The struggle continues in Greece

[blindpig]

Greek riot police, protesters clash during strike

ATHENS, Greece — Youths wearing ski masks hurled rocks and fire bombs at riot police as clashes broke out Wednesday in Athens during a mass rally against austerity measures, part of a general strike that crippled services and public transportation around the country.

Police fired tear gas and flash grenades at protesters, blanketing parts of the city center in choking smoke. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators ran to side streets to take cover. A police officer was attacked and his uniform caught fire in the city's main Syntagma Square, before he was rescued by colleagues. His motorcycle was burned.

At least five people were injured and another 20 detained. One group of rioting youths smashed paving stones in front of the central Bank of Greece, but there were no reports of any serious damage.

More than 30,000 protesters had attended the Athens rally, which had been calm before the clashes. Protesters chanting "Don't obey the rich - Fight back!" marched to parliament as the city center was heavily policed. A brass band, tractors and cyclists joined the rally.

more:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/23/1555895/greek-strike-disrupts-flights.html#

[Starry Messenger]

1. k&r

That puts the heart into a person. Thank you blindpig.

[bobbolink]

2. The police in Greece are real thugs.

It wasn't smart of them to inflame the public to the real anger they have for the police.

The tourist police are the real humans in Greece. They go out of their way to help people, and are appreciated.

[Renew Deal]

4. Not really

The cops are mostly young people happy to have a job. They're put into these impossible situations where they come under attack.

[Renew Deal]

3. KKE is the communists

And it looks like all the communists in Greece are in this one photo.

[blindpig]

5. The KKE took 10% in the last election.

Be dismissive if you like, the Reds are back.

[Renew Deal]

6. No they're not

They've always been there, and Greece isn't going there. BTW, they got 7.54% in 2009 and lost a seat in parliment. Not 10%.

[blindpig]

8. Well yeah,

despite a Western supported attempt to exterminate them after WWII. But I was speaking generally, red flags are being dusted off all over, watch and see.

The KKE got the support of 10.9% of the electorate in 2010 regional elections.

http://inter.kke.gr/AboutGreece/elections/local-elections/2010-local-elections/

[socialist_n_TN]

9. I'm just happy that SOMEBODY is sticking up for..........

the working class/poor. The "moderates" sure ain't.

[blindpig]

10. And the thing is...

the 'moderates' in Greece(and in France, Italy, Spain...) are all nominally socialist but act as centrists with a liberal agenda. Sound familiar? They are entirely in bed with the capitalists, a recurring danger for socialists participating in bourgeois politics. So who is left to stand for the people? The commies.

[socialist_n_TN]

14. In Europe sometimes I think that the socialists............

are SINOs. Now, that's not always been the case, but just like the Democratic Party has been co-opted by the neoliberal Freidmanistas here in the States, so have the nominal "socialists" in Europe. We've all got to revitalize the REAL socialist, anticapitalist agenda worldwide.

Modern day Communists and Bolsheviks are the only ones to stand WHOLLY on the side of the working class/poor. We're all they've got.

Solidarity forever!

[leftstreet]

16. Nice turn of phrase!

"We're all they've got."

:thumbsup:

Everyone tends to think the opposite "They're all we've got" - which is the weak position

[socialist_n_TN]

20. Well, we ARE all in it together, but............

most of the working class/poor are unorganized and diffuse. There's anger there because they KNOW things aren't right, but they don't know exactly what or whose to blame for their worsening situation. At least the commies (of various stripes) SEE what's going on and have SOME sort of a solution. The "moderates" sure as hell don't.

[bobbolink]

21. Correction. There's anger because we were yelling for help, and were ignored.

[leftstreet]

22. The Capital Class has learned well

They've had decades to fine-tune their weapons of mass media, but they're losing their grasp over interactive things like the Internet. LOL how do you control the message when any old serf can logon?

[xchrom]

17. spot. on. nt

[readmoreoften]

19. There are other leftist parties, further to the left of the KKE, that received 3%. I back them.

Many of the old Stalinist parties are actually further to the right of the new workers parties. That aside, screw whatever "ignored" said above.

[leftstreet]

12. Is there a photo of crowds carrying the flag of the Moderates? n/t

[socialist_n_TN]

15. LOLOL........

:rofl:

[Starry Messenger]

23. Flying the proud standard of armchair and carpet slippers.

:D

[socialist_n_TN]

24. BAZINGA!!!!! Another good one.........

:rofl: Back in the day, I used to hear that the only things in the "middle of the road" were white lines and dead possums. That USED to be a funny hyperbole. Not so much anymore.

[leftstreet]

25. LOLOL

Somewhere there HAS to be a photo

:rofl:

[Starry Messenger]

26. I might have to do a photoshop of this now.

I even cracked myself up. lol

[socialist_n_TN]

27. DO it starry!!!..........

I'd LOVE to see that.

[Poboy]

7. Excellent. Rec!

[AllyCat]

11. Holy crap it's happening all over. People are PO'd and I don't blame a one of them

[leftstreet]

13. K&R

[xchrom]

18. recommend

[blindpig]

28. The demonstration dog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HPb46aK7hM

[socialist_n_TN]

29. TOO cool............

I've seen the pooch before, but I've never seen it all put together like that.

He was getting a little too cozy with the cops in one picture though. I hope he's not a provocateur! :)