Table of Contents
Preface
Demonstrations
Nationwide Solidarity Protests
Anniversary Riots
Preface
Greece has had a corruption problem since the end of the military dictatorship in 1974. In 2008, with the financial crisis coming to a head, the government published its real debt, which was in the hundreds of billions. Greece lost many trading partners, and the economy went into a steep decline. 15-year-old anarchist Alexandros Grigoropoulos was verbally abused with his friends by police and then shot in the chest, where he would be pronounced dead in a nearby hospital.
Demonstrations
The country quickly descended into a period of mass rioting and looting in the capital, Athens. Solidarity protests occurred all around the world in at least 20 cities, and across the country as well. The police quickly lost most control over the city and were beaten back by the thousands of civilians on the streets protesting the regime. To this day, annual solidarity protests for Grigoropoulos end with violent clashes between anarchists and state security forces. The riots began on the first day of the shooting, the 6th of December.
The map above displays the centers of rioting in Athens as well as areas of major property damage.
Beyond videos, there is a vast gallery of images from the 2008 Greek Riots. Many civilians liked to take photos and then post them at the time.
Nationwide Solidarity Protests
Solidarity protests occurred all around the world, but were not well documented. In Thessaloniki and Heraklion however the media and civilians did document what they did.
Anniversary Riots
Anniversary riots are quite frequent and well documented, as many Greeks still harbor hatred for the state, the police, and the general status quo of things that has led to mass unemployment after the austerity era began, as ordered by the European Union.