Burning & Lootin' in Greece

There's something curious to be found, in the midst of a world gripped in economic and social turmoil, where governments are seen as oppressive and corrupt, when Western civilization's "reputed" progentior of democracy, goes up in flames. It began after a Greek police officer shot and killed a 15-year old teen in Athens for allegedly tossing an empty plastic bottle at him. Though from a wealthy family, the teen had become a member of the indie culture in Greece, a hangout for youth and dissenters who had grown apathetic and even disdainful of mainstream Greek society. Appropriating everything from anarchism to Hip Hop to British punk to Rastafarian gangja smoking, these youths represent a disaffection with the global free market culture and yet (ironically) have been influenced by it. Seen as subversives, they had long complained of being targets of law enforcement. Now that one of their own has died in a questionable police shooting, the reaction for the past few days has been rage and flames in major cities all over Greece.

All of this over one police shooting. Gotta admit, even though its hard to encourage destructive blind rage, them Greek kids is bout' it.

Below is the riot, in pictures. Burnin' and lootin' tonite.



















More on the the riots:

Greece in Flames, Again.