Greek police shooting sparks riot

[Trajan12]

Could someone please answer this for me?

During the student led uprising against the Junta in '73(?) the military went into the universities to supress dissidents. At Athens Polytech hundreds were killed and wounded and since then I suppose they've decided that it's best that police and military stay away from these places. They probably have security guards or something there most of the time(obviously not now).

 

[Leonel]

Seems the rioting has spread to... San Francisco...

Protesters wreak havoc at S.F. mall

(12-20) 22:32 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- A band of demonstrators, many wearing black masks, stormed a bustling San Francisco mall Saturday evening, upending garbage cans and foliage and damaging crystal merchandise at one kiosk.

An estimated 50 to 75 people were involved in the disruption at Westfield San Francisco Centre, police said.

"It felt like random, vague anarchy," said Sam Cantrell, who sells sunglasses at a kiosk near the escalators on the street level where the protesters gathered.

"Everyone's yelling," he said. "Some people started running up the escalator the wrong way. People were grabbing their babies and running away in fear."

The disruption began around 6:30 p.m. as holiday shoppers crowded the mall on the last Saturday before Christmas.

Some protesters threw food, police said. Others tried to toss a large planter onto the food court below.

According to mall management, the protesters were part of a "Solidarity with Greek Uprising" demonstration, which began in the Mission District earlier in the afternoon. An international day of action was called on Saturday to protest the death of a young man in Greece in early December.

"Although people have the right to their opinions, disruptive and destructive behavior on our property is not tolerated," said mall management in a statement.

By 7:45 p.m., the area was cleaned up.

"They made a mess," said Monica Yuen, owner of San Francisco Glass Works, a kiosk selling delicate imported crystal earrings, bracelets and other jewelry. She was trying to assess the damage to her wares.

"I had a lot of jewelry on the top shelves that got smashed," she said. "They threw a big sign at it. I think some of it was stolen. I was crying and shaking."

A police source said five or six protesters were arrested for misdemeanor vandalism.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/20/BAV714SA8V.DTL

 

[Godwynn]

Upending garbage cans?

They are hardcore, yo.

 

[choxorn]

Sooner or later, the Atheists in Olympia will get wind of this and add it to their list of "things they want to riot about".

 

[Bigfoot3814]

I'd be willing to bet those kids were driven there by their parents.

 

[emzie]

I'd be willing to bet those kids were driven there by their parents.

 

[Winner]

Actually, if it were a good democratic government, the people would have no reason to burn cars. Do you honestly think that all these people are "anarchists", as so many people have falsy insinuated in this thread? No, they are pissed off people who are angry at their government. People don't riot for nothing, winner. Not for this long anyways.

People don't riot for nothing? And you base this opinion on what, exactly? Or perhaps anarchists are not people now (I wouldn't argue with that), but they certainly have a habit of destroying other people's property for no good reason whatsoever. IMF meetings, anyone? They devastated half of Prague the last time it was held in this country. Oh, they also clashed with the police when it dared to order them to end an illegal techno party on a piece of land which wasn't even theirs.

Back to the part which is really important: YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RIOT! Not in a democratic country with a democratically elected government. You have a right to protest peacefuly, to vote for another party in the next elections, to write a harsh criticism of the government on your blog, whatever. But it is illegal to attack the police with molotov coctails and burn christmas trees because you're pissed off and jsut want to destroy something.

Next year, there will probably be early elections in my country and a new government - socialists and commies - will emerge from them, led by a guy who's probably the latest incarnation of Josif Stalin. So, do I have a right to call few friends and start rioting? Can I loot some shops or banks? I'll have a reason for that! Please!

 

[Ecofarm]

The Greeks are so funny. We shoot kids all the time in the US, it's good for em.

 

[Communisto]

People don't riot for nothing? And you base this opinion on what, exactly? Or perhaps anarchists are not people now (I wouldn't argue with that), but they certainly have a habit of destroying other people's property for no good reason whatsoever. IMF meetings, anyone? They devastated half of Prague the last time it was held in this country. Oh, they also clashed with the police when it dared to order them to end an illegal techno party on a piece of land which wasn't even theirs.

Should we really have an example-for-example war? Cause I'm pretty sure there are quite a few riots on history that were pretty well justified.

Back to the part which is really important: YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RIOT! Not in a democratic country with a democratically elected government. You have a right to protest peacefuly, to vote for another party in the next elections, to write a harsh criticism of the government on your blog, whatever.

I'll repeat: rioting isn't something that just happens for no reason (usually). I'm pretty sure there was some angry blog writing prior to the outbreak of mass rioting all over the country. The blog writing obviously wasn't delivering the same message to government as a burning piggy. These people are mad as hell and they aren't going to take it anymore.

But it is illegal to attack the police with molotov coctails and burn christmas trees because you're pissed off and jsut want to destroy something.

It's also illegal for pigs to shoot and kill 16 year old boys. Who reprimands the cop when he does something illegal? No one. If a government clearly does not represent the people as in this case, then it isn't just an example of "just wanting to destroy something," these people are genuinely alienated and dissilusioned with their government and have been for a long time. This is forcing change on an unwanted government.

NCan I loot some shops or banks? I'll have a reason for that! Please!

You could, but it would be more productive for you to kill some cops.