Though violent protests in Greece are almost over, students are still showing their anger through other means.
Yesterday they interrupted the news bulletin in TV to send a message and to denounce publicly Alexander’s Grigoropoulos death.
Also they have put a banner in Athens Acropolis signalling a worldwide demonstration for tomorrow.
The banner in the Athens Acropolis
It seems that civil protests are starting now to have more importance rather than violent acts.
It’s not only the death of a youth in a policeman hands what have taken all these problems out at that time. Also there’s the right of the people to demonstrate, and the necessity of breathing and feeling free in a oppressive world.
REBEL MUSIC
Let’s remember the always-healing Bob Marley’s words:
“Why can’t we roam this open country?
Oh, why can’t we be what we wanna be?
We want to be free.”
If you’re reading that, I’ll meet you tomorrow at 3 o’clock, at the roadblock, with the forces of victory.
And, again, like Bob says, if the policeman asks you for it… “Hey, Mr. Cop! Ain’t got no birth certificate on me now.”
The killing of a 15 year-old student in Greece by a policeman has raised important question marks in a debate where violence and authorities are on the centre of the topic.
It’s been now almost a week since Alexander Grigoropoulos died and the riots haven’t stopped so far.
In addition, a general strike was happened yesterday to protest against the government economic policies. More violent acts were produced all around the nation while the strike specially disrupted the transport and the public sector.
It is becoming common to see broken glass in the ground of every street, burned cars, roadblocks, ruined shops and other blueprints of people’s rage. In cities like Athens, Salonica, Rhodes or Patras violent demonstrations have immersed Greece in a chaos.
A YOUNG DEAD
Despite the ballistics tests have not yet been published, policemen defence lawyer says a ricochet killed the youth.
Police officer Epaminondas Korkoneas, 37, was charged with murder and police officer Vassilios Saraliotis, 31, was charged as an accomplice. The Athens court ordered both men to be held in jail pending their trial. No date for the trial was set.
However, the fact is that a teenager was killed and the bullet came from a policeman weapon. A weapon of the State.
The debate has open important questions again. Should police officers carry lethal weapons such pistols or machine guns?
THE RIGHT TO USE VIOLENCE
Some may say that the right to use the violenceshouldn’t be monopoly of the State. And that’s why some violent groups of citizens demonstrate on the streets. That’s why they show their anger. They reclaim the streets and the right to use violence as self-defense when the State uses it against them.
Rioters use paving stones, petrol bombs and other handmade weapons. Police are armed with several lethal weapons and they carry shields, helmets and other padding protection.
Violence is a negative aspect of the human being, but reality is that it is in our nature. Considering that, we should learn about how to use it in a proper way rather than fighting until the strongest survives.
Confrontation in the streets doesn’t solve anything, and the worst of it is that it’s never going to take Alexander back to life.
A SOLUTION…?
In any case, people’s outrage is justified. It’s understandable that some citizens and groups or associations manifest violently their feelings against the State and the police.
If police is there to protect the citizens, who is going to protect them when police abuses of them, or when shooting a 15 year-old student, or when facing them in a demonstration?
Perhaps it’s too complicated to answer, but one thing is for sure; as long as police abuses exist, riots will exist as a response.
As long as human being exist, violence will exist. And State authorities can’t be the exclusive controllers of violence, because otherwise situations like Greek will happen again.
It happened something similar in France a few years ago, and if things continue in the same way, it could happen again anywhere. There’s a big problem to solve. Some say it’s the system and maybe they’re right.
