Tuesday, February 08, 2011

THINGS THAT GO BOOM IN GREECE AND MORE

Greece is one of those States that are jumpin'. The people of Greece are so pissed off about so many things, I just can't keep up.  Sometimes they blow things up, sometimes they just battle police in the streets, and the other day they even took over toll booths.  


The first article below is from ekanthimerini, as is the second..  The third is from TVNZ.






Guerrilla group claims ministry letter bomb 

 Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire said it sent package in solidarity with members facing trial 

 A letter bomb sent to the Justice Ministry offices last week was destroyed in a controlled explosion before it could go off and so caused no damage or injuries
The urban guerrilla group, Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire, on Sunday claimed responsibility for a letter bomb that was sent to the Justice Ministry in Athens last Wednesday but destroyed by police before it could go off.


The group, which also claimed responsibility for a powerful explosion at an Athens court building in late December as well as a wave of parcel bombs sent to embassies in Athens in November, said its latest initiative was intended to express support for some of its suspected members who are currently facing trial.


“To show our solidarity with the battle of the imprisoned members of Conspiracy of Fire Cells and to our worthy brothers, we sent a letter bomb to Justice Minister Haris Kastanidis,” the group said in a written proclamation published on the Greek version of the anti-capitalist news network Indymedia. The statement reproached Kastanidis for refusing to satisfy the demands of defendants for the minutes of the trial to be tape-recorded (a procedure that was foregone to save money).


The statement also condemned the minister for claiming that last Wednesday’s letter bomb had contained enough explosives to kill him, noting that the “precautionary measures” were the same as those taken in the letter bombs used in November.
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Protesters occupy toll stations

 Demonstrators want contracts of road management firms to be revoked

 A protester holds up two placards reading 'Free roads' and 'We won't pay' in front of a toll station on the outskirts of Athens on Sunday
Hundreds of protesters gathered at toll stations across the country on Sunday, forcing open barriers and allowing motorists to pass through without paying.


The protests, which peaked between noon and 3 p.m., are part of a broader initiative by citizens who are refusing to pay road tolls or purchase public transport tickets.


A spokesperson for the crowd that gathered at the Afidnes toll station, north of Athens, said that demonstrators did not simply object to the increase in toll charges but that they demanded the revocation of the contracts signed between the government and the consortia who are to manage the country’s national roads. “We pay higher taxes on fuel and road tax for maintenance works. We are not going to pay through the nose for toll charges too,” said Stratis Loupatatzis.


Last week Justice Minister Haris Kastanidis provoked vehement protests from opposition parties after suggesting that the government should show some “understanding” for a growing number of citizens’ movements that have united under the “I won’t pay” banner. “Laws must be enforced,” he said. “But there has to be a balance between the strict enforcement of a court decision and social reality.”
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Greek police clash with residents over landfill

Published: 8:34AM Wednesday February 09, 2011 Source: Reuters
  • Greek police clash with residents over landfill (Source: Reuters)
    The Acropolis - Source: Reuters
Greek police have clashed with residents protesting against the planned construction of a landfill dump close to an archaeological site near Athens, officials said.
Police fired several rounds of teargas at residents and hooded youths in the town of Keratea, who hurled petrol bombs and stones at them.
"Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Keratea, both residents and anarchists. Police are firing teargas to disperse them," said a police official who declined to be named.
Four protesters were slightly injured and about five cars damaged, and more police were expected to reach Keratea later in the evening, the official said.
Residents have clashed with police several times over the planned waste dump. In December, a local court ruled that the project should be suspended temporarily, but residents say police are still guarding the area.
Greece has been fined in the past for failing to meet EU targets for waste management.

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