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(((OLIA))); Be safe!
Topic Started: Dec 7 2008, 11:57 PM (642 Views)
fab4fan
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http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4B601720081207?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&sp=true

Greece rocked by second day of anti-police riots
Sun Dec 7, 2008 4:18pm EST
By Dina Kyriakidou and Renee Maltezou

ATHENS (Reuters) - Thousands of youths rampaged through Athens and the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Sunday, burning dozens of shops and vehicles in a second day of rioting after police shot dead a 15-year-old boy.

Greece's worst protests in years erupted in the capital late on Saturday after the shooting of the teenager, and quickly spread to Thessaloniki and the tourist islands of Crete and Corfu.

The conservative government, suffering a sharp drop in popularity in recent months, appealed for calm but leftist demonstrators and anarchists went on the rampage for a second day, staging running battles with security forces on Sunday.

Police said more than 34 people had been injured, including one woman with a serious head wound, while 20 were detained.

"We have briefed the Prime Minister," Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, whose offer to resign was rejected, told reporters after a government meeting. "The rage is understandable but it cannot turn against all society."

In recent years, anger among Greek youths has been fanned by the growing gap between rich and poor. Violence at student rallies and fire bomb attacks by anarchist groups are common.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, whose government has been shaken by scandals and an economic slowdown, pledged action in a public apology to the father of the dead boy.

"I know nothing can relieve your pain, but I assure you ... the state will act, as it ought to, so that yesterday's tragedy won't be repeated," he said.

In central Athens, glass, debris and charred cars were strewn across streets choked with tear gas. Few pedestrians ventured out, holding handkerchiefs to their faces.

Residents in the bohemian district of Exarchia where the violence erupted left candles and flowers at the spot where police shot the boy, identified as Alexandros Grigoropoulos.

"The whole neighborhood is smoldering, they even burned the post office," said resident Nefeli Chlideris, 25, a student. "Now we keep the windows shut because of the tear gas."

FRESH PROTESTS

For most of Sunday, protesters chanting "Killers in Uniform" rained petrol bombs down on rows of riot police while helicopters hovered overhead. More than 30 shops and a dozen banks were torched in the capital's busiest commercial districts ahead of the busy Christmas period.

The mayor of Athens postponed the launch of Christmas festivities and vowed to help affected shopowners.

As night fell, more than 1,000 students played a cat and mouse game with police. Police said they planned to pull out of the area overnight in order to defuse tensions.

In Thessaloniki, a protest by more than 1,000 people descended into violence when marchers lobbed firebombs at police, set fire to a bank and smashed several stores. Rioters also clashed with police in the western city of Patras.

About 200 protesters clashed with police outside police headquarters in Crete's second city of Chania. On Corfu, rioters smashed up four cars and two shops, and an 18-year-old woman was injured.

Two police officers were charged over the shooting - one with premeditated manslaughter and the other with abetting him.

A police statement said one officer fired three shots after their car was attacked by a group of 30 youths in Exarchia. A police official said the officer described his fire as warning shots but witnesses told Greek TV he took aim at the boy.

"We must not feel weak and disgraced, but furious with the government's incapacity, apathy and irresponsibility," said opposition Socialist party leader George Papandreou, who has seen his party lead opinion polls in recent months.

Greece, where one in five lives below the poverty line, has seen a rising wave of anti-government strikes and youth protests in recent months as the global slowdown starts to bite.

Mnisthiti mou Kurie!
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BeatleBarb
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Wow, I hadn't heard about any of this. This is terrible. I sure hope Olia and her family is safe. Thanks for posting, John.
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JeffLynnesBeard
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I'm sure someone as smart as Olia will be safe - but it doesn't stop me from worrying, just a little.
...and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
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Dorfliedot
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Take care Olia.. you and your mom are in my prayers.
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doris mendlovitz
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Take care Ollia and my prayers are with you
love doris
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kink
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on again, off again
The issue right now is not the riots and the shops. The police killed a 15-year-old boy, just cause. I am so angry I can't even sleep.

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A police statement said one officer fired three shots after their car was attacked by a group of 30 youths in Exarchia. A police official said the officer described his fire as warning shots but witnesses told Greek TV he took aim at the boy.

b*stards liars murderers. It was just a small group of kids that were hanging around in the area. According to witnesses, the police car was going up and down a street that we all frequent, a street with cafes and bars and young people. The kids shouted something at the cops (maybe they shouldn't have, but they're young, and young kids are angry, and anyway democracy means being able to say freely what you believe), the cops parked their car, approached the kids, they had verbal altercation, then the b*stard cop said to the kid "I'll show you" and he shot him. Because that's what you do to "show" someone, especially when you have the power. Oh and after they killed the kid they simply turned around and left.

That's our democracy, clap your hands, a kid talks and a cop kills. Congratulations.

I do not agree with the destruction of property etc, but it's seriously not the issue right now. Even the head of shopkeepers or however you call them went on tv after being asked what's going to happen to the shops that were destroyed etc, and he said that our main issue right now is that a 15-year-old is dead, we'll work out the rest later.

My uni is in the centre so if the roads are open I'll probably be there in a few hours. There is another demonstration starting in the afternoon, I will go there to see what's going on, hear more opinions, more witnesses maybe. I hope there won't be any riots again, although the people are still angry. Last night the police arrested two or three kids (15-year-olds and maybe even younger. I heard a radio report and not everything was clear because of the noise, but the reporter clearly said there was a boy and a girl, and the girl was younger than 15). They had the kids in handcuffs, but instead of taking them to the police station they beat them up. In front of people! In front of people shouting and threatening to lynch them and screaming and pleading for an attorney to come right away. This is so unbelieavable and so scary.

The cop that murdered the kid was charged with voluntary homicide and something else which I don't know how to translate in english exactly but basically means illegally using the gun. I'm so angry and tired I can't even think in english anymore.

Oh and something else. The interior minister made an offer to resign, and the prime minister refused it. Hahaha. Unbelievable.

By the way sorry my post is terrible grammatically and everything. This is all extremely infuriating.

Thanks very much for the thoughts.

I predict a riot, I predict a riot! Lalalala
Strawberry Fields: We put the FUN in dysfunctional.
-BeatleBarb, 2007
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BeatleBarb
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What a horrible situation, Olia. It sounds like the riots we had in the 60s in the LA area. I can understand your rage, but please don't put yourself in harm's way. As you can see, these things get out of hand and spread like wildfire. I feel for what is going on - I really do, especially with it resulting in the death of a 15 year old. Please keep your wits about you and hopefully some calm is regained and some justice will prevail.

Take care, dear.
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Rose
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Well, here's another clue for you all, the Walrus was Paul...
Be safe, dear Olia. :hug:

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"I'm in awe of McCartney. He's about the only one that I am in awe of. He can do it all. And he's never let up... He's just so damn effortless." ~ Bob Dylan
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JeffLynnesBeard
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Thank you for your 'insider' account of what is happening - it has helped me understand the situation there a lot more.

I know you're angry and such an action by the police is well worth protesting, but stay safe. You're important to many people.
...and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
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Olia, I know how you feel. Be safe. :hug:
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People are furious, they destroyed the Christmas trees.

Why the protests started?

I know people are protesting because of the death of the teen now but before, why people were protesting?

I just think it's stupid some people in Germany protesting in front of the Greek consulate, the burning flag thing and the "free" violence. It's sad that those policemen abused of power and killed a teen but I think opportunists use the murder of the teen as excuse to act like animals and to attract media's attention.

Everytime people try to protest the state acts like dictators stopping people with violence.

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maccascruff
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Stay safe, Olia.
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kink
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on again, off again
it's out of hand today, half of the centre of athens is completely destroyed.

michelle, it always starts out as a protest, but there are always the people who will destroy property. Some do it because they are retards, and others do it because they are hired by the ones who rule us, because they want to make the protesters look worse than they are.

people here are angry because this country is a mess. this government is a mess. they lie to us, they cheat, they are corrupt b*stards who govern this country not to do good, but to make profit.
the people aren't much better. they are lied to, they are cheated, and two weeks later they have forgotten all about it and they watch the footie on tv whilst eating pizza.

the police here causes major problems, and we often have riots that the police are responsible for. they are in their majority power hungry uneducated pigs who will beat you up for no reason. apparently they will also kill you for no reason.

people are angry. we want revenge and we need justice.

this, however, is getting out of hand. the protest was supposed to be for one thing, and it turned out to be a completely different thing. those retards I was talking about were destroying buildings right next to us, and we were booing them but unable to stop them.

around 150 buildings/ shops in the centre have been destroyed/ vandalised.
I am so sad, disappointed, angry, I can't sleep, I can't concentrate.
and what's going to happen? will the people forget? again? what will it take for the government to realise they need to change? pfffff. it's going to be a hard week.

thank you all for the thoughts. sorry i'm being annoying and blabbering :hug:
Strawberry Fields: We put the FUN in dysfunctional.
-BeatleBarb, 2007
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MaccasGirl
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Keep yourself safe, Olia.

I had no idea things were this bad over there.
And in the end...The love you take..Is equal to the love you make.


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I see. It's a terrible situation and it can happen anywhere. I remember some similar protests in France last year I think. In Brazil is not different. When people try to protest, it's always chaotic, people destroy things, cops hurt civilians. Governments can't understand the obvious, they can't understand that they are where they are to defend our interests, to represent us.

Stay safe Olia :hug:
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BeatleBarb
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You are so close to all of this Olia which is very worrisome. I am so sorry that this is happening all around you. I didn't realize things were so bad. I certainly hopes things stabilize and improvements can be made. In the meantime, please be safe and take care of yourself!
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kink
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on again, off again
:hug:

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Strawberry Fields: We put the FUN in dysfunctional.
-BeatleBarb, 2007
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BeatleBarb
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Very scary, disturbing images, Olia!
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FamousGroupie
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God Olia, I had heard of these riots on the news, but I never realised it was quite that bad.

Everyone is in my prayers.
I don't believe in Bondi. I don't believe in rugby league. I believe in Yoko, John Lennon, the Lost Weekend and me.
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kink
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on again, off again
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the kid's funeral is in a few hours, and the trial is tomorrow. It's going to be a fun couple of days.
Strawberry Fields: We put the FUN in dysfunctional.
-BeatleBarb, 2007
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BeatleBarb
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Olia -how are things now?
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kink
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quiet, although new demonstrations are being organised, mostly from the beginning of next year. I don't think anything is going to change drastically, as we tend to forget easily. The government is still very anti-people, which is extremely annoying, and there's still considerable discomfort (to say the least) around the police. There are a few issues right now, concerning the people who were arrested during the riots etc, that need to be taken care of, and hopefully beginning next year we will start again. Most damages have been repaired now and it's like nothing ever happened. I try to be optimistic and hope that people will not let it go, but I'm not really holding my breath.
Strawberry Fields: We put the FUN in dysfunctional.
-BeatleBarb, 2007
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billyshears
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kink
Dec 9 2008, 12:56 AM
people here are angry because this country is a mess. this government is a mess. they lie to us, they cheat, they are corrupt b*stards who govern this country not to do good, but to make profit.
Sounds like Illinois right now... <_<
I am James, and this is my signature.
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Adilah
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2008 was a popular year for riots. Are any members from Thailand?
"We call 10 American deaths a catastrophe. One hundred European deaths are a tragedy. One thousand Asian deaths are a shame. And 10,000 African deaths we call a Monday." - Lissa (1981-2007) السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
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temptresss
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billyshears
Dec 30 2008, 05:49 AM
kink
Dec 9 2008, 12:56 AM
people here are angry because this country is a mess. this government is a mess. they lie to us, they cheat, they are corrupt b*stards who govern this country not to do good, but to make profit.
Sounds like Illinois right now... <_<
what we need to do is invest in some very private island in the tropics and move all the SF people there and govern it ourselves! STRAWBERRY FIELDS ISLAND, that's it.

glad you are doing good, kinky!!!! i know all that violence around you has to suck. those pictures make me think, "are they really people or monsters".
Edited by temptresss, Dec 30 2008, 05:55 PM.
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billyshears
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temptresss
Dec 30 2008, 05:54 PM
billyshears
Dec 30 2008, 05:49 AM
kink
Dec 9 2008, 12:56 AM
people here are angry because this country is a mess. this government is a mess. they lie to us, they cheat, they are corrupt b*stards who govern this country not to do good, but to make profit.
Sounds like Illinois right now... <_<
what we need to do is invest in some very private island in the tropics and move all the SF people there and govern it ourselves! STRAWBERRY FIELDS ISLAND, that's it.

glad you are doing good, kinky!!!! i know all that violence around you has to suck. those pictures make me think, "are they really people or monsters".
Yes, Strawberry Fields island. This is how it could be:

-Our main source of income is growing strawberries

-Our currency is called the Glass Onion. Coins are called pennies (Reference to Penny Lane) Glass Onions have a $ symbol (stands for Strawberry). The $1 bill has a picture of Andy on it. The $5 bill has a picture of Fiona on it. The $10 bill has a picture of Kit_Kat on it. The $20 bill has a picture of Olen on it. The $50 bill has a picture of Bill on it. And the $100 bill has a picture of Jayne on it. Pennies have a picture of Andy on them and are worth half a glass onion.

-All of our street names have a Beatles reference.

-The tallest building is 80 stories for the year John Lennon died.

-Everything has 1964 prices (Prices are rounded, so if something cost $2.63 in 1964, on the island it would be worth $2.50 in SF pennies.)

-Add to list
I am James, and this is my signature.
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Mia Culpa
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This world will keep you on your toes. If you want tips on how to dodge rockets let me know.
If you read my posts backward there's evidence that Paul is dead.
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I sincerely doubt if she does and to my knowledge she will not be on here for five days minimum she will be well away from Athens. And , anyways they have not been using rockets in Greece merely bricks and petrol bombs and on which i have given her plenty of advice. Begging your pardon of course Mia if i stepped into another field of your expertise.
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Mia Culpa
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:clap: Now that was funny.
If you read my posts backward there's evidence that Paul is dead.
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Glad you found it so but i was merely stating facts, and easily verifiable ones, I have had knowledge of pertol bombs in both a personal and professional capacity.
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