Athens Greece: Cops murder a 16 year old

On Saturday 6th of December at around 10pm, two Greek policemen were in patrol in a central street by Exarchia square, in the center of Athens. They had a verbal argument with some young people who were there. During the argument, one of the cops pulled his gun and shot a 16-year-old guy twice. The victim was moved to Evangelismos Hospital to be found dead. According to eye-witnesses, the cop had been swearing against the young man, showing his genitals, before shooting him.

In a spontaneous response, thousands of people gathered in the centers of most of Greek cities. In Athens, people gathered outside Evangelismos Hospital, in order to prevent the cops from entering the building. A little later the riot police attacked in a street in Exarchia resulting to one person being arrested. The evening in Athens evolved with a spontaneous assembly in the Polytechnic University, a lot of riots in the whole center of Athens, including attacks against police departments and banks, until the early hours of the next morning. Meanwhile, a spontaneous demonstration took place, but it was confronted by the riot police with tear gas. Three more University building, the Economic, the Pantion and the Law School have been occupied.

Rallies, demonstrations, direct actions and riots took place all around the country. In Thessaloniki, a big spontaneous demonstration took place, while 2 Police Departments were attacked, several bank departments were burnt and Egnatia str., the main street, was block by burning trash bins for hours. Reports have been also posted about actions in Yannena, Iraklio [photos], Chania, Komotini, Mitilini, Xanthi, Serres, Sparta, Alexandroupolis and Volos.

Demonstrations in all cities of Greece have been announced for today afternoon, starting at 1pm.

There does seem to be a consensus that the "verbal argument" was about the youths pelting the police car with stones. Still, as you were.

Oh and where did you see that? So you approve of the use of deadly force against a group of stone-throwing youths? My, what an enlightened soul you are.

only just seen this on the BBC website,which also mentions the alleged stone throwing. But the sheer scale of the response across Greece suggests there's way more to this than meets the eye. Am off to do some googling to find out more....

I found this from the New York Times.

The 2 officers and the precinct commander have been suspended but, as I recall, the Greek police are given to displays of violence towards the people.

aljazeera up the ante by claiming the lad wasn't throwing stones but was about to throw a petrol bomb at the police car, and then a few paragraphs later quotes the interior minister as saying:

"On behalf of the government and the prime minister, I express my sorrow for the incident and especially the death of the young boy," Pavlopoulos said.

Now I'm sorry, but if the kid really was about to throw a petrol bomb at a police car do you really think the government would offer such an apology? something's fishy here...

You do like drawing conclusions, don't you? Funny little man.

Whereas you don't give a shit about the facts - eh, shit-for-brains?

You know, when I read an article and I know it comes from The Mail, for instance, I read it with a pinch of salt because I know they have a particular agenda. The same goes for Al Jazeera.

I know the BBC are far from perfect but I find them a less biased source of news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7769710.stm

There seemed to be a fairly salient fact omitted from the OP, and I think of the BBC as a moderately reliable source. The other point about the OP is that he's in Greece, so some degree of overexcitement about all this is understandable.

You, on the other hand, seem - from what I've seen - to be something of a freelance cunt who stirs up silly arse arguments wherever you can. Well, sorry, I can't be bothered.

Yawn. Can you two take your handbags elsewhere please.

No, you suggested in your post that the police were justified. Your first paragraph is also revealing since it presumes that the actions of the police were justified and the reporting of this story was "hysterical". What a dishonest cunt you are.

You're the one picking a fight here, pal, not me.

Right *rolls up her sleeves*

Maurice - your original comment was inflammatory. You could have expressed that omission from the OP in a much less flippant way.

Nino - can't you just ignore him?

All this bickering is derailing the thread

What is so wrong with challenging a bigoted or blinkered remark?

If we didn't challenge ignorance, it would prevail.

Challenge it intelligently by all means. But when it descends into "cunt" and "shit for brains" it makes you both look ridiculous. And anyone looking in on the thread will get bored with it. Which is a shame when there's clearly something important to be discussed.

And that's all I'm going to say because I don't want to derail the thread further.

I think that I have the right to respond to something as provocative as "funny little man". Most people would do the same thing.

So "cunt" was a bit strong but it's obvious he was looking for a confrontation which could then be blamed on me.

I'll leave it there, lest I get accused of "derailing" the thread <sigh>.

Whenever cops carry out acts of violence they try to cover their arses by smeering the victims. i.e the de menzeis killing ('he was wearing a ruck sack, ran away when challenged by police and anyway he was a fare dodger').

So its entirely possible that the 'throwing stones' is a routine bullshit story from the cops that will be reported unchallenged by all the mainstream media.

Greece has got a large and very radical left/anarchist movement so these riots are part of ongoing conflict between the cops and politicised urban youth.

Expect more knowledgeable posters will be along to give more context in due course.

The dead boy was 15. The police involved have been arrested. The violence has flared up again today.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7770086.stm

I dont know much about Greece. Is it a bit like Italy, a strong leftwing being met with strong rightwing countermeasures, and meddling by external powers, leading to a greater sense of division and violent outpouring than many other countries in Europe?

I have just left the demonstrations and came here... I could not be out on the streets any more, I was there all night and today since 13:00. I estimate we were about 10000 in the beggining, a lot left after the riots started though. Whole Athens is burning as we speak, luxury cars, police cars, banks, supermarkets, the police station of Exarchia, also one ministy is one fire... In Alexandras avenue nearly everything is destroyed as well as on other streets around the city centre. A lot of people are arrested it is difficult to estimate number, I was present in more than one arrests, some are saying for 50 people... I will go on with a more detailed post later, I cannot go on for long now, my eyes are burning because of the police chemicals and I think I cannot breathe normally.... I will try to post some photos later.

The stone throwing is complete bullshit, there are eye witness reports that say that there was only a verbal argument, no stones or petrol bombs etc.

The police men had passed from the spot a bit before and did see the gathered youth, they parked their car a bit further down, near a police bus and returned to the spot on foot and the whole argument started. They shot the kid and then left on foot again to go to their car. They shot the kid directly to his heart, the other kids that were with him were shouting to the cops, crying for help as their friend had no blood pulse, but the cops just walked away..

It was a 16 years old boy for fucks shake.....

You're only allowed to shoot people for throwing stones if you've stolen their country because your imaginary sky pixie told your ancestors it belongs to you

Keep it out of here mate, you come across as a right tosser with that statement.

back on topic.

The Guardian states on it's coverage, a statement from the police.

that is different entirely to what Dimitris has stated, sounds like a smear from the start.

This is the photo of Alexis... we will never see this smile again

http://athens.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/dsc01568ocxqxc.jpg

These are the 2 police men that killed him
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t97/nada_8/ooo.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t97/nada_8/oo.jpg


Here you can see some photos of last night.

http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=933717
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=934465

after the murder of the 15 year old

I feel greatly ashamed and disgusted to come from this country and still be living in a country who's government allows thugs in the police and special forces and has a policy of murder towards our youth
although I did not vote for this embarrassing excuse of a government, I did not leave and emigrate to Zimbabwe for all I care (no insult intended for people of Zimbabwe) the minute my fellow greeks elected this stupid by birth , fascist by inclination and action , and pathetic government
I will try to post two videos from You Tube one of which has the killing, mainly the sound of the gunshots

http://www.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=112,id=25113860

If you look carefully enough this video you will see 2 men in the middle of the street exactly after the gunshot who then walk up the alley. These are the 2 cops who had just fired.

Reply to Dimitris' last post

I fell so angry I want to cry, I can not watch it again

credit for two of the videos

http://www.youtube.com/user/GiaNtakos