Violence, and/or the threat of violence has no place in a democracy. But are we living in a democracy? I really do not think so. Especially after yesterday's riots in downtown Athens. the latest 24-hour national strike turned violent with riot police fired tear gas on peaceful protesters once again.
The state came
to halt and many ministries were seized but the real tyranny was felt on
the streets and especially under the metro when riot police stormed the
premises leaving tear gas behind them and basically placing tens of
hundreds of people in danger from low levels of oxygen once again!
Luckily the workers of the metro switched on air filtration systems and
the toxic air began making its way out of the closed metro. Can you just
imagine what would of happened if they were not equipped with such
machinery? We would of had tens of hundreds of people dying of
intoxicated gas.
Greek
protestors made their feelings known about the extra cuts they face so
that the country can try and plug the massive 350-billion-euro debt and
because of all this anger, the police moved in to clear the crowds.
Again, from out of nowhere, provocateurs appeared and began throwing
stones at the riot police and once again all hell broke loose.
It was as clear as water, they did not want anyone gathering around and/or near the Parliament building. This only angered people and then many shocking scenes began taking place.
It almost feels like we are living under a regime or a Hounta where protests or gatherings are not permitted. Where voicing your opinion can result in someone clubbing you to death, or if gathering the courage to say I disagree or this is wrong can result in a broken limb, or even an arrest.
Our leaders and especially Minister of Public Order Christos Papoutsis should just pass a law forbidding us from gathering in groups of no more than four, and this can be achieved quickly by copying a similar law that was in force in the late 60s in this country when it was under military dictatorship. After all... this is not a democracy, it is clearly a dictatorship.
It almost feels like we are living under a regime or a Hounta where protests or gatherings are not permitted. Where voicing your opinion can result in someone clubbing you to death, or if gathering the courage to say I disagree or this is wrong can result in a broken limb, or even an arrest.
Our leaders and especially Minister of Public Order Christos Papoutsis should just pass a law forbidding us from gathering in groups of no more than four, and this can be achieved quickly by copying a similar law that was in force in the late 60s in this country when it was under military dictatorship. After all... this is not a democracy, it is clearly a dictatorship.
In one video below, you will see police shoving Medic Workers who are taking care of someone who was in medical need and making their way down to the metro in order to detain some anarchists who had found refuge there. What needs to be noted at this point is that the metro has 24-hour security, cameras, surveillance and police that patrol its premises everyday. The riot police did not have to go down there, they could of sealed both ends of the metro and asked the officers below to find, detain and surface the culprits instead. But they did not do this. It is almost as if they made their way to the metro, and purposely threw the toxic tear gas in there.
Metro workers quickly convinced them to exit the premises, while outside another riot squad began hitting journalists and camera men. At this point I was following the story minute by minute on zoogla.gr and I was shocked and horrified when one officer literally lashed out at a foreign correspondent who works for the French press. His mighty thrust on her face apparently cost her two teeth! (The reporter late filed a law suit against the officer - click here for that story).
Other reporters were clubbed on the head, and cameras were thrown to the ground.
Later on in the evening, analysts said that when the riot police lashes out at journalists, who have every right to report and document the news, then they are following strict orders to do so... That is probably why government officials avoided appearing on nightly news programs last night, because they new that they would be asked about this.
In my opinion, and having lived the clashes of June 29th, I only have this to say.
I live in a country that is launching a vicious crackdown on people who do not agree with its policies, who have the courage to object. I live in a country that restricts free speech and that uses the police to destroy what little personal freedom we have left as a people.
I live in a country where the government gives orders to arrest people for attempting to have “an opinion” and instills fear of arrest and imprisonment into its citizens as a way of keeping them from making their voice heard. And yes… following the riots in late June, or last year's riots which claimed the lives of three adults and an unborn child, and especially after yesterday the only opinion I have about Greek politics is that it is a total joke. It is a theater and a way to divide and conquer us (the people) in the only realm that really matters to any of these Golden Boys... economics! It is the only realm of our lives where democracy has yet to bubble up and make its presence known.
We have no democracy, we live under a Hounta-style corporatocracy!
Signed
Marina Spanos
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