The riots are continuing for the fifth continuous night. We are located very close to the Polytechnic school, which is a bastion of the anarchist movement. This means that we do not need to open the TV to watch the riots, but just go out on our porch to see the fighting between youth and policemen. (Sometimes, it looks like they are playing cat and mouse). We hear the explosions of Molotov cocktails, we can see the youngsters throwing stones and other items on the MAT (the special police forces), setting ablaze garbage cans and wooden boards. The horrible smell of the tearing gas penetrates inside the buildings.
(It is important to note that the “asylum law” forbids police to enter university grounds, which then often become the center of action for anarchists and their refuge after their fights with the police.)
I saw from our porch a bunch of hooded youngsters (koukouloforoi as they are called here) breaking into a mobile phone store, raising the steel curtain with little effort, then breaking the window glass, and leaving the place their hands and pockets full of stolen goods. The police was nowhere to be seen, and arrived a good 20 minutes later. By then, the store was empty, 400 mobile phones had disappeared. (Since Saturday, close to 500 stores have been damaged or destroyed).
While, as I said in the previous post, there were always incidents between anarchists and police, especially around demonstrations and on the celebration of the students insurrection of November 17, 1973, we have not witnessed something of this magnitude in the last 7 years that we have lived here. Our neighbors agree with us: this is something exceptional, the outburst of rage, and the total lack of control from the state are striking. It seems that the youngsters were waiting for an occasion to express their anger at the corrupt political powers, who are stricken every so often by a new scandal, (the last in date: the Vatopedi land swap), as well as their frustration from the economic state of the country.
Nevertheless, we are still safe, because the rioters are not targeting civilians, and we just have to pray that they do not try to set ablaze nearby stores. (Actually when some of them wanted to throw a Molotov into a nearby building, the neighbors downstairs told them to stop, and they actually did!) So do not worry (too much J) for us… The government is watching: Enjoy this cartoon from the newspaper “kathimerini”
Michael Freedman wrote...
It is good to hear you and family are well as the riots are around you. I suspected you all to be okay and very nice to hear as such, though have thought of you with some concern as we hear of Athens and Greece in turmoil.
Your commentary is much appreciated as it gives further illumination of my understanding of contemporary Athens and Greece and its recent and ongoing riots.
As we were just recently there in Athens and left the county a day after the 'national holiday' in commemoration of the 1973 uprising, and the rainy-day march of 30,000 from the Polytechnic to the American Embassy on Nov. 17th, 2008, a certain perspective was left with us.
To see bands and squadrons of police and police encampments set up on almost every other block surrounding the Exharchia neighborhood in provocative anticipation of the Nov. 17th commemoration and march, left a very strong impression of the Athenian police actually looking for a fight. As the march and any acts of violence and disobedience were seemingly subdued by the heavy rains, and with television news reports not even giving, but rather general mention to the actual vast numbers of marchers who came out in concerned expression, and irregardless of the rains, it then and now retrospectively seems the 'normal' and expected flare-ups of anarchist violence and vandalism were further delayed, yet but in a certain resulting repressed 'pressure-cooker' state, egged-on and fueled by an ever-present and riot-ready antagonizing police force.
In your previous post you make mention of the need for appropriate direction of vibrant and resilient youth and youthful energies toward and for creative and productive expression, of which I concur. A provocative police force as representative of the State government seems the reason too that the police, as found to be completely insufficient if not incompetent by the greater Greek populous, cannot effectively control and contain its rioters, as this police force was instrumental, if not incendiary, in establishing a combative and counter-productive stance toward and against its own citizens, regardless of these citizens’ disenfranchisement.
Essentially, it seemed to me that while we were there in Athens the Athenian police were picking the fight, antagonizing a whole neighborhood and its certain population by surrounding it days before with hundreds of police on the-ready in riot gear, and which as a police force has now been stunned by the reaction and vehemenence of the returned and opposing forces it incited. Such police actions with then such effective countering forces, such that the police are perceived and assumed incompetent by its greater citizenry, suggests a certain and broad-based populous support, if not allegiance, for at minimum the sentiment and ideals of the rioters, if not the rioters themselves (though their actions less so or not at all) and so additionally it seems, has rendered the inciting police force, and its State, ineffective and devoid of the power it assumes and demands.
To me it seems, “of course” the kids didn’t burn or loot a building or store when asked not to by neighborhood residents, because they see themselves on the side of neighborhood residents and citizenry, as long as their connection to their neighboring residents and citizenry is established. I believe their struggle is rooted in what they see as a cause for equal rights and justice, of which they see their government and its police force in opposition, if not solely and too simply because this police force, as representatives of the State, maintains a particular threatening disenfranchisement and negation of their voice, regardless of their legitimate stance and calls for rights and equality. Though their destructive actions can be debated as legitimate and/or inappropriate, I would surmise this ‘youth as anarchists’, and also just the youth, as most are not violent nor destructive, see themselves as demanding, if not protecting, their and your and the greater populous’ right to be self-expressive and free, with rights of fair rulership and greater egalitarian distribution of State wealth. This expression too, is the good that comes out of such riots, as you similarly mention, yet again I agree with you as to the ideal of appropriate constructive direction of such expression.
Having developed a strong affinity for Athens and Greece, and in appreciation for your warm hospitality and inspiring spirit, I wish you all the very best, and that you be safe and well, and enjoy.
Warm regards,
Michael