Greece: Birth Place of Democracy and Riots

As I am reading various Greek and international news regarding the current riots in Greece, I do not know what to feel. Surely, my feelings are mixed. There is a sense of shame, disgust, and exasperation, but also a sense of hidden pride.

For those who have missed what is going on in Greece, let me briefly filll you in. Last Saturday, a policeman shot and killed a 15 year old boy. The policeman claims that he fired in the air and the bullet ricocheted. The ballistic investigation is on-going. Some witnesses claim that the cop shot with the intention to kill the boy. This event's sparked massive protests and riots throughout the country. Banks, shops, and cars are burning. The situation is out of hand for the time being.

I do not know if the cop intended to kill but at the end it does not matter much. What matters is that a teenager is dead, the policeman’s life and that of his family are ruined since he has 3 kids under the age of 18, and the whole country has been tossed into mass disarray because of the riots.

Once again the police have failed to do their job not only by killing a kid but failing to protect the private property and safety of the Greek citizens as well. A bunch of extreme left-wing thugs together with looters are exploiting the shooting event as an excuse to wreak havoc. These events disgust me because these shit-for-brains morons do not honour the death of an innocent through their actions. I am also disgusted by the police, who have repeatedly killed and beaten people without a cause or punishment (according to EU) yet they fail to protect those in need.

For some reason, though, I feel a sense of pride for the huge number of young people who are peacefully protesting on the streets about the event. They are protesting because they know that nobody has the right to be above the law, including the police. But they are also protesting because they fear for their future and what the government is doing or not doing. They are fed up with the corruption of the current and past administrations. The killing was only the excuse for the young generation to shout ‘That is enough. We want to live in a prosperous society governed by responsible leaders not by thugs.’ If thugs (corrupt politicans) are in power and have immunity, then why not have thugs (teenaged anarchists) destroying private property?

Greece has always had a strong element of protest. The students helped to bring down the dictatorship in 1973. Since then, repeated governments have failed to provide a stable society and deliver on the promises they'd made. As D. Howden of the Independent wrote: 'There is every reason for anger and just as in 1973, the streets are burning – but this time there is no unifying cause and no visible route to redemption'. Successive governments of both the socialist and conservatives have failed miserably.

The whole system is in disarray, from the police to justice system to every part of the country. Fear, isolation, poverty and despair permeate every part of the society. If we fail the young generation, then we fail a country. This is what happened in Greece for many years, That is why I chose to leave a long time ago. But the youth had enough. Now it is their time, their revolution. I only hope they succeed.