While the Greek parliament voted to approve the country’s sixth round of austerity measures
last night, outraged protesters rampaged in the streets. Our Observer
tells us that the use of violence is now no longer limited to anarchists
and hooligans, ordinary protestors are also turning to violence as
their exasperation reaches new heights.
Protesters and riot police clashed late into Sunday night. Police
sprayed protesters with tear gas, and a number of protesters fought back
by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. Banks and hotels were set on
fire, and luxury store windows were smashed. The Health Ministry report
that about 50 people were injured.
Amateur videos uploaded online show scenes of urban guerrilla
warfare in the very heart of Athens. These clashes are the worst Greece
has experienced since the death of a teenager, killed by a police
officer, set off riots in 2008.
“A lot of ordinary protesters helped to deface buildings”
Our
Observer, who asked to remain anonymous, is an Internet consultant in
Athens. He has published several photographs from Sunday’s protest on Twitter.
In contrast with past demonstrations, yesterday's protesters were
really ready to fight in order to keep parliament from voting. As usual,
anarchist from the extreme left attacked storefronts and public
buildings. Of course there were hooligans and looters. But this time, a
lot of ordinary protesters helped to deface banks and businesses – for
example a Starbucks cafĂ© – because for both old and young, they are
symbolic of a common enemy, as they are a part of the current economy.
The police were also more than aggressive. There are a number of
videos that clearly show they provoked us to create a situation where
they would have the right to use tear gas and other chemical products.
Before, people just watched as the police cracked down on protesters.
Now, nobody stands by with their arms crossed, which explains
yesterday’s clashes. One could say that the Greek people have gone to
war against the system."
“It’s as though a civil war took place last night"
Nikos Karamfyllis is a sales manager in Athens. He followed yesterday’s protests on television.
I felt like I was in Kabul. This morning, the air still reeked of
tear gas. There was debris everywhere; whole buildings were charred.
It’s really as though a civil war took place last night, or a
revolution. I don’t understand why the police let things get so out of
control, especially considering that the event had been planned for
several days and everyone knew that it was going to get ugly.
A lot of people think, and I count myself among them, that the
authorities deliberately mismanaged the situation to deter people from
going out and protesting. I don’t know if it’s true, but it has
certainly worked. I personally did not go out and protest because I
thought it would be too dangerous."
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