a 15 year - old in Athens on sSaturday. The scale and intensity of the the troubles has alarmed at shocked those in power and is being compared in the media to the disturbances that followed the Rodney King beating in LA and the 2005 riots in France

In Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city between 5000 and 10, 000 people took part in a protest march last night which was repeatedly tear gassed by riot police. In addition the march was also accompanied by attacks by anarchist groups on stores belonging to multi-national chains, banks and post offices. Several buildings were set on fire including Starbucks and McDonald franchises during the clashes which lasted into the morning.

Although Athens and Thessaloniki are quiet at the moment more protest marches are planned to coincide with the burial today of 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos. In the original police report the death was termed an act of self defense by the two police officers involved who claimed that they had come under attack from a mob of thirty youths.

However, eye witness accounts given to the Greek media talk of an execution style killing as the officer who fired first aimed at the youth after getting into an argument with the teenagers.

What many argue, though is the killing of Alexandros was merely the cue for the violent expression of a much deeper sense of dissatisfaction by young Greeks. Even before the current economic downturn those under 25 faced sky high levels of unemployment and limited prospects in low paying jobs. This combined with a deep sense of distrust of the government fostered by years of scandal has found its expression in violence and protests seen over the last four days.

In addition the incident has once again thrown light on the Greek police's tarnished record concerning unlawful killings and a systematic lack of accountability even when evidence of abuse is overwhelming. According to the national daily, Eleutherotypia one person a week dies in custody in Greek police stations and jails.

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Tags: Greece | World | Riots | police violence | Thessaloniki | protest march | greek riots | greek youth