VIDEO: Clashes between riot police and anarchists in Greek port city of Thessaloniki.

December 6 marks the 8th anniversary of the killing of a 15 year old Greek teenager, Alexis Grigoropoulos in central Athens district of Exarchia. Within hours violent protests swept the country and for weeks afterwards Greece saw clashes between demonstrators and riot police.

Every year the events is commemorated, often violently.

Video taken in Thessaloniki on 6 December 2016.

How to photograph riots.

With clashes in Spain and especially in Madrid growing in intensity I thought I'd post a few pointers to those photographers who want to cover riots and other such turbulent events. Since 2005 I have recorded, dozens of violent confrontations here in Greece and I hope that these pointers will help keep you safe.

1-NEVER FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND YOU. It is easy in the heat of the moment to focus only on what the viewfinder sees and miss dangers around you. Take time out to check on what is happening in your immediate vacinity.

2 - DO NOT TRUST THE POLICE. They are often as dangerous as rocks and bottles thrown. With police officers being called upon to impose unpopular economic and social measures in Europe they are no longer neutral players imposing law and order. Also there is a growing awareness among the authorities that the internet and especially photographs and video are exposing police excesses. This means that you can also become a target if you record such actions. Always be ready to flee if necessary.

3 - WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR. Helmet, some kind of mask and goggles. This will provide a measure of protection against tear gas and other dangers. But remember such gear also makes you a target for the police as it is also worn sometimes by the most hardcore demonstrators.

4 - NO SHOT IS WORTH BEING HOSPITALISED FOR. Don't take unnecessary risks as an injured photographer is not going to be much use to anyone. There will always be other opportunities.

5 - DON'T ARGUE. If challenged by protesters about taking photos put your camera down and walk away. Riots are highly charged events and not a debating club. If challenged by the police, stand your ground if you can see other photographers/camera operators nearby. Otherwise, run as quickly as possible if you have the chance.

6 - KNOW YOUR GEOGRAPHY. If possible get to know the layout of the area you're photographing as well as possible and that means not just via a map but by walking through it repeatedly.  Always have a choice of exit routes if things get out of control.

7 - TALK TO PEOPLE. Let them know who you are and why you are there.This lessens their suspicions that you're working for the authorities. Touch bases, Chat to people you know at the event and they will pass the word on about who you are. This invisible network has saved my hide on many an occasion.

8 - CHECK SETTINGS BEFORE TROUBLE KICKS OFF NOT DURING IT. The middle of riot is no place to be fiddling with buttons and dials and the like. If the worst comes to the worst, put your camera on Automatic. However, always remember where the sunlight light is coming from.

9 - ALWAYS CARRY SPARE MEMORY CARDS with a few pics of area. If you think you're going to be stopped by police, swap out the card in the camera for a spare and then hide it.


10 - BE RESPONSIBLE when posting pictures afterwards. Don't put in peril the people you were photographing. This is a difficult area to give guidelines about but generally speaking you should not be posting photographs that could be used to convict people. Otherwise you are turning yourself and other photographers into targets in future demonstrations.

Fiery, fiery night

Here are two news stories I noticed which didn't get widely reported outside Greece. I wrote about them for Now Public but not many other English language news sources picked up on them.

Multi - million euro arson attack on Athens subway

Nine subway carriages worth 13.5 million euros went up in flames during the early hours of Tuesday morning following an arson attack on the Athens - Piraeus Electric Railways (ISAP). A group of approximately 15 - 20 people wearing party masks boarded the last train at 1 am and when it reached the final stop in the Athens suburb of Kifissias set fire carriages (click here to see video from Mega Channel).

According to unconfirmed police reports as soon as the train reached Kifissias, its last stop the attackers forced passengers to disembark and then doused the carriages with inflammable material and set fire to it. Afterwards molotov cocktails were thrown at other parked carriages nearby.

Although no group has claimed responsibility there is strong possibility that the incident is connected with the recent attack on a labour activist who was worked as a cleaner for ISAP. In December Konstandina Kouneva who was secretary for the All - Athens Union of Cleaners and Domestics Cleaning Employees was abducted and forced to drink acid resulting in massive internal injuries and the loss of one eye.

According to Kouneva the assault followed a series of telephone threats prompted by attempts by the union to expose alleged labour rights abuses by the OIKOMET employment agency.

The incident prompted several protest marches and attacks on targets connected with the OIKOMET, which employed Kouneva and has a contract with ISAP.

UPDATE

Two previously unknown groups calling themselves The Gangs of Conscience and Perama Extremists claimed responsibility saying, it was, in part, a protest against what happened to Konstandina Kouneva. In addition it also said that it intended futher attacks on the public transport system in its proclamation.


The second story is from the Greek port of Patra.

Afghan refugees riot in Greece

Hundreds of refugees from Afghanistan clashed with riot police for hours yesterday evening in the western Greek city of Patra. The disturbances were sparked off when an Afghan man was seriously injured while trying to board a truck entering the city's port. After the accident tens of fellow refugees attacked the vehicle throwing rocks and other objects.

Later the tensions escalated leading to protesters setting up barricades and closing streets near the port. In reply the police deployed riot units and used tear gas in an effort to disperse them.Running battles lasted into the early hours of Tuesday morning as police attempted to confine the protesters to a shanty town that serves as a home for over a 1000 refugees in the city.

Unconfirmed eyewitness accounts reported on Greek blogs and Indymedia Patra speak of the involvement of residents including members of far right groups in efforts to put down the demonstration. Eventually the police were able to push back the refugees to their encampment and disperse far right groups.

Patra, which is Greece's gateway to Italy has become a way station for immigrants seeking to reach the rest of Europe. However, the Greek state has been reluctant to give official asylum status to all but a handful of immigrants entering the country without proper documentation. Greece's daily newspaper Kathimerini has reported that out of 20,692 asylum applications submitted in 2007, Greek authorities approved eight.

As a result refugees are forced to attempt the crossing to Italy illegally, often in the backs of trucks bound for the Italian ports of Brindisi and Ancona.

The riots are the latest in a series of clashes between refugees and the authorities in Patra, including a series of accusations of police abuse of Afghan refugees. In September 2008 there were also riots as refugees clashed with police and Customs officers inside the port following the beating of three immigrants.

Iceland protests turn violent

Dancing, originally uploaded by vhallgrimsson.

Protests and confrontation in Iceland's capital Reykjavik escalated today when riots police and demonstrators clashed in the early hours of the morning. As a result two police officers were seriously injured and the police used tear gas for the first time in nearly 60 years to break up the demonstration.

Thousands of Icelanders have been gathering outside the parliament of the tiny Scandinavian nation to protest the present coalition government's handling of the recent financial crisis which has stalled the country's economy and left the island with debt ten times its annual GNP.

Prime minister, Geir H. Haarde also bore the brunt of protestor's wrath when his car was surrounded by demonstrators who shouted anti - government slogans and banged pots and pans, requiring the intervention of the police before he could leave. Such protests are unprecedented in modern Icelandic history.

Icelanders riot outside parliament over economic crisis

The small Scandanavian country, blessed with abundant natural resources and enjoying one of the highest living standards in the world is hardly the kind of place one associates with economic catastrophe and riots. All that changed yesterday when thousands took to the streets to protest the present government's handling of the recent financial crisis. With gross national product down two thirds, a 45% rise in unemployment and the country defaulting on loan repayments Icelanders are faced with the worst economic crisis in living memory.

Riot police clashed with demonstators (click here for video) outside the Althingi House, Iceland's parliament after 2000 people surrounded the building according to Icelandic journalist, Iris Erlingsdottir writing in The Huffington Post. Icelandic press reports said Over 30 arrests were made, including an 11 year - old.

The target of their anger members of the government that presided over a meltdown in the banking sector and wider economy which has been so severe that a third of islanders are considering emmigration according to a report in the Economist. The coalition government has repeatedly rejected calls for elections in light of the current situation

As with the recent riots and protests in Greece, the impression that those in power have lined their own pockets while ordinary citizens have had to pay the price for financial mismangament has infuriated ordinary Icelanders.

Despite sub zero temperatures the protests have continued for a second day with members of the parliamentary opposition taking time out from debates to join the demonstrators.

NowPublic

Tags: protests | Iceland | World | Riot | Economist | Huffington Post | reykjavik | Credit Crunch | economic crisis

For more updates check out Iceland banking crisis video and more 2008 and 2009 blog.

Riots in Thessaloniki

Here is a video I took earlier (see here for others)

I was running away from the advancing riot police, the camera tripod fell out of my backpack and went clattering across the road. I stopped briefly and bent over to pick it up as as I got ready to resume my flight an enraged anarchist, stone in hand screamed in my face,

"τι'εν αυτο;" (what's this?)

and before I could answer he demanded to know,

"τι εισαι;" (what are you?)

As quick as a flash told him I was a blogger, and satisfied with my reply he ran off in the opposite direction to throw the piece of paving stone he was holding at the police who were rapidly advancing. I knew one day that blogging would have some practical use in the real world.

Today is the Polytechniou, on 17th November 1973 students at the Polytechnic in Athens started a student uprising that helped topple the military dictatorship that had ruled Greece since 1967. For educators and students of all ages it is a public holiday, marked by events which celebrate the brave stand that the students took against a particularly repressive regime.


I decided to take part in the march which went off in a peaceful manner and was the best attended I had seen for some time. Yet just like every other year I can remember there were riots and clashes between anarchists and the MAT (Greek riot squad). This year I thought that I would see what was happening for myself and hence angry encounter with the masked anarchist.

Skirting past the police blockade I managed to enter the university campus and see what was happening from the other side. The strangest moment was when the dean and university senate came marching out of the darkness chanting,

"We are dean and senate, we've come to tell the police to leave."



At great personal risk (there were stones and Molotov cocktails being thrown as he left the university grounds to talk to the police) he tried to reason with the young protesters, but without much effect. Like a disapproving teacher trying to bring order to a unruly class he argued, reasoned and implored the demonstrators to put down their stones and return back to the campus.

For the second time in three months I've been tear gassed (see here for September's riots). The trials and tribulations of being a citizen journalist, I guess.