International journalism 101 - Thailand

Photo by affaire de couronne de Thomas

The media landscape is changing before our very eyes. Once again a major news story can be covered by anyone with an internet connection, often with greater accuracy and more insight than the established media channels. I have been following developments in Thailand over the last few hours and it seems to me the the best source for breaking developments and the background to what has been happening are Twitter, Flickr and blogs.

For more details on what is going on in Bangkok check out

#redshirts on Twitter

"redshirts" in Google blog search and Technorati

"redshirts" in Youtube

"redshirts" on Flickr

Follow these sources for an hour or two and you'll find out as much as most professional journalists (at least non - Thai's) know about what is happening.

I see this tendency set to explode over the next few years as more and more people are able to access the internet via their mobile/cell phones and the world wide web ceases to the sole domain of those with the wealth to buy a computer. Already the number of people who use mobiles in the developing world has skyrocketed. With the spread of lower cost devices which include video and camera capabilities as well as letting you get on the internet then we will have to chance to hear from those caught up in news stories around the world unfiltered by national and international media.

The Ian Tomlinson case - A wake up call for traditional media

Photograph by Teacher Dude

After an embarrassingly long gap the mainstream media in Britain has finally woken up to the fact that there was something amiss about the death of Ian Tomlinson during last week's G20 summit protests. Initially, newspapers on the right of the UK political spectrum gleefully lapped up police accounts of beserker anarchists pelting officers and first aiders attempting to help Tomlinson, 47 who had apparently collapsed due to a heart attack whilst walking home from work through the protests in central London.



However, almost immediately images and accounts from people present started to circulate on the internet which contradicted the official account of what supposedly happened to Ian. Eyewitnesses spoke of efforts by demonstrators to help despite harassment and threats by the riot squad units in the vacinity. Thankfully, The Observer ran a story exposing the inconsistencies in the official version and video has been posted by The Guardian which shows a clearer idea of what really happened. That Ian had been the victim of an unprovoked attacked by a balaclava wearing officer who struck him from behind and shoved him to the floor just minutes before he died.



Still, questions still remain about what happened next. In the video Tomlinson seems to be shocked though basically unharmed, yet according to extra footage shown by the BBC the next thing we see is him surrounded by officers supposedly there to protect him whilst first aid was administered.



With so many video cameras around do the police really think that they will be able to cover this up the same way they did with Jean Charles de Menezes. One thing is certain though, they will try their best to make sure that the truth doesn't come out. Nor will they deal with the problem of heightened levels of police intimidation and violence that seem to accompany any large scale protest in the UK nowadays. If the Chinese, North Korean or Iranian authorities used these tactics the press would be screaming about suppression of civil liberties, yet when practiced by "good, old English bobbies" they are considered perfectly acceptable by much of the British press.

Time and time again I have heard members of the traditional media cry that bloggers and others who get their news out via the internet do not check their facts, are unreliable and prone to simply write whatever they like irrespective of what the truth of the matter is. And yet these same media professionals are just as likely to let stories like the Tomlinson case ride rather than do their job. They'd much rather simply copy and paste the official line and settle for a quite life than ask awkward questions that might get them in trouble with the editor/owner.

In such a situation what exactly is the advantage of their much vaunted professionalism and supposedly superior insight in the world of news gathering? Thankfully, there now exist a parallel system of reporting which can act as the mainstream media's conscience, should they care to listen.

G20 - "This is not a riot"

We are definitely living in interesting times. Modes and levels of protest not seen in decades are sweeping many countries in Europe and elsewhere as the G20 leaders meet to discuss our future in London. Here in Greece the country is in the midst of a general strike organised by trade unions to protest the government spending cuts. In Northern Ireland workers have taken over three Ford owned plants, in France bosses of a factory scheduled to close were held hostage yesterday by sacked employees and, of course there have been protests in London.

Yesterday I followed events in Britain via the internet and once again I have come to the conclusion that the mainstream media are being outclassed by their internet rivals. The coverage of the demonstrations by the BBC ranged from the misleading to the trite and once again the established channels blindly accepted the official version given the police and authorities and resorted to long distance reporting via telephoto lens and imported "experts" who no more about what's happening down in the streets than I do here in Greece.

Even the coverge of the events inside the summit amounted to little more than gossip and observation more suited to a beauty pageant than a high level political event. I think I heard the same old statistics repeated hundreds of times. I wonder if anyone went to bother to check out if they are true or just decided that endlessly recycling press releases is easier than doing some first hand research.

Thankfully, I was also following events via Twitter, Flickr, Youtube and blogs which gave me a much more rounded view of events including the excesses of the police whose use of "kettling" (hemming in large groups of people for hours on end) seemed to be tailor made to create tension.



In addition, We also have video footage of the way in which UK riot police went out of their way to provoke violent response from protesters in the Climate Camp in Bishopgate.

Press Freedom:Collateral Damage

I was following the #G20 hash on Twitter in order, like the UK police, to keep abreast of the latest developments concerning the G20 summit protests in London when I came across a short documentary, Press Freedom: Collateral Damage which shows the increasingly systematic harassment of camera operators, photographers and journalists by the police in Britain. As the National Union of Journalists site says;

"The NUJ had already submitted written evidence to the committee’s Policing and Protest inquiry. In his oral evidence, Jeremy highlighted issues such as journalists being denied access to report on demonstrations, the removal and deletion of data and the excessive use of stop and search powers against journalists.

He also highlighted some of the violent consequences faced by journalists going about their work, including details of past physical assaults.

The committee went on to question Jeremy about the surveillance of journalists by the police’s Forward Intelligence Team, which was set up to monitor the activities of people under suspicion of criminal activities."

I remember talking with a reporter here in Thessaloniki and they told me the same kind of thing; that the police have been becoming more aggressive in there treatment of photographers and people with video cameras.

I suppose that this is another spin - off connected with the rise of the internet and the ability of people to post their own stories to a wider audiences. In the past only a few could get their news out, usually via the mainstream press. As a result there were ways of making sure that potentially embarrassing images of police misbehavior could be quietly surpressed with an appeal to the editor/owner's sense of civic duty combined with veiled threats concerning the possible difficulties their journalist could face getting access to police sources in the future. Nowadays, however, such obstacles can be easily circumvented by posting such material on a site which means that everyone carrying a camera maybe a potential "enemy".

In addition the rise of citizen journalism means that many of those who cover demos, protests and the like are not subject to the traditional rules of engagement that covered reporters in the past and so unburdened by a political line set down by the channel/paper/station are free to report what they see.

Εναλλακτικές μορφές ενημέρωσης και δημοκρατία - Alternative forms of information, and Democracy

Photo by Rabbleradio at Flickr

Αίθουσα TZON KAΣΣABETHΣ, Δευτέρα, 16 Μαρτίου 2009, 11:00


"Πάσχος Μανδραβέλης (δημοσιογράφος / πολιτικός αναλυτής, Καθημερινή / ΣΚΑΙ), Ηλία Κανέλλης (δημοσιογράφος), Niels Kadritzke (δημοσιογράφος, αρχισυντάκτης Le Monde Diplomatique Γερμανίας), Γρηγόρης Πασχαλίδης (κοινωνιολόγος / Αν. Καθηγητής, Σχολή Δημοσιογραφίας και ΜΜΕ του ΑΠΘ) Συντονιστής: Στέλιος Κούλογλου (δημοσιογράφος / σκηνοθέτης) .

Τα πρόσφατα γεγονότα που σημειώθηκαν στην Αθήνα αλλά και την υπόλοιπη ελληνική περιφέρεια τον περασμένο Δεκέμβριο επανέφεραν στο προσκήνιο του δημόσιου λόγου το ρόλο των ΜΜΕ και ανάδειξαν εναλλακτικά μέσα, κυρίως ηλεκτρονικά, που μέχρι τότε βρίσκονταν στο περιθώριο της ενημέρωσης. Μέσα ενημέρωσης ή μοχλοί χειραγώγησης; Διαμορφωτές ή ρυθμιστές της δημοκρατίας; Στο σύνθετο τοπίο της πραγματικότητας η ανάγκη για εναλλακτικές φωνές στους συσχετισμούς δημοκρατίας και ΜΜΕ γίνονται όλο και πιο επιτακτική. Ξεκινώντας από την επικαιρότητα, το 11ο Φεστιβάλ Ντοκιμαντέρ εξετάζει το θέμα σε μια Ημερίδα με τη συμμετοχή δημοσιογράφων, ακαδημαϊκών και bloggers, για να φτάσει στον πυρήνα του, δηλαδή στο ντοκιμαντέρ ως εξέχουσα μορφή εναλλακτικής ενημέρωσης."

11ο Φεστιβάλ Ντοκιμαντέρ Θεσσαλονίκης – Εικόνες του 21ου Αιώνα

At JOHN CASSAVETES Theatre, Thessaloniki Passenger port, Monday, March 16, 2009, 11:00

"Speakers: Paraschos Mandravelis (journalist / political analyst, Kathimerini newspaper / SKAI Radio & TV), Ilias Kanellis (journalist), Niels Kadritzke (journalist, editor of Le Monde Diplomatique German edition), Grigoris Paschalidis (sociologist / Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki). Moderator: Stelios Kouloglou (journalist / doc. director)

The riots that took place in Athens and other major Greek cities this past December brought back to the foreground of public discourse the role of the Mass Media,while at the same time highlighting alternative –mostly electronic –means, which, until then had remained in the margins of the world of information. Are we talking about information media or levers of manipulation? Do they shape democracy or do they regulate it? In the complex landscape of reality, the need for alternative voices in the discourse concerning democracy and the Mass Media is becoming more and more imperative. Through the prism of current events, the 11th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival explores this topic in a panel discussion with journalists, academics and bloggers, in an effort to arrive at its core, i.e. at the documentary as the form par excellence of alternative information."

The 11th Documentary Thessaloniki - Images of the 21st century

Greek farmers in clashes with riot police

Violent clashes between farmers and riot police followed the Greek authorities to prevent 2000 protesters from Crete from leaving the port city of Pireaus to demonstrate outside the parliament in Athens. Tear gas and pepper spray were used against protesting farmers in the docks.

Like other farmers who have blocked road junctions across the country and still are preventing traffic from entering or leaving Greece's land borders Cretan farmers are seeking government assurances that the island's producers will be included in 500 million Euro agricultural aid package. However, despite negotiations between officials from the ministry of agriculture and farmers representatives no agreement has been reached and protesters have decided not to return to Crete.

Scenes of violent clashes also enraged farmers in Crete itself and many have vowed to sail to Athens to aid their follow farmers. In addition the Greek Union of Merchant Ship Engineers has said that it will strike if riot police units are not wihdrawn from the port according to Greek media sources.

Athens sees still more violent clashes

Athens marchers attacked by police - Indymedia Athens-Photo-01

see more

Pictures from Indymedia Athens

• 

  Created by Teacher Dude | add comment

• 

  Created by Teacher Dude | add comment

On Saturday protest marches were held in Athens in solidarity with those arrested by police during the series of clashes which spread across Greece in December following the shooting by police of a 15 year old teenager in the capital's Exarchia district.

Protests turned violent as some demonstrators clashed with riot police near the Propylia area of downtown Athens. However, eyewitness accounts published in Greek language blogs say that the police used excessive force, throwing stun grenades into the crowds and indiscriminately beating marchers. Attacks were also reported upon riot police in Thessaloniki, Greece's second city last night in which Molotov cocktails were thrown at police vans.

Despite hopes that last year's violent confrontations have died down, the marches demonstrate that popular anger has yet to be extinguished. On Thursday (see here for video) about 1000 people marched in protest against the attack on Labour activist, Konstandina Kouneva, the victim of an acid attack in December. The 44 year - old Bulgarian trade unionist is still in intensive care after having acid thrown in her face and being forced to drink the liquid.

Lawyers representing her say the attack was prompted by her work in exposing an alleged scam by cleaning companies with contracts with the state run organisations which meant that the mainly foreign born work force received slave wages.

The duration of the confrontations has seen the rapid development of a mini "arms race" on Greek streets with the appearance of more and more protesters wearing gas masks in order to counter-act the authorities extensive use of tear gas. According to the BBC the government has responded by ordering water cannons which will be ready for action within the next two weeks.

The ruling New Democracy party also faces protests by farmers who have used tractors to block road junctions across the country in demonstration over low prices and lack of government support for the nation's agricultural sector. Attempts to placate farmers with a 500 million euro aid package have still not seen an end to the roadblocks.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | protests | farmers | World | Riots | athens | roadblocks | Thessaloniki | kouneva

Icelanders riot outside parliament over economic crisis

The small Scandanavian country, blessed with abundant natural resources and enjoying one of the highest living standards in the world is hardly the kind of place one associates with economic catastrophe and riots. All that changed yesterday when thousands took to the streets to protest the present government's handling of the recent financial crisis. With gross national product down two thirds, a 45% rise in unemployment and the country defaulting on loan repayments Icelanders are faced with the worst economic crisis in living memory.

Riot police clashed with demonstators (click here for video) outside the Althingi House, Iceland's parliament after 2000 people surrounded the building according to Icelandic journalist, Iris Erlingsdottir writing in The Huffington Post. Icelandic press reports said Over 30 arrests were made, including an 11 year - old.

The target of their anger members of the government that presided over a meltdown in the banking sector and wider economy which has been so severe that a third of islanders are considering emmigration according to a report in the Economist. The coalition government has repeatedly rejected calls for elections in light of the current situation

As with the recent riots and protests in Greece, the impression that those in power have lined their own pockets while ordinary citizens have had to pay the price for financial mismangament has infuriated ordinary Icelanders.

Despite sub zero temperatures the protests have continued for a second day with members of the parliamentary opposition taking time out from debates to join the demonstrators.

NowPublic

Tags: protests | Iceland | World | Riot | Economist | Huffington Post | reykjavik | Credit Crunch | economic crisis

For more updates check out Iceland banking crisis video and more 2008 and 2009 blog.

Anti - government protests - Thessaloniki, Greece

Anti - government protests - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Thousands of students and other groups took to the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki yesterday to protest the present Greek government and its policies.

The government has announced that it has decided on a policy of zero tolerence in dealing with Greece's recent wave of unrest and the change in the ruling New Democracy party's change in tactics was seen in a more aggresive stance on the part of the MAT (Greek riot police) on Friday.

However, the change has proved to be less effective than hoped for as most of the arrests carried out the Athens authorities turned out to be lawyers acting as volunteer legal advisors to those taking part in yesterday's march. The 18 lawyers have filed a suit against deputy minister for law and order, after the head of the riot squad that detained them said that he was carrying out a "political decision", according a report on the Greek TV station Skai's, web site.

In addition the Athenian union of newspaper correspondents (ESIEA) have officially complained to the ministry of law and order over the beating of journalists and other members of the media by the police during yesterday's march.

http://my.nowpublic.com/world/greek-protests-resume-after-holiday-lull

Also the independent Greek news agency tvxs.gr posted video of riot police intimidating innocent citizens after the march. If you fast forward to 9 mins you'll see them harrassing a senior citizen who dared to question their authority.

Social media and the Greek uprising

Photo by Marplej@ne - Under Deconstruction

One of the most striking features of the recent series of revolts, rebellions and riots in Greece over the last few weeks is the use of social media to relay what has been happening to a wider audience. What I have witnessed is a form of internet hyper - Darwinism in which the forces of change which usually take years have been compressed into a time frame measured in weeks.

Before the recent troubles the use of Twitter, blogs, video sharing services and the like was a pretty limited affair. Many of those on the Left, and much of Greek political life saw the internet as irrelevant as TV, newspapers, public meetings, leafleting and marches were the order of the day. In addition there was a general distrust of the medium, an extension of the Greek Left's ambivalent relationship with the media in general.

For many TV, radio and newspapers are inherently biased and corrupt. Unfortunately, such claims, though often exaggerated have an element of truth to them. The state - run TV networks follow the line set down by the party in power and whilst not Stalinist in their propaganda style (why lie when you can spin?) are no more objective than say, Fox news.

On the other hand many of the private channels follow other agendas set down by their owners who see the TV and print as the PR wing of their business interests. A way of leveraging their position vis - a - vie the state, which is by far the biggest player in the Greek economy.

However, as the protests continued more and more people discovered the power of the net to organise, inform and disseminate their message without having recourse to the mainstream channels. They discovered that they too, could get out their message to a wider audience far beyond their borders. In addition, media outlets from around the world quickly gained access to sources of information which told a very different story from the local media's version of events which depended on more traditional news gathering tools.


With this realisation came a burst of creativity in terms of tactics, slogans, self expression. The hundreds of school occupations quickly started setting up blogs, thousands of those taking part in demonstrations started posting pictures and videos on the net, citizen journalism sites started getting eyewitness counts of the events as they were happening.

I thought that this would eventually happen in Greece but I predicted to my friends that it would take two, three years. Instead it took three weeks.The genie is now out of the bottle and I think that those working in the traditional media have been given a nasty wake up call. They've read about this kind of stuff in America and France but suddenly it has turned up, unbidden on their own door step.

Day of Rage - Greek riots: Day 2

Day of Rage - Greek riots: Day 2, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

I was just going through pictures I have taken over the last two weeks. It seems like all this started two years ago so intense has the experience been.

One day 'll get round to putting all this down on paper.

Tonight's news from Greece

Although the situation in Greece is gradually fading from the international news scene, the protests have not died down. In some ways there are mutating, spreading, taking different form. In Athens there are a 100 schools under occupation according to the Greek ministry of education.

There were also protests outside 15 police stations in the capital, some were peaceful while others ended up with school students going up against the police.

Here in Thessaloniki about a couple of thousand people marched from the centre to the suburbs without incident and despite provocation from the MAT (Greek riot police). I saw local residents cheer them on from their balconies.

Despite lull in violence, Greek protests continue

The unprededented wave of protests and discontent that has hit Greece since Saturday shows no sign of abating. Although the country enjoyed relative calm last night after days of rioting, high school and university students are planning to block roads in Athens today. In addition at least 100 high schools are under occupation, as well as the universities in many cities in protest against the shooting of 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos by a police officer in central Athens.

Yesterday students some as young as twelve clashed with riot police in the northern port city of Thessaloniki. The central police station in Aristotelous square came under repeated attack from stone throwing teenagers who also set fire to rubbish bins and smashed shop windows.

The Greek government has announced a series of measures to help the hundreds of businesses damaged during the riots. Estimates over the cost of disturbances rangge from a three hundred to one billion euros. However, the opposition PASOK party has expressed skepticism over the government's plans to help pointing out that similar promises were made to those who lost homes in last year's devastating forest fires yet not kept.

The two policemen accused of killing the teenager claim that the fatal shot was a ricochet and that the officer who fired had shot into the air in order to scare off a gang of thirty youths who previously attacked them with rocks and bottles.

The defendents also said in their testimony that the dead student had been expelled from several schools and involved in incidents of football hooliganism.

However, several eye witnesses interviewed on Greek TV argue that there were no more than ten youths at the time of the incident and just one bottle was thrown at the defendent's patrol car. They also claim that the officer aimed his pistol directly at the group and fired and after Grigoropoulos fell to the ground walked away.

Friends and family of the teenager also denied categorically the accusations concerning the child's supposedly troubled academic career and alleged involvement in football violence.

The Greek police federation condemned the the actions of the two officers, calling the death a "horrific criminal act".

On the other hand defence lawyer Alexis Kougias, who took on the case other two other lawyers withdrew, claimed that there had been a "misunderstanding" and that foresenic evidence bore out his client's claim that the death was the result of bullet ricocheting. The results of the ballistics analysis of the bullets fired have, however, not been released yet.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | World | Thessaloniki | Police Killing | greek riots | alexandros grigoropoulos | days of rage

No end to violence in Greek cities

With Greek riots entering their fifth day there is no sign there they about to end soon. Overnight there were violent clashes between in Athens, Thessaloniki and Volos.In Greece's second city anarchists occupying caused extensive damage to the Law and Theology department in the university campus.

In Patra and Larissa angry citizens attacked protesters in the cities universities. In addition riot police allowed groups of youths to throw rocks back at anarchist protesters in the university of Thessaloniki (see video here).

Greek prime minister, Kosas Karamanlis last night went on TV to make a call for national unity after pleas by the government for claim over the death of 15 year old Alexandros Gigoropoulos went unheeded. yesterday the funeral of the teenager shot dead by the police on Saturday was marred by incident. Video showing Greek motor cycle patrolmen firing into the air toscare off high school students wa shown on national TV (see video here). In addition other photographs have emerged of police officers pointing service pistols at demonstrators.

Today, Greek trade unions have called for a nationwide strike in order to protest the present government's handling of the economy.

NowPublic

Tags: World | athens | Thessaloniki | greek riots | greece patras | illegal police shotings | alexandros grigoropoulos

What a day - Greek riot updates

What a day. I went back to the centre to see what was happening around the university campus I Thessaloniki as just when I thought everything was quiet and all the violence has ended I turned a corner right into a couple of platoons of riot police getting ready to retreat from stone throwing anarchist who'd left the university grounds.

I was fumbling about to figure out how to turn on the video camera my student had just lent me when my mobile rang and somebody at Sky news told me I'd be talking live. Yikees!!!! Then all hell seemed to break loose as the MAT (Greek riot police regrouped) and charged back by me. In the middle of giving an eyewitness account my truculent mobile died on me making for a dramatic effect, I guess.

Strangely, around the riot police were groups of masked men throwing stones into the university, something that did not seem to bother the cops next to them at all. I keep on hearing rumours members of the far right Xryse Aygh movement are getting involved but I can't confirm this.

I do however have video of the incidents around the university which I'm putting up on Youtube in a while.

Update



I managed to upload the video which shows the situation last night just outside the university next to the Genematas hospital. Notice the civilians wearing gas masks and throwing stones at the anarchists in the university just meters from where the riot police are standing.

In Patras, the port city near Athens thousands attacked rioters in the university grounds.

I just came across this video uploaded to ireport by my friend, Jay. It shows high school students demonstrating in he Analipsi district of East Thessaloniki yesterday. They are chanting, "Batsi gourouni, dolofoni", "cops, pigs, killers"

Media, media, media

I'm going to have to get myself a press agent. The phone has been going all day as Sky News, The Guardian, BBC and Les Observateurs have called asking for interviews and my opinions on what has been happening in Greece and why. Actually, I'm happy to do this as people need to have a different view to the official spin story taking shape.

And to think I've also put in full day at work .

Live on the BBC

Almost forgot to say, I was interviewed by BBC Radio 5 Live this morning. They wanted to know what was happening here in Thessaloniki and how people saw the events unfolding. Once again my phone decided it was going to sulk just before the crucial moment. One day I'll get a new one but first a fridge as the old one has given up the ghost.


Also 35, 000 read the article I wrote for CNN's ireport yesterday!!!!!

Another night of rioting hits Greece

Last night saw the another round of protests and riots in Greece's major cities sparked off by the shooting by police of a 15 year - old in Athens on sSaturday. The scale and intensity of the the troubles has alarmed at shocked those in power and is being compared in the media to the disturbances that followed the Rodney King beating in LA and the 2005 riots in France

In Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city between 5000 and 10, 000 people took part in a protest march last night which was repeatedly tear gassed by riot police. In addition the march was also accompanied by attacks by anarchist groups on stores belonging to multi-national chains, banks and post offices. Several buildings were set on fire including Starbucks and McDonald franchises during the clashes which lasted into the morning.

Although Athens and Thessaloniki are quiet at the moment more protest marches are planned to coincide with the burial today of 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos. In the original police report the death was termed an act of self defense by the two police officers involved who claimed that they had come under attack from a mob of thirty youths.

However, eye witness accounts given to the Greek media talk of an execution style killing as the officer who fired first aimed at the youth after getting into an argument with the teenagers.

What many argue, though is the killing of Alexandros was merely the cue for the violent expression of a much deeper sense of dissatisfaction by young Greeks. Even before the current economic downturn those under 25 faced sky high levels of unemployment and limited prospects in low paying jobs. This combined with a deep sense of distrust of the government fostered by years of scandal has found its expression in violence and protests seen over the last four days.

In addition the incident has once again thrown light on the Greek police's tarnished record concerning unlawful killings and a systematic lack of accountability even when evidence of abuse is overwhelming. According to the national daily, Eleutherotypia one person a week dies in custody in Greek police stations and jails.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | World | Riots | police violence | Thessaloniki | protest march | greek riots | greek youth

Greek riots enter third day

Despite entering their third day the scenes of chaos and rioting in Greece's major cities seems far from over. Although there was an overnight lull in the clashes between protesters and riot police in Athens and other cities the peace was once again broken this afternoon when high school student marchers protesting the death of 15 year old, Andreas Grigoropoulos turned violent. Once more the central police station Thessaloniki, The country's second largest city came under attack. Unconfirmed eye witness accounts say that the police arrested a 13 year old girl during the event.

With the smell of burning plastic and tear gas hanging over much of the centre Thessaloniki resembles a war zone with heavily armoured riot police taking and re-taking strategic points along the central Egnatia Boulevard. In keeping with the tenets of guerrilla warfare their opponent simply retreat from the onslaught simply to reappear elsewhere within minutes.

Anarchist protesters have also taken over much of the university campus and other off campus departments such as the school of theatre where huge banners are hanging from the upper floor windows and loud rock music is blasting out.

In the face of such wide spread resistance the riot police appear unable to maintain order in the city. The situation seems to have slipped out the authorities ability to control. Traffic is still being allowed to enter riot zones around the university even though drivers are coming under attack with stones and paving blocks. 

With two more protest rallies scheduled today at 6pm today in Athens and Thessaloniki there is little likelihood that tensions will lessen and protesters go home. Indeed more and more cities throughout the country are reporting unrest.

The latest revelation that the dead teenager was apparently shot in cold blood by a police officer in the Exarchia district on Saturday has simply added to the anger and frustration that many young Greeks feel over the situation in the country as a whole. Rising unemployment, low wages and limited prospects have helped fuel a toxic mix which is easily ignited. However, it should be noted that while violent street clashes are not unusual in Greece the length, duration and intensity of these latest episodes has taken many by surprise.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | protests | World | Riots | Thessaloniki | Andreas Grigoropoulos | greek riots

Speaking to CNN

Well, that was nerve wracking. I just got interviewed over the phone by somebdy for CNN while it was broadcast live. It didn't help that my antiquated phone seem to choose this particular time to start to act up.

They asked if I had seen anything like the current situation. I told them that whilst violent confrontations are nothing new I have never seen this level of violence and never for so long. Usually, these protests end after a day.

Also the reporter wanted to know what those protesting wanted. I think that what is happening can't be seen in terms of a political agenda or programme but rather as an outburst of rage over a range of social problems young Greeks face. The murder of 15 year old Andreas Grigoropoulos was just the straw that broke the camel's back for many.

Also they wanted to know what ordinary people thought of what was happening. I suppose there are a number of reactions. Many are shocked and disgusted by the material damage caused whilst others share the anger of those on the street.