Order trumps Law

Following last week's policing fiasco in Athens in which a group of 40 youths went through the upscale Athens shopping district of Kolonaki, smashing shop windows, cars and banks within spitting distance of hundreds of officers on duty, the ruling New Democracy government has announced that it wants to change the law to penalise more severely people who cover their faces during a crime (just wait for next year's Carnavali!!!) and to abolish the asylum laws that prevent police entering university grounds without the permission of the dean.

How exactly such measure will deal with the raising level of crime in the country is a little hazy, but still, government ministers can sound tough on TV and that is what really matters. On the other hand the mundane job of actually detecting and preventing crime seems to be a matter of little import as seen by the fact that over the last week or two there has been a spate of ATM thefts here in Thessaloniki.

Now you's think that yanking a cash dispenser, weighing who knows how much out of a building would be an easy offence to prevent. I mean it's not as if you can slip the machine in your pocket or jump in the back of a fast car with it, now is it? Yet there have been a number of successful and unsuccessful incidence by thieves using cranes. I mean how fast can you make your getaway in a truck? So far there have been no arrests, no details or descriptions have been released, no calls for eye witnesses etc, etc, etc. I'm sure that the culprits must be thinking that they are onto a winner here since they have tried the same trick three times in less than two weeks.

But as I've realised the Greek police don't do "Law". "Order", yes and plenty of it. But "Law", no thanks, too much like hard work if you ask me.

UPDATE

The government is considering making insulting a public official a criminal offence and punishing people who wear a mask during crime with up to 10 years extra on their sentence. BTW The Agrotiki bank in the Athens suburb of Dafni was robbed this morning for the fourth time in a month.

Mad, bad and nowhere to be seen

The temperature is rising in Greece as over the last 48 hours there has been a machine gun attack on TV station in the capital, a massive car bomb defused, a professor beaten while giving a talk at the university of Athens. Not to mention yesterday passers by beat a mugger to death here in Thessaloniki and yet another asylum seeker committed suicide while in police custody near Athens airport.

And where are the police during all this? Your guess is as good as mine considering there are far more per head of population here than in most European countries. If they are as successful in dealing with the latest terrorist groups and they were with 17th November revolutionary organisation then we can expect arrests some time around 2038.

Mad, bad and nowhere to be seen.

Greece considers using snipers to protect Athens police stations

Following a series of armed attacks on police officers in Athens the Greek ministry of law and order is seriously considering plans to station snipers around the capital's police stations and other possible targets according to Greek daily, Kathimerini.

Last week a newly formed group calling itself the Revolutionary Sect claimed responsibility for machine gun attack on the station in the Athens suburb of Korydallou in which a grenade was also thrown which failed to explode. In the declaration left as a CD on the grave of Alexis Grigoropoulos, the 15 year - old shot by police in December the group stated that "a cop's life is the cost of a bullet" and that as well as high ranking police officials, members of the government and media would be considered targets.

The attack was the third in since the riots and protests that swept Greece in December and a variety of far left groups have claimed responsibility. The most serious incident resulted in one officer being seriously wounded as he was standing guard outside a government building in central Athens in January.

The government is also considering the possibility of asking for help from British police in order to combat a rising tide of anti-government violence. Scotland Yard was previously consulted during attempts to capture members of the 17th November terrorist group following their assassination of Stephen Saunders, the British military attache in Athens in 2000. The 19 members of the group were eventually arrested in 2002.

However, questions remain over the effectiveness of deploying members of the police anti-terrorist unit, EKAM. Although the organisation was widely praised for its working during the 2004 summer Olympics the force has had a checkered operational history which has seen a number of embarrassing failures such as the botched hostage rescue attempt in Athens,1998 which led to the death of a hostage and a failed operation to recapture escaped armed robber, Kostas Passaras in 2001.

Over the last two months police stations across Greece have also seen dozens of arson attacks as well a being the target of small improvised explosive devices known locally as "gazakia" since they utlilise small camping gas canisters.

Shooting outside US ambassador's home - Athens

Two shots were fired this morning outside the official residence of American ambassador in Athens. According to local media reports the private security guard assigned to protect the ambassador's home, which is behind the embassy was shot twice by a Greek police officer.

Police spokesperson, Panagiotis Stathis (see here for video) stated that the security guard was leaving the ambassador's home when the officer who was on duty at the entrance to the residence shot at him as he was walking away. As the guard turned round the officer fired once more, hitting him in the throat.

The guard was rushed to hospital where the bullet was removed and the officer placed under arrest. The authorities say that the officer, who joined the force in 1995 has given contradictory explanations as to why the shooting took place.

Ambassador, Daniel Speckhard, who was at home giving a working lunch when the shooting took place was not injured.

The incident couldn't come at a worst time for the Greek police, ELAS already under fire literally and metaphorically since the police shooting of a teenager last December. Yesterday a police station in the Athens suburb of Korydallou was sprayed with bullets by a group claiming to be Revolutionay Struggle (Epanastatikos Agonas), the third such attack in a month. In addition the police leadership came under heavy criticism when riot police tear gassed the leader of the country's main opposition party during a speech to demonstrating farmers.

Christmas cheer, anyone?

Christmas is almost here and at least in Thessaloniki the atmosphere has calmed down. However, in Athens the situation still remains tense. Yesterday a coach carrying member of the MAT (Greek riot police) was fired upon in the Gouda district. The vehicle was hit by two 7.62mm rounds, most probably fired by a AK47 according to Alpha Channel.

No one has been arrested but one thing is sure we should all take the official police reports with a grain of salt. The Greek police's account of events over the last two weeks has consistently proved to be inconsistent and inaccurate. As a source of reliable information they have proved to be disappointing.

The economy seemings to be teetering on the edge the cost of serving the country's debt (93% of GNP) rising steeply due to worries over the unrest. There is even talk of going to the IMF if other source of credit are unavailable. Not much to celebrate really and this is reflected in the shops where people are buying just the essentials for the holidays, numbed by the thought of what might happen next.

Still, if you are celebrating the hoildays I hope you have a great time.

Round up the usual suspects

I'm starting to sound a little like Forrest Gump. You know the scene when he's on the bench waiting for the bus, chatting away;

"they invited me and the ping-pong team to visit the White House.



So I went, again.


      
And I met the President of the United States again."

"So I went to a parade and I saw the president, again.

Got threatened by the police again."

Yep. I decided that would take pictures of this years Oxi day parade so I went down to the seafront and snapped away, and managed to get pictures of the president of the Greek republic, Karolos Papoulias, the leader of the main opposition party, Giorgos Papandreou and other assorted political bigwigs.

At some point all the cameramen and photographers were shooed off to the side and I ended up amongst them. A little later I saw some guys arguing with a teenager who'd climbed up some scaffolding to get a better view. He clambered down but then jumped up onto another wall for some reason reluctant to move. Intrigued I decided to take some pictures and quickly I realised that people were hemming me in, discreetly trying to block my view of what was happening. Despite that I took a couple of shots and then returned to follow the parade.

Next thing I know two rough looking guys, wearing mirror shades start beckoning to me, telling me that I had to delete my photos. When I told them that I wasn't as I had every right to take pictures in a public place they turned nasty and said that as they were cops they could take me in for questioning and confiscate the camera.

Next they said something that scared the hell out of me. They said that they knew exactly who I was from what happened last year (see here for the full story of that little encounter) and that ,"I was known to the authorities". "You mean after I got the crap kicked out of me by the riot police?"

I don't know why but they managed to push all my buttons and bring out stubborn streak in me. So I argued that I wasn't going to do anything till I saw some ID. Eventually they showed me it and demanded again that I delete the photos, which I did. Once again they invoked this mythical law that the no one is allowed to take photographs of the police on duty. No lawyer I've talked to or media professional has ever heard of such legislation.

To tell you the truth, I only brazoned it out them as I know they'd be loathed to make a scene in such a public place. Other photographers have not been so lucky in their dealings with the police. For example leading French photographer, Olivier Jobard, who was beaten and arrested by police in Patras this year when he refused to hand over his camera (see here for the full story).

I stuck around for another hour or so and then before the parade ended ducked into the crowd and got out of there as quickly as possible. People, especially foreigners, have a strange way of becoming very clumsy in the presence of the police. They trip and land on window boxes resulting in weeks of hospitalisation, fall off balconies in cafes or find themselves dead at the bottom of river beds.As you can imagine I wasn't about to get myself involved in a delicate legal debates with these guys.

Monastery land scandal claims second Greek minister

With the resignation of Theodoros Roussopoulos, the Vatopedi monastery scandal claimed its second Greek minister. Roussopoulos, minister of state and the ruling New Democracy party's media spokesman. quit this evening denying any wrong doing as did Giorgos Voulgarakis, maritime minister in his resignation in September.

The Greek Orthodox Vatopedi monastery, which is located in Mt Athos became implicated in an alleged land deal scam when it attempted to acquire a conference centre built for the Athens 2004 Olympics. In return for the 40 million euro facility the monastery offered lake Vastonida in exchange. Greek media investigations revealed that not only was the lake obtained from the state by the monks in suspicious circumstances but that the monastery had been involved in a series of dubious land dealings throughout the country.

Under intense public pressure the conservative government of Kostas Karamanlis originally agreed to opposition demands for a vote on a possible parliamentary inquiry. However, In dramatic turn of events today the entire ruling New Democracy party has decided to abstain from tomorrow's crucial parliamentary vote at 6pm.

The resignation of the two public prosecutors assigned to the case citing political interference has simply added to impression amongst ordinary Greeks that the government is attempting to bury the investigation.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | scandal | World | New Democracy | greek politics | theodoros rousopolos | vetopedi

Arrested

Arrested, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

His crime? Being born poor, black and in the "wrong" place.

I came out of a cafe in Aristotelous Square when I saw a guy in plain clothes manhandling a street seller down to the seafront. I grabbed my camera from my bag and followed the two. Within seconds five of Thessaloniki's "finest" bravely arrested public enemy No 1.

Nice to know that in a city which is experiencing a wave of bank robberies, violent crime and the like vital police resources are being used to keep our streets safe from the threat of fake handbags.

Sipa Press photographer arrested and beaten while taking photos inside port

Once again the Greek law enforcement authorities have covered themselves in glory. This time arresting then beating handcuffed French photographer, Oliver Jobard who was covering a story on Afghan refugees in the port city of Patras. It's almost a year since I suffered similar treatment (see here) at the hands of the Greek riot police for taking pictures during a peaceful demo. You have no idea how much I hate these knuckle grazing, corrupt neanderthals.

"French photographer Olivier Jobard of the Sipa Press agency was arrested and beaten by a coastguard officer on 4 July while taking photos in the port of Patras, in northern Peloponnese, for a report on immigrants. Detained by the police on charges of “resisting an authority” and “physical injury,” he was released the next day pending a trial, which was due to begin today.

For years, a special permit has for been necessary for anyone taking photos within Greece’s ports, which are regarded as military or high-security areas.

Jobard told Reporters Without Borders that Sipa Press requested a permit for him but it had not been issued by the time he needed to begin working. He took photos without any problem on 3 July, when he was questioned twice by port guards and was allowed to continue working after showing them, at their request, the pictures he had been taking. "

See here for the rest of the story from Reportage Sans Frontiers"

Thanks to Devious Diva for putting me onto the story.

Glad to see the back of it

"Police had warned they would confiscate all banners, signs or objects that might be thrown and arrest anyone who showed signs of protesting."

According to the BBC the Greek police seem to have cancelled the Greek constitution and our civil liberties for the day. Obviously, the right to protest peacefully doesn't count if the Olympics games are involved. I'll be glad to see the back of the Olympic torch.

For CNN's take on this click here.

A fugitive from justice

At long last my case against the riot police who attacked me in September simply for taking photos during a peaceful demonstration has shown signs of life. After spending a couple of months amassing evidence (including a doctor's report of my injuries that ran to more than two pages) I filed suit in December. This morning I found this taped to the front door of the apartment I live in.




Basically, it's a call to appear at the central police station within 48 hours or as it says I'll be taken there forcibly and fined the grand, if prosaic, sum of 14.67 Euros. Just one problem the date underneath is 18/01/2007 so technically I'm an outlaw subject to violent detention if caught.

UPDATE

Looks like I made a mistake in my translation as I have to go to the central courts and not the police station (got my megaros/halls mixed up). Phew!!!!!!!!!

For a full account of what happened click here.

For photos click here.

Hooligans

Hooligans, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

I've been looking through my photos with view to putting on an exhibition. Of all the pictures and all the tragic situations I've covered this is the one that brings back the worse memories. Minutes after I took this I was beaten badly enough that to be hospitalised and then arrested by the MAT (Greek riot police) simply for taking pictures during a peaceful demonstration (click here for more details).

Today in Athens members of the far right organisation Xrysi Avgi (I will not link to these b#st#rds)fought with left wing organisations. The TV has shown again and again these far right thugs joining the riot police in order to beat their "opponents".

If that wasn't enough there were pictures of the MAT beating bystanders even after the situation had calmed down (see here for the video).

Once again I see the representatives of the police unions saying that that they did nothing wrong. Whilst eye witnesses describe how the police handed out weapons and tear gas to the far right demonstrators.

Footage taken after I was attacked by Greek riot police

I guess I should be flattered that the police deemed it necessary to employ the services of four fully armed riot cops to subdue one 40 - year old, camera wielding English teacher. This footage of me laying, handcuffed face down on Tsimiski St was taken by Alter TV channel on the 8th September this year.I still wince when I see these images as I was in intense pain as one of the guys tried to yank my backpack off my dislocated shoulder and all I could see was my blood on the pavement.

What it doesn't show is the previous scene in which I was slammed into a lamp post by a riot cop's shield in an unprovoked attack whilst photographing a peaceful protest march (click here to see photos). As a result of that I suffered a suspected fractured nose, dislocated shoulder and multiple cuts and bruises. Even now, six weeks after the incident I do not have full use of my left arm.



I'm now in the process of suing the police for this attack but this is proving difficult as they are stone walling all attempts by my lawyer to get more information on what units were on duty at this particular point. They even went as far as to refuse him entry to the central police station when he went to ask. They really are a law unto themselves. See here for the full story.

Police obstruction

I guess I should have known this would happen. I just talked to my lawyer and it seems he is being given the run around by the police. They refuse to release information about the police officers who beat me on Saturday 8th September. Indeed, they wouldn't even let him enter the Astynomiko Megaro (Police hall) in order to ask. The only thing they gave him was a typed report (full of errors) which says that I was detained for acting suspiciously. Since the only thing I was doing was taking photographs during a peaceful demo I would love to hear what they consider "suspicious". Click here for the full story.

The ripple effect

I just came across this in the Guardian website;

Greek riot police beat up photographer

September 20, 2007 12:24 PM

When a teacher decided to take photographs of a peaceful demonstration in Greece, he ended up with a dislocated shoulder, fractured nose, multiple cuts and bruising after being beaten up by riot police. He says he was arrested in Thessaloniki on September 8, placed in an unmarked van by the four plain clothes cops and taken to the central police station. He was later released without charge. The teacher, aged 40, blogs under the pseudonymn of Teacher Dude, and is originally from England, now living in northern Greece. (Via Teacher Dude and Flickr)

Interviewed on TV

I've just got back from appearing live on a programme on one of the local TV stations, TV Makedonia here in Thessaloniki. A nerve wrecking experience as you can imagine, not helped by the fact that the interview was all in Greek and not my mother tongue.

Once again, the photographs I posted on this blog of what happened when I was violently detained by the Greek riot police, simply for taking pictures of them have had effects in the "real world". I was contacted by a journalist yesterday who had seen my blog and wanted me to come in and tell my side of the story.

As well as talking to me, the presenters talked by phone with a representative of the Panhellenic Federation of Police Employees, who, by strange coincidence is in many of the pictures I took on Saturday, 8th. The person, whose name escapes me for the moment, categorically insisted that I had no right as an ordinary citizen (i.e not an accredited member of the mainstream media) to take pictures of him in the street. Indeed, that as there was a march going on that I should not have been doing so.

Even when the presenter asked him which law stated this (which as far as I can see doesn't exist) he insisted on the fact that such photography was not permitted.

I don't know what is scarier; that a police officer is so unaware of basic rules governing conduct in public spaces or the fact that they feel that they can impose whatever rule they want, at a whim.

Blog for effect

Strange how the internet changes things. Ever since I first put the pictures of me being attacked by the police last weekend there has been a steady stream of people from all over the world who have sent me messages of support and written about the incident on their own sites. As a result the story has been picked up by the mainstream media here in Greece and I've been interviewed by journalists from the Eleutherotypia and Makedonia newspapers as well as doing a live interviews for Flash.gr, a radio station based in Athens (nerve wracking to say the least). There seems to a momentum to all this which I have you, the readers of this blog to thank for.

I'd like to thank all those bloggers who have talked about the incident;

Chris Bertram at Crookedtimber.org
Oneiros
Lethewards
Pixelkuh
Annie's Animal
Akida
Apolitikis
Too Many Tribbles
Ekloges-2007
No Snow Here
Devious Diva
Sallonica
Black Cat, Red Cat
Panokato
Argos
Currybet.net
Itelli

So, once again thank you for all your help.

BEATEN FOR TAKING THESE PICTURES

BEATEN FOR TAKING THIS PICTURE, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

I paid for these pictures with a dislocated shoulder, fractured nose, multiple bruising and smashed glasses.

All because the Greek riot police (MAT) didn't want me to take photos during a peaceful demonstration.

After being beaten, violently handcuffed( hence the dislocation), I was arrested questioned and later released without charge.

Beaten up by the police for taking pictures

today you'll have to forgive the lack of punctuation as i'm writing this with only one hand. the other has been dislocated i think, i'm off to a hospital to get it checked out after this.
apparntly taking photos of the police is illegal here in greece as i found out to my cost when a MAT snatch squad got me during a peaceful demo. after slamming me to the ground an making sure i stayed there with a few well placed punches. i was then handcuffed violently and arrested. my crime, taking pictures. luckily they didn't bother pressing charges.

update

i went to the hospital an i have a dislocated left shoulder, painfully put back into place by three hefty guys, a fractured nose, and muliple bruising. all because some manic idiot couldn't control himself.

When you can't be bothered to do your job properly

"Tougher penalties for drivers caught breaching traffic regulations will come into effect tomorrow with fines increasing by as much as 400 percent."

Click here to see the rest of the Kathimerini article on the changes in the Highway Code in Greece.

Well, it seems the traffic laws only got stricter for schmucks like you and me, and not this fine upstanding citizen who drove his motorbike across Aristotelous Square (supposedly pedestrianised) and stopped sans helmet (supposedly punishable by a 350 euro fine) to chat with the traffic cops outside the the police station.

“We must secure systematic policing and monitoring of those who violate rules in relation to speed, alcohol, seat belts and helmets"