Are kids in Greece Safer and more Free? More likely to see Old Age?
Patrick Lockyer
December 12, 2008
Are kids in Greece Safer and more Free? More likely to see Old Age?
Greek situation out of hand?
Greece comes to a standstill as riots continue
Greece came to a standstill today as a nationwide strike piled pressure on the government as it struggled to deal with the worst rioting in decades.
Foreign correspondent Nick Squires reports from Athens on a day of strikes and mass protests ;
Banks, schools and public transport were shut and hundreds of flights in and out of the country were cancelled as air traffic controllers also went on strike.
Stathis Anestis, spokesman for a federation of private sector unions, said: "Participation in the strike is total, the country has come to a standstill."
The opposition Socialist party repeated calls for the centre-right government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to resign and call early elections.
"He and his government are responsible for the widespread crisis that the country, that Greek society is experiencing," said Socialist party spokesman George Papakonstantinou.
Newspapers added to the pressure on Mr Karamanlis's beleaguered administration, with the headline in the popular daily Ta Nea warning: "Government and police on the brink of collapse".
The paralysis came as police clashed with demonstrators in Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioaninna and on the Aegean island of Rhodes for the fourth night in a row. At least seven officers were injured.
In the capital, students hurled petrol bombs and riot police responded with tear gas a few blocks from where 15-year-old schoolboy Alexis Grigoropoulos was shot dead by a police officer on Saturday night, plunging Greece into its worst civil unrest for decades.
"The winds of destruction are blowing through our city," said Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis.
A ballistics report on Saturday's shooting reportedly concluded that the bullet that killed the schoolboy had ricocheted off something before hitting and fatally wounding him.
Alexis Kougias, the lawyer acting for the policeman who fired the gun, said: "The investigation shows it was a ricochet ... In the end, this was an accident."
The ballistics report is yet to be published officially.
The policeman was due to appear before investigators with his partner, who has been charged as an accomplice.
The teenager's death was the catalyst for an outpouring of anger among ordinary Greeks over government corruption scandals, high unemployment, low wages, pension reform and the effects of the global financial crisis.
Authorities fear that today's rally, organised by Greece's two main union federations, could spark further violence and police are again on high alert.
The riots, the worst since a student uprising toppled Greece's military dictatorship in 1974, have caused tens of millions of pounds' damage in wrecked cars, looted shops and torched banks.
Mr Karamanlis, 52, swept to power amid euphoria before the 2004 Athens Olympics but his government's reputation has since been tarnished by a series of ministerial scandals, the handling of devastating forest fires last summer, and economic measures which have brought pain to many Greeks.
In a televised address, Mr Karamanlis blamed the four days of violence on the "enemies of democracy." He warned that "the struggles of workers and the unjust death of a youth cannot be confused with acts of vandalism."
BritPatJax Comment:
On the one hand this and the French version might be disturbing to many Americans. Both situations are similar. In each case I doubt if there will be an incident anytime soon again whereby the police are very heavy handed or where someone dies or gets hurt. That seems to make them much safer than if they lived in Jacksonville? I know that many here will make a big deal about property damage but that is what insurance is for. Wildfires and hurricanes and tornados do far more damage here. My main point though is that in the UK there are virtually no shootings similar. Of course guns are hard to acquire. Greek police have guns as do French and German. I am not saying that Europe has it perfectly right or Britain, but I personally think that the guns come out too easily. Of course its not the kids fault. If all the other kids have guns they must also. Its the fault of the culture and the adults. The Doc Hollidays that still prevail. My grown daughters live in Birmingham and Peterborough. Both in England. The only youth killed when I was there in Peterborough for 25 years was when a small time druggie who liked to get ugly was set upon by five youths waiting in the shadows with a baseball bat. It was a terrible outcome and very much a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Violence is like that. Yes guys, any shooting is violence. My son aged ten took my pellet gun while I was cooking in camp and got him a blue tit. Beautiful tiny bird in the UK. Once the power drained away he was distraught. I know, he would never make a marine. He had a big burial ceremony and now aged 42 I doubt he has killed much since. Back to how safe Greek and French and Brit kids are. All these kids having guns is y'all's fault in the vernacular right? A kid steals a shirt from Regent Mall and shots are sprayed around the parking lot like confetti. An off duty young cop is tormented by a passing car and a can is thrown. That results in guns being drawn. You get home and someone is making off with your flatscreen? No ....your Ipod? Reason for shots to be fired? I actually do think that you are in a terrible catch 22 situation. Just as the economic situation has climaxed unfavorably and does not help so also the guns situation is climaxing. It is not safe in the north of town but who cares. But now it is not safe on a bus anywhere or in a mall parking lot. Is it 25 young people so far in Jax, who won't have to worry about 401k's? what a contrast though between a nation that comes to a halt in objection and a city that just says "It did not happen to me and mine, so it did not happen". Now I like discussion and there are responses that knuckle draggers can be relied upon but please can we have some sensible answers and some possible ways to improve this declining situation? I wish we had a feedback facility to hear what readers think? These matters apply mostly to Jacksonville Florida events.
Greek situation out of hand?
Greece comes to a standstill as riots continue
Greece came to a standstill today as a nationwide strike piled pressure on the government as it struggled to deal with the worst rioting in decades.
Foreign correspondent Nick Squires reports from Athens on a day of strikes and mass protests ;
Banks, schools and public transport were shut and hundreds of flights in and out of the country were cancelled as air traffic controllers also went on strike.
Stathis Anestis, spokesman for a federation of private sector unions, said: "Participation in the strike is total, the country has come to a standstill."
The opposition Socialist party repeated calls for the centre-right government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to resign and call early elections.
"He and his government are responsible for the widespread crisis that the country, that Greek society is experiencing," said Socialist party spokesman George Papakonstantinou.
Newspapers added to the pressure on Mr Karamanlis's beleaguered administration, with the headline in the popular daily Ta Nea warning: "Government and police on the brink of collapse".
The paralysis came as police clashed with demonstrators in Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioaninna and on the Aegean island of Rhodes for the fourth night in a row. At least seven officers were injured.
In the capital, students hurled petrol bombs and riot police responded with tear gas a few blocks from where 15-year-old schoolboy Alexis Grigoropoulos was shot dead by a police officer on Saturday night, plunging Greece into its worst civil unrest for decades.
"The winds of destruction are blowing through our city," said Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis.
A ballistics report on Saturday's shooting reportedly concluded that the bullet that killed the schoolboy had ricocheted off something before hitting and fatally wounding him.
Alexis Kougias, the lawyer acting for the policeman who fired the gun, said: "The investigation shows it was a ricochet ... In the end, this was an accident."
The ballistics report is yet to be published officially.
The policeman was due to appear before investigators with his partner, who has been charged as an accomplice.
The teenager's death was the catalyst for an outpouring of anger among ordinary Greeks over government corruption scandals, high unemployment, low wages, pension reform and the effects of the global financial crisis.
Authorities fear that today's rally, organised by Greece's two main union federations, could spark further violence and police are again on high alert.
The riots, the worst since a student uprising toppled Greece's military dictatorship in 1974, have caused tens of millions of pounds' damage in wrecked cars, looted shops and torched banks.
Mr Karamanlis, 52, swept to power amid euphoria before the 2004 Athens Olympics but his government's reputation has since been tarnished by a series of ministerial scandals, the handling of devastating forest fires last summer, and economic measures which have brought pain to many Greeks.
In a televised address, Mr Karamanlis blamed the four days of violence on the "enemies of democracy." He warned that "the struggles of workers and the unjust death of a youth cannot be confused with acts of vandalism."
BritPatJax Comment:
On the one hand this and the French version might be disturbing to many Americans. Both situations are similar. In each case I doubt if there will be an incident anytime soon again whereby the police are very heavy handed or where someone dies or gets hurt. That seems to make them much safer than if they lived in Jacksonville? I know that many here will make a big deal about property damage but that is what insurance is for. Wildfires and hurricanes and tornados do far more damage here. My main point though is that in the UK there are virtually no shootings similar. Of course guns are hard to acquire. Greek police have guns as do French and German. I am not saying that Europe has it perfectly right or Britain, but I personally think that the guns come out too easily. Of course its not the kids fault. If all the other kids have guns they must also. Its the fault of the culture and the adults. The Doc Hollidays that still prevail. My grown daughters live in Birmingham and Peterborough. Both in England. The only youth killed when I was there in Peterborough for 25 years was when a small time druggie who liked to get ugly was set upon by five youths waiting in the shadows with a baseball bat. It was a terrible outcome and very much a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Violence is like that. Yes guys, any shooting is violence. My son aged ten took my pellet gun while I was cooking in camp and got him a blue tit. Beautiful tiny bird in the UK. Once the power drained away he was distraught. I know, he would never make a marine. He had a big burial ceremony and now aged 42 I doubt he has killed much since. Back to how safe Greek and French and Brit kids are. All these kids having guns is y'all's fault in the vernacular right? A kid steals a shirt from Regent Mall and shots are sprayed around the parking lot like confetti. An off duty young cop is tormented by a passing car and a can is thrown. That results in guns being drawn. You get home and someone is making off with your flatscreen? No ....your Ipod? Reason for shots to be fired? I actually do think that you are in a terrible catch 22 situation. Just as the economic situation has climaxed unfavorably and does not help so also the guns situation is climaxing. It is not safe in the north of town but who cares. But now it is not safe on a bus anywhere or in a mall parking lot. Is it 25 young people so far in Jax, who won't have to worry about 401k's? what a contrast though between a nation that comes to a halt in objection and a city that just says "It did not happen to me and mine, so it did not happen". Now I like discussion and there are responses that knuckle draggers can be relied upon but please can we have some sensible answers and some possible ways to improve this declining situation? I wish we had a feedback facility to hear what readers think? These matters apply mostly to Jacksonville Florida events.
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