The Truth about the Hellenic Riots of 2008

By Ioannis Fidanakis

Outrage and anger have spilt onto the streets of Athens, spreading like wildfire across an entire nation and even abroad. The youth of Ellada, future leaders of a nation have taken to the streets to protest the corrupt puppet government of Athens. What has set the wheels of Revolution spinning? Has the youth finally taken action against those who would sell Hellenic history and identity? Perhaps they are fed up with the continued Occupation of our brothers and sisters in Cyprus? Or maybe our youth have awakened to the reality of the Athenian satellite government’s failure to provide for the Hellenic people? Sadly enough none of these reasons are the spark that lit the flames of discontent that have engulfed Ellada. Rather the event that has unleashed such an outcry across our motherland comes from the death of a boy. The boy was 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, who was killed by police following an altercation between police and 30 anarchists in the Exarcheia district of the city of Athens. For those who do not know of the Exarcheia district, it is the famous home of the anarchist movement inside Ellada. Here in the ‘free zone’ anarchists live outside of the Hellenic establishment, and it is here where our story begins. First off, why parents would allow their 15 year old child to hang out in the ‘free zone’ is be on me. If the blame for this tragedy falls on anyone, it should fall on all of us. We have failed Alexandros, by allowing him to fall through the cracks. He should have been raised better and not allowed to fall into the hands of those who would put him in harms way, but this fact will go un-argued during this time of crisis. What is known is that little alexandros was shot by officer Epaminondas Korkoneas, whether on purpose or accidentally is anyone’s guess. This however, isn’t as important as many would like you to believe. What is important are the events surrounding the actual shooting. Why did the officer shoot in the first place? Friends of the boy claim he was killed without provocation while attending a friend’s name day party. Police say the poor child was killed while attempting to throw a Molotov cocktail at police. Two very different stories and with the location of the shooting and the unlikehood of the friends story, the police story seems much more realistic. If this is the case, of course the boy would be shot at – would you let someone throw a Molotov cocktail at you, regardless of their age.

It is this event that has caused all of Ellada to be turned into a rioter’s paradise. As riots spread from Athens to Thessaloniki and be on. Places like Kavala, Komotini, Alexandroupoli, Rhodes, Xanthi, Drama, the list goes on and on, all witnessing acts of violence and protest against the current government in Athens. Shops, banks, cars, even a Christmas tree and possibility a museum have been targeted for destruction. Using the refuge of University grounds, which Hellenic police are not allowed to enter, bands of anarchists have turned schools into their base of operations. Entering out only to converge on police and destroy the property of fellow citizens, before retreating to safety. In Thessaloniki reports are pouring out of battles that have destroyed Media vehicles and even an apartment building. High School students across the country have taken to the streets with eggs and color bombs to protest against what they call ‘police brutality’. The very smell of revolution is in the air and is being manipulated by the political left in hopes of over throwing the Karamanlis government so we can replace one corrupt political family for another.

These anarchists and socialists wish to portray themselves as patriots fighting police brutality, yet the truth is what kind of patriot attacks the working man? What did the owners of the shops do to have their personal property destroyed? These attacks are nothing more then senseless acts of cowardliness and nothing more. If you are truly against the system and its brutality why would you attack your fellow man who also suffers under the same system, rather then attack the beast itself? The left’s usage of Alexandros’ death to turn Ellada into chaos is unacceptable. Regardless of the senseless loss of a child – two wrongs don’t make a right.