Police Athens (Greece) shoot dead 16 yr. old anarchist

A 16 year old boy was shot dead by the cops in downtown Athens on Saturday December 06th 2008

The murder:
The police says that a police car at Exarchia was attacked by anarchists with rocks and bats and one of the cops shoot in the air (or ground) to scare them off and the bullet hit somewhere, changed course and hit the boy on the chest. However there are eye witnesses that state that there was no attack, only shouts against the cops and that the cop took a straight shot on the boy. The media also mentioned that there are leaks from inside the police verifying the eye witnesses but the official police statement denies that.

The aftermath:
After the murder of the 16 year old boy thousands of people filled with rage gathered and demonstrated in various places in Athens and other greek cities and started rioting and clashing with the police. There are reports about thousands anarchists, leftists and others that took the streets, also about tens of police departments attacked and hundreds of banks, cars, governmental buildings and shops smashed and set on fire. The clashes kept on until the early hours of Sunday morning.
Tomorrow, Sunday, demonstrations are taking place in tenths of greek cities and in some other European cities.

The history:
In 1985 also at Exarchia in central Athens, a 16 year old boy, Michalis Kaltezas, was shot dead by a cop, this time with a bullet in the back of his head. Again back then the reaction was very strong by the anarchists, the leftists and plain people disgusted but the police brutality. The classes with the police lasted for days.

The first pictures:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=933717
some articles (in english):  http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Killing_of_a_15_year_old_student_in_Greece
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/414458.html
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/414470.html?c=on#comments
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=en&article_id=933218
and it also in all the major corporate news sites.

More info to come

Michalis Kaltezas was 15 years old when he was murdered, my mistake.

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 [photos][photos][video], 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 tomorrow afternoon, starting at 1pm.

According to the mainstream media, two Ministers offered their resignation, but it was not accepted by the Prime Minister.The two policemen have already been detained and accused for murder, while they insist that the bullet was shot on the air to keep the young men away, but it was reverted by a metal label towards the stomach of the victim.

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 tomorrow afternoon, starting at 1pm.

According to the mainstream media, two Ministers offered their resignation, but it was not accepted by the Prime Minister. The two policemen have already been detained and accused for murder, while they insist that the bullet was shot on the air to keep the young men away, but it was reverted by a metal label towards the stomach of the victim.

Photos:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=en&article_id=933804
Photos:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=933717
Video:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=en&article_id=933514




Athens IMC exiled

"...when the witnesses who were in the 'wrong place' are killed, then the others who hold the privilege to be in the 'right place' inevitably turn into instruments of the war... even the remaining conscientious journalists become part of a wider deception..."


The political situation in Greece is at the verge of a serious crisis, since on Wednesday, 10th December 2008, a panhellenic strike of the workers of both the public and private sectors is going to take place. Many believe that the violent demonstrations in Greece due to the murder of the young teenager by the police yesterday will continue until they are culminated on Wednesday.

The violent conflicts between policemen and protesters which have taken place during the past 24 hours are not the result merely of the brutal murder of the teenager. There is an increasing popular disapproval which derives from the financial losses of the public social insurance institutions, the dramatic problems in public health and the revelation of governmental scandals during the past couple of years. Meanwhile, the first consequences of the financial crisis in Greece seem frightening and at the same time Athens Stock Market has collapsed.

In many occasions in the past murders of protesters by the police have not led to convicts for the police-officers responsible for them.

As Dan Hind mentions: "...when the witnesses who were in the 'wrong place' are killed, then the others who hold the privilege to be in the 'right place' inevitably turn into instruments of the war... even the remaining conscientious journalists become part of a wider deception..."

The wave of violence in the whole of Greece in the last 24 hours is the most reasonable result of an unbearable situation.

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watch this vid to see the attitude of those dirty pigs:

 http://garizo.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_08.html

The day after the murder of the 16yo by the police and after a night of spontaneous demonstrations and fights with the police in various cities; a series of more organized demonstrations took place today. Thousands of people filled with rage and despair took the streets all over the country. Here are some brief reports.

Athens: The demonstration started at 2.30pm, numbered up to 10,000 people and was very powerful. On the way to the police headquarter, numerous banks, governmental buildings, car dealers and fancy cars were attacked and destroyed and some were set on fire. When the demo came near the police headquarter, the road was blocked by riot police and the heavy fights started. The police used huge amounts of tear gas and that you could smell from miles away and the demonstration broke in smaller parts. The cops were running after some small groups. Others stayed and fought back. The part that managed to reach the police headquarter was brutally attacked by the cops, that was around 5pm. From that point on many of the small or bigger groups were fighting the cops in the alleys and head to the universities. 2 more police stations were attacked with rocks and petrol bombs. Fights with the police were taking place on and off around the 3 major universities in downtown athens until midnight while police (plain, riot and undercover cops) are everywhere. There are many people arrested (exact number not known yet) and many people hurt by the cops. Witnesses say that people were beaten up by the cops after being arrested and handcuffed.
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=934936
 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=934909

Thessaloniki: The demonstration numbered around 2000 people and on its way 2 police stations were attacked with rocks and petrol bombs. Banks and a ministry were also attacked. There were fights on many occasions, during and after the demonstration. After a point the fights were taking place around the university and kept going for a long time. The police used tear gas and also fired rubber bullets and hit a demonstrator and had to hospitalized.

Volos: The demonstration was heading to the central police station when it found the street blocked by the riot police. Fights broke out and stones and other things were thrown to the cops. The police fired tear gas and the demonstration broke in two. Around 15 banks were smashed.

Patras: The demonstration head to the central police station were the riot cops were waiting. Fights started, rocks were thrown to the cops which threw tear gas in return and garbage cans were set on fire. A car near the police station was set on fire. Banks were also attacked and had their windows smashed. 5 people were arrested.
 http://patras.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=2646
 http://patras.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=2656

Iraklio: A demonstration of 600 people took place during which 10 or so banks were smashed. Afterwards there participants decided to class with the police, threw rocks and molotov cocktails and made fire barricades on the streets. The police responded with huge amounts of tear gas. People then headed to the central police station which was destroyed last night and attacked it again.

Ioannina: 500 people demonstrated and classed with the police. All the banks on the demo route where smashed. Rocks were thrown to the riot cops. 3-5 people were brutally beaten by the cops and some of them had to go to the hospital and get stitches. There might be 2 arrests

Kavala: There was no demonstration but the central police station was attacked with rocks and petrol bombs. 3 banks were also smashed.

Chania: 250 people headed to the central police station. On their way they attacked on a police bureau, a bureau of the government party and 2 banks. When they reached the police station they clashed with the riot police. Throwing rocks and sticks. They police used tear gas. Afterwards they attacked and broke the windows of 5-6 more banks.

Corfu: The demonstrated of about 200 people reached the central police station where slogans were written on the walls and threw eggs, paint and other objects and smashed some of its windows.

Mitilini: 150 people smashed some surveillance cameras, banks, a ministry and some more governmental buildings. Slogans were written on walls.

Demonstrations took place in other smaller cities such as Kozani, Arta, Tripoli where the people confronted with the police and slogans were sprayed on walls.

A new round of demonstrations is arranged for tomorrow, Monday, in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Karditsa, Larisa, Korintho, Naxos, Arta, Chania and probably more.

In some european cities, gatherings and demonstrations are organized, some in UK, Germany and Netherlands.

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everybody is at the streets in athens thousands of people from every age and every race, smashing pig nests, hunting down cops, burning banks and looting commercial centers!

thousands of school pupils around the country in every tiny little town organized demos with hundreds attacking police stations

there was even a university general assembly that undersigned as goal of the assembly the "violent subversion of the government"!

there is a crazy situation over here!

everybody is at the streets!

our love to all the fighters in europe and the world!

During the night there were attacks on police stations, banks and other targets, the number of which is still unknown.

The day started early on Monday. Students at highschools across the country had meetings this morning and decided to protest and show their rage for the murder and the police. The students walked out of the classrooms, some schools were occupied and on others the students demonstrated, stopping the traffic in major roads and setting barricades. This has happened in dozens of cities, even the smaller ones. Slogans were shouted and painted on walls and in some cities the students attacked the cops and their stations, setting fire barricades on the streets, and turning police cars upside down. In Athens, in many neighborhoods, suburbs and downtown, there were big demonstrations by students in the morning, a big number of which classed with the police and there were arrests. The police reactions were very strong against the students (14-17 year old kids) and even the corporate media, who usually follow the police views and cover up their acts, showed riot cops brutally abusing and beating 15 yo boys and girls.

What happened later, in the afternoon and night is still unclear. For sure there were thousands of people in the streets rioting, clashing with the police and smashing banks, corporate shops and governmental buildings. The media talk about huge disasters and they show videos of rioting and burning buildings and cars but there are no independent reports since the local Indymedia center is down all day due to heavy traffic and perhaps attacks from the police. The government is holding meetings all day and there is a rumor going on in the news that it will declare a state of emergency.

There is need for international solidarity. Please mention the subject on your local infoshop, squat, anarchist talking group and organize gatherings outside the greek embassies and consulates. Print and handout pamphlets about the situation and protest against the police brutality everywhere.
So far, the greek embassies in London (UK) and Berlin (Germany) were occupied, demonstrations took place in Hamburg (Germany), Paris (France), Verne (Switzerland),Leukosia (Cyprus) outside the greek embassies, in Croatia where the embassy was attacked and probably more.

THE STATE MURDERS! - communique by the Polytechnic School Occupation in Athens:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/414628.html