Greek general strike - 27th November 2014

Greek farmers protest over new tax laws

Greek farmers protest over new tax laws, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

The Day We Fight Back. February 11 2014

The Day We Fight Back. February 11 2014, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

"In January 2012 we defeated the SOPA and PIPA censorship legislation with the largest Internet protest in history. Today we face another critical threat, one that again undermines the Internet and the notion that any of us live in a genuinely free society: mass surveillance.

In celebration of the win against SOPA and PIPA two years ago, and in memory of one of its leaders, Aaron Swartz, we are planning a day of protest against mass surveillance, to take place this February 11th.

Together we will push back against powers that seek to observe, collect, and analyze our every digital action. Together, we will make it clear that such behavior is not compatible with democratic governance. Together, if we persist, we will win this fight."

thedaywefightback.org/

Teenagers march to funeral of fellow teen. Greece

Teenagers march to funeral of fellow teen. Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Sara, aged 13 years old died from carbon monoxide poisoning after her mother lit a fire in a make-shift stove in their apartment. The family who had their power cut off three months ago were trying to keep warm as temperatures dropped to near freezing in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki.

The march by high school students in the city was also in commemoration of the murder of a 15 year old teenager, Alexis Grigoropoulos by a Athens police officer in 2008. The event set off a wave of protest that engulfed Greece in the worst civil violence since the overthrow of the country's military dictatorship in in 1973.

Video - Anti-fascist rally in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Anti-fascist rallies in Thessaloniki, Greece. a video by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Anti-fascist rally this evening in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Anti-fascist rallies in Thessaloniki, Greece., a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

About 2-3000 people took part in the protest against Golden Dawn in Greece's second largest city.

Protests against government's closure of public broadcaster, ERTcontinue in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Protests against government's closure of public broadcaster, ERT continue in Thessaloniki, Greece., a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Welcome to the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago

WELCOME TO CHICAGO, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Protesting truck drivers - Thessaloniki, Greece

Protesting truck drivers - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek haulage associations have decided to continue strike action and blockades despite government moves to pass laws that would allow protesters to be jailed for up to five years and have their licence revoked.

With supermarket shelves emptying and shortages in basic goods appearing across the country Greek truckers this week voted to continue their industrial dispute with Athens over radical changes in transport policy which are aimed at liberalising road haulage regulations along with other sections of the economy.

However, continued resistance to the changes which were voted into law earlier this month has continued unabated across Greece with truckers refusing to haul goods to and from warehouses and ports. In addition there have been violent clashes between drivers and riot police units in Athens and other cities as the ruling PASOK government decided on a tougher line against strikers leading to arrests.

Shots were fired at truck operating in the Malakasas region in Attiki and according to Greek media there have been a number of attacks on Bulgarian vehicles in northern Greece.

For more photographs check out Demotix.com

Demonstration against the grenade attack on the Immigrant Hangout in Athens

Demonstration against the grenade attack on the Immigrant Hangout in Athens, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Yesterday evening there were protest marches in both Thessaloniki and Athens in order to demonstrate against an attack on the Immigrant Hangout (Steki Metanaston) in the Exarchia district of the Greek capital. Last week a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the building while a meeting of Greek conscientious objectors was taking place. Thankfully, the device exploded outside the hall where the meeting was being held and no casualties were reported.

For more details on the Exrchia incident from Now Public click here.

Athens Freeze Protest

Athens Freeze Protest, December 20th 2008 - Syntagma Square. A video by the Klein Mein Film Team. In memory of Alexis Grigoropoulos.

"Finch: Who was he?

Evey Hammond: He was Edmond Dantés... and he was my father. And my mother... my brother... my friend. He was you... and me. He was all of us. "

V For Vendetta.

Protest concert - Thessaloniki, Greece

Protest concert - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ

Pictures from Thursday's protest concert in Thessaloniki, Greece. Photo below courtesy of Prezatv.blogspot.com

"Warning: loansharks"

"Warning: loansharks", originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Members of the left-wing SYRIZA party protesting against exorbitant bank charges and lack of accountability and transparency in the government's 28 billion euro bail out plan for the Greek banking sector.

www.syriza.gr/

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.

Saturday's demo in colour

I thought I'd post some more photos from Saturday's anti-government rally that marked the Greek prime minister's visit to the 73rd International Trade Fair here in Thessaloniki. For more details on that check out the story I wrote for NowPublic.com.

Actually, these events are full of striking images and often remind me of Kurosawa's Ran in that each group is colour coded. The trade unionists wear something orange or yellow, the anarchists with their red and black, the anarcho-ecologist, green and black, the communists decked out with their traditional red flags.

In addition to the more traditional groups the Greens were there to raise public awareness about the problems of carbon footprint created by the use of lignite by the Greece's publicly owned power company, DEH.

Employees from Olympic Airways were protesting against government attempts to sell off Greece's national airline.

The riot police were employed not just to keep protester from approaching the Trade Fair, but also to separate various groups within the march who spent as much time battling each other as they did the authorities.

"Dear Mom,

Just arrived in the city and it's very hot, Still, the people are very friendly and the police have been very helpful. I think they are all here to watch a soccer match. Hope everyone back there in Arkansas is doing well.

Yours

Bob
Alexis Tsipras, the chairman of the Synaspismos party.

Hoot for Privacy

Hoot for Privacy, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

I met this Portugese campaigner/artist in the centre and she said she was trying to raise awareness of the way in which surveillence of public spaces is eroding our privacy.

Toxindujour.blogspot.com

Protesting raising prices,

Protesting raising prices,, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

I took this picture at a demo in which people were protesting rising cost of living. As is the case with many places in the world oil and food prices have gone up dramatically in the last few years.

However, the situation in Greece has become desperate as the cartels and monopolies that control so much of the economy have used the current international climate to hike up prices at a far greater rate than in other European countries.

On the other hand wages have remained more or less static for the best part of decade.

Teachers protesting changes in the state pension scheme

Teachers protesting changes in the state pension scheme, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Latest news

It seems the excitement never stops in this place. I just got back from a PAOK protest rally in the centre. I can't think of a better opportunity to some street photography,. It doesn't get more dramatic than this, at least on Sundays. Fans were protesting what they consider unfair treatment by the government over the issue of the club's debts. To see more photos click here.

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.