Ian Tomlinson - Alexis Grigoropoulos: two sides of the same coin

The similarities between the death of Ian Tomlinson who died during the G20 summit protests and Alexis Grigoropoulos, whose shooting last December in Athens sparked off weeks of rioting across Greece seem to be growing ever stronger. In both cases the unlawful death at the hands of the police was initially met with silence and/or lies.

In the case of Alexis the original official account said that the 15 year old had been part of a group of anarchist who had attacked a patrol car with stones, bottles and Molotov cocktails. The officers involved had, according to the police been forced to fire into the air and that one such shot had accidentally killed the teenager. In the case of Tomlinson, the London Metropolitan police said that he had been walking home when he had suffered a heart attack and that attempts to aid him had been met by a barrage of bricks and bottles.

As we know now both accounts turned out to have only the slightest connection with what really happened. In the case of Alexis eye witnesses and later video evidence quickly came out that showed that he had died after having an argument with a policeman who aimed and fired his weapon at him. Likewise in the Tomlinson case eyewitness accounts told of an unprovoked police attack backed up by video footage.

In both Athens and London the vast majority of the mainstream media were quite happy, at first to accept the authorities version of what happened and even embellish their accounts with, as it turned out, literary flourishes that undermined their credibility. Luckily, The Observer and the Guardian kept on hammering away at the story despite official harassment from the IPCC.

Now it seems that both cases are continuing to follow the same pattern of developments. Once the authorities in Athens realised that their original cover story had been blown they decided on another approach in the media battle for the hearts and minds of Joe Public; namely, they thought that they could save the day by mounting a campaign of smear and innuendo that would tar the reputation of the victim and so justify the actions of the officers involved.

Within days much of the Greek press corp published stories from police sources that painted Alexis as a delinquent malcontent who loved nothing more than make trouble in the Exarchia neighbourhood where he died. Indeed the newspapers even went as far as to publish a report by the police officer's lawyer that highlighted his allegedly chequered school record and grades as supposed evidence of the teen's delinquency and so "guilt".

Now we see the same thing with Ian Tomlinson. The police have seen their attempt at a cover up blown so wide that even their supporters in the media cannot help anymore. Faced with media scrutiny of their actions stories are now appearing in the right wing press that have tried to smear Tomlinson, attack his character and so justify the officer who killed him.

It is claimed that he had been drinking heavily and had gone out of his way to provoke officers who were operating under very difficult circumstances. What such reports fail to mention was the widespread use of indiscriminate violence (including attacks on a Channel 4 camera crew) by the police to control the situation and the use of "kettling" which allowed tensions to rise that would have been dissipated had protesters been allowed to leave.



Again the hope is that such accusations will make us forget the video footage which showed Tomlinson attacked as he was walking away from the police. Even if what the newspapers say is true then do the police have the right to treat people with such contempt during what had been , despite intense provocation, a mainly peaceful demo?


My only hope is that the tactic backfires as badly in London as it did in Athens. Then the claims by the police not only managed to add to the feeling of anger felt by many taking part in the protests but also disgusted many who had up to that time remained undecided as to whether the police had done something wrong.

For more information check out the Ian Tomlinson Wiki page here and the Alexis Grigoropoulos page here.

A day late and a dollar short - Channel 4 on Ian Tomlinson

More footage has come to light that show the attack by London police on Ian Tomlinson just minutes before he died. Today ITN/Channel 4 aired video taken during the assault that once again contradicts the official version that said that Tomlinson died of natural causes and made no mention whatsoever of any police involvement in the death.

What really makes me angry is the fact that a major media outlet waited an entire week before it decided to release a visual record of what, could in all honesty be called an unlawful killing. In addition not one officer came forward until other footage published in the Guardian today came to light. Every officer who witnessed this killing decided that they could avoid not only their duty but also knowingly break the law in order to cover up the actions of a colleague.

There are so many comparisons I could make with the police shooting of Greek teenager, Alexis Grigoropoulos in December. Lies, cover ups, media indifference to anything other than the official police line are just some of the common points. The big difference is that people here didn't take such behaviour laying down.

Is it just me or does that fact that balaclava wearing men spent days beating peaceful protesters in the centre of a European capital with impunity strike you as deeply disturbing? Dark portents indeed.

Ian Tomlinson - There are lies, damned lies and official accounts

Cornered Police-G20 demonstration-Financial Fools Day, originally uploaded by Daniel_C_C.

Thankfully we live in a world were not just the authorities but also you and I can record what goes on around us. I think that the London Metropolitan Police have yet to grasp that our love of high tech Orwellian style surveillance equipment cuts both ways and they too are constantly in the eye of a media storm.

Of course, I was sure that the death of Ian Tomlinson who died minutes after an unprovoked attack by officers during the G20 summit demonstrations had also been recorded on one of the innumerable cameras that cover central London but now it turns out that a number of participants in the protests also recorded the attack and were able to get the message out unfiltered. Today's Guardian has footage taken of riot police hitting Tomlinson as he was quietly walking away from them, his hands in his pockets. Just minutes later he was dead, the victim of a heart attack according to official version of events.

The police announcement released soon after his death mentioned nothing of the attack and and indeed sought to blame protesters for supposedly impeding attempts by ambulance crews and officers to provide first aid. It seems there are lies, damned lies and official accounts.

It is interesting to note just how similar was the official reaction to Tomlinson's death to that of 15 year old Alexis Grigoropoulos, shot by police in Athens last December. In both cases the police gave out reports that was almost entirely at odds with eye witness accounts and later evidence. Yet much of the mainstream media choose to accept the official interpretation at face value even though those present told a different story. Also in both cases video footage came out that quickly disproved the version given by officers involved.

Unfortunately, I believe that we are likely to see a similar outcome in both cases and those responsible for both deaths are unlikely to get the punishment they so richly deserve. They'll find ways to worm their way of the fact that they are reason two people died without cause.

We will hear the same tired cliches such as "exemplary police behaviour", "professionalism" and that "they did an excellent job under very trying conditions". Words like "restraint" and "regrettable mistake" will be thrown around all the while the real villians of the piece will quietly merge into the background.

Just remember that your mobile/cell phone with its ability to take photos and video just may be your best weapon when the authorities next try to cover up incidences of their bad behaviour. It might not help in court but it will where it matters in people's hearts and minds.

Call on the Greek government to set up an independent commission of inquiry

Riot police break up protest march in Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek police shot and killed 15-year-old Alexandros-Andreas (Alexis) Gregoropoulos in Athens on 6 December 2008. A longstanding history of human rights violations committed by police in Greece was highlighted by the shooting and by the conduct of officers policing subsequent demonstrations in December 2008 and January 2009.

Following these events, Amnesty International has received numerous reports of such violations by police in the context of policing the protests, including excessive use of force and firearms, torture and other ill-treatment, arbitrary detention and denial of prompt access to legal assistance. Complaints of such violations have also been received from children.

Amnesty International believes that the authorities' response to the killing of Alexis Gregoropoulos and the protests which erupted in the aftermath of his death should not end with the ongoing police and judicial investigations.

In this context, a strong message must be sent to the Greek government that no one can be above the law - especially those charged with enforcing it.

Take Action. Join Amnesty International in urging the Greek government to set up an independent commission of inquiry, mandated to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the death of Alexis Gregoropoulos and the police response to the demonstrations and the riots that began on 6 December.

Amnesty International

Έκθεση "καταπέλτης" κατά της ΕΛΑΣ

Για "σοβαρές παραβιάσεις ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων" επικρίνει την ελληνική αστυνομία η Διεθνής Αμνηστία και καλεί την κυβέρνηση να κάνει έρευνα.

Σε έκθεση της που δημοσιοποιήθηκε τη Δευτέρα, η Διεθνής Αμνηστία αναφέρει ότι η αντίδραση της αστυνομίας στις ταραχές του Δεκεμβρίου στην Αθήνα υπήρξε "το αποκορύφωμα της συνταγματικής παραβίασης στην προστασία των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων".

Υποστηρίζει επίσης ότι μετά τον τερματισμό των ταραχών τον Ιανουάριο έλαβε πολλές καταγγελίες (για την παραβίαση ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων από την αστυνομία) τις οποίες έθεσε υπόψη του υπουργού εσωτερικών Προκόπη Παυλόπουλου.

Η ελληνική κυβέρνηση δε έχει απαντήσει στην έκθεση της Διεθνούς Αμνηστείας.

Ωστόσο, διπλωματικές πηγές υποστηρίζουν ότι η αστυνομία επέδειξε εξαιρετική αυτοσυγκράτηση, αν λάβει κανείς υπόψη τις περιστάσεις.

Skai.gr

Είμαστε 'ολοι κουκουλοφόροι τώρα - We are all hoodies now

Είμαστε 'ολοι κουκουλοφόροι τώρα - We are all hoodies now, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

The government has now amended the law so that anyone covering their face while committing a crime will receive between two and ten years extra on their sentence. This generously includes disturbing the peace, which can mean anything from rioting to speaking back to the police. In addition it is now an offence to insult an officer of the law if you have covered your face.

As you can see from these examples of legalistic buffoonery the government has lost the plot over law and order. They have resorted to ridiculous knee - jerk responses as they are at a loss to deal with rising crime and a wave of political violence. What can you say about law enforcement when you read that a bank was robbed three times by the same guy who ran the kiosk opposite. Or that the present government averages one major corruption scandal every three months?

I just hope that the law concerning the wearing of masks also includes the supporters of right wing extremist groups I saw operate with impunity during the December riots. The police here in Thessaloniki seemed to have no problems with youths wearing masks and throwing rocks as long as the target was the "right one". See here for video I took of the police standing by just metres away while groups of right wingers lob rocks into the Aristotelion university of Thessaloniki.



The reality is that the government is running scared and that they have been made to look stupid by a number of lapses in security such as the escape by helicopter for a second time from the country's maximun security, Korydallos prison and the latest disturbances in central Athens which took place under the noses of the police. The sense of panic seems amost palable and I think we are likely to see a growing list of "tougher"( read authoritarian) law and order measures as those in charge seek to give the impression that are doing something.

Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Alternative forms of information and Democracy

Live at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. No Wi-Fi, however, the event started on time and has an interesting list of speakers (Click here to see the details). Here are my first unfiltered thoughts, please forgive any mistakes, I'll clean them up later.

Paraschos Mandravelis, journalist with Kathimerini. Interesting idea that new technologies at first copy existing formats, e.g TV was simply radio with pictures in the beginning. Likewise the alternative journalism follows the existing mainstream media. True up to a point, as much of what is written is simply copy and paste from newspapers and other news sites. I think this is to expected, considering that blogging and other such forms have recently made their appearance in Greece. Most blogs are less than two years old and thousands discovered them just months ago.

On the other hand there were bloggers and other contributors who went out into the streets in December, talked to those taking part in the protests and disturbances at a time when most mainstream coverage consisted of long distance pictures and analysis by those who were even further from the scene. The media formed a closed system, almost entirely self - referential.



In a sense they reminded me of Hitler and his high command locked away in their bunker at the end of WW2, cut off from the madness flowing around them giving orders to armies that no longer existed. A fantasy of war and of command. Similarly, the media talked and analysed the riots and protests that swept Greece last December using fragments of evidence, endless discussions based on a single act or image but with no background, nobody thought to go out and ask the most obvious question.

Why are you doing this?

Actually, there were media outlets who were asking people exactly this but they were outside the country. It was strange that whilst Greek TV presented an endless line - up of so called experts, the foreign news service found and interviewed young Greeks taking part in the events. It took the local media a week before to cotton on to the fact that they were participants willing to talk. I guess that didn't fit in with the idea of "mindless violence" and "looting" much of the established media were selling at that point.

The debate covered the idea of reliability of sources but how reliable can a news media source be when those who contribute have at the back of their mind that what they write or say may threaten their jobs? How much self - censorship goes on when people have to weigh up the choice: either the next mortgage payment or the truth?

Article 14 of the Greek constitution was raised time and time again. Nearly 800 words, only three of which outline the freedom of the press. The remaining 700 odd deal with what you can’t say, including laws which belong on the books of North Korea, such as it is a crime to insult in any way the president of the country or that only those licensed by the state may practice journalism.

Such legislation must be the envy of many an authoritarian state. Ironically, just minutes before the conference started. I faced this dilemma when I went to take photographs of a car being pulled out the water here in the port. The cops asked me if I was a journalist i.e. do have permission to take pictures in a public place? Am I properly accredited to comment on what I see?



The idea that people may use the internet to spread untruths and lies. What if somebody insults me on the net? What next? Shall we monitor all phone calls in case somebody is spreading wicked rumours about me? What about bugging bars and cafes to ensure that people are not spreading malicious lies? They have a model of press freedom that resembles Henry Fords ideas about car manufacture. You can say anything you like as long as I agree with it.

The issue of anonymity was also raised and once again the idea that if someone puts their name on an article or publication is somehow an magical guarantee of quality . On the other hand members of the audience expressed views on internet anonymity that would warm the hearts of Kim Il Sung or the leadership of such progressive regimes as Iran, Sudan or China.

The real fear is not the possibility of liable or slander but the feeling of terror that if you give people the chance to tell you their opinion, they will. No longer would the anger or frustration felt by many with those in charge be contained. It would explode, unfiltered onto the public domain, an explosion of rage that can not be mitigated or hidden.

If you can control what people see or read what kind of government are you?

“We are living through a crisis in confidence in the mainstream media." Fabio Wuytack.”

Griots - Greek riots and protests

Griots, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Going through shots from the riots and protests in December I came across this one take on the first day when demonstrators attacked a police station in Ano Poli after their march had been repeatedly tear gassed outside the ministry of Macedonia and Thrace in Thessaloniki.

Welcome to Exarchia

Welcome to Exarchia, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

The Devil makes work for idle hands.

Battle in Seattle - Η Εξέγερση

"Its November 1999, and five days are about to rock the world as tens of thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Seattle in protest of the World Trade Organizations Ministerial Meeting. Among them are Django (Andre Benjamin), Sam (Jennifer Carpenter), Lou (Michelle Rodriguez) and Jay (Martin Henderson). Each has a unique story, but they're united in a common desire to be heard and to make a difference in the world. For these four protesters, this is very personal and the stakes are higher than mere politics."



Battle in Seattle is perhaps one of the most radical Hollywood movies I've ever seen. How this ever got made is beyond me as it overtly political in a way that mainstream movies almost never are. The fact that it has a budget greater than Tom Cruise's catering tab and stars actors who you've heard of (Charlize Theron, Ray Liotta, Woody Harrelson) makes the film all more unusual.

Having seen the riots in Greece in December and January and witnessed first hand what happens when demonstrations turn violent I would say that the film captures the energy and sense of being in such a situation accurately. It reminds me of the style and approach of the Battle of Algiers and Bloody Sunday in the sense that it mixes documentary and movie making aesthetics.

Also Battle in Seattle also deals with issues such as the role of the media in portraying such events, police violence and the use of agent provocateurs in protests.

To find out more about the background to the movie check out;

Battle in Seattle (film) - Wiki

30 Frames a Second - The WTO in Seattle

World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity - Wiki

Athens sees still more violent clashes

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

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Pictures from Indymedia Athens

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  Created by Teacher Dude | add comment

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  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

Ground control to major Tom

Ground control to major Tom, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

A different way to see in the New Year

A different way to see in the New Year, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Happy New Year to everyone celebrating. Here's hoping 2009 isn't a complete disaster.

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.

When words fail us

The Greek protests of the last few weeks set to music. Sometimes a song can tell much more than a bookcase full of essays and articles. Music by Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name of... The song is raw and angry, a perfect description of many people's feelings over the death of 15 year old Alexis Grigoropoulos at the hands of a police officer on 6th December. His crime - bad mouthing a cop.

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.

Uneasy holidays

The troubles in Greece have produced an outburst of responses from designers and artists, many of which echo May, 1968. The slogans on the walls have also ranged from the comic to the surreal. Here is more work from Nassos Kappa click here.

"Everyone out in the streets"

"Everyone out in the streets", originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Mixed reactions to the protests in Greece

Mixed reactions to the protests in Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

A smartly dressed woman , shopping bags around her waiting at the bus stop claps and cheers masked protesters marching by. The man next to her shouts out "Shame, shame on you"

Taken during a protest march in Thessaloniki, Greece last week.

Flashbacks

There were times over the last two weeks when what I witnessed seemed taken from the script of an outlandish movie, the kind where everyone tuts and says, "That is just so Hollywood. That would never happen in real life". William Goldman, the writer of films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once said that there were things taken from real life he couldn't put in his scripts as nobody would believe them.

Here is a selection of the few I remember from the riots and protests that I covered over the last two weeks.

The two guys wearing masks are ready to charge the bank , all set on smashing the security camera and disabling the ATM. However, there is a young woman there, oblivious to the mayhem around here who is taking out her money. The masked men wait, politely ask her if she has finished then set about the cash machine with hammers.

A march goes past a van, inside two tiny Shetland ponies stuck in a space not much bigger than they are. The protesters, enraged by this discuss what to do. In the end they take down the number plates as to....report the owners to the authorities. Just a few metres behind them riot police approach menacingly.

50 kids, one no more than 10 years old pelting the central police station with rocks as bewildered shoppers seemingly unable to grasp what is happening gawp while pieces of paving stone clatter around them. The quasi - military riot police up against tweenies

Walking along Egnatia Boulevard lit up by at least a dozen fires, acrid smell of tear gas and burning plastic everywhere. Two middle aged bystanders argue over whether the anarchists about to firebomb a bank are doing the right thing. The older, white haired guy, says, :"What do you care? It's not your money".

An old woman buttoning holing a passing masked teen, scolding him about what has been happening. Others join in a passionately debate what has been happening over the last few days.

A smartly dressed woman , shopping bags around her waiting at the bus stop claps and cheers masked protesters marching by. The man next to her shouts out "Shame, shame on you".

Also check out Ishtar79's blog which has a thoughtful account of the events in Greece plus some great pictures that give a taste of what has been happening.

Greek riot police fight to defend Christmas tree

Two weeks on and the anti - government protests sparked off by the killing of 15 year Alexis Grigoropoulos at the hands of a police officer in the Exarchia district of Athens continue unabated. Today riot police went into action to defend the city"s Christmas tree in Syntagma against protesters who pelted officers with rubbish (see pictures here). The previous tree was burnt during rioting last week.

In addition to mass street protests in the capital, 800 high schools and 240 university departments remain under occupation. TV and radio stations, theatres, town halls and other government offices have also been occupied over the last week by young Greeks angry at the death of the teen and the New Democracy government's economic and political record.

Protesters also threw yoghurt and biscuits today at Vasileios Papageorgopoulos, mayor of Thessaloniki, Greece's second city as he greeted shoppers in the central Aristotelos Square.

NowPublic

Tags: Greece | World | athens | griots | greek riots | syntagma sqaure | christmas tree riot