Opposition parties SYRIZa and MeRA 25 are at war of words with the Ministry of Civil Protection that justified the firing of tear gas against people waiting for the verdict of neo-nazi Golden Dawn outside the Appeals court on Wednesday. In a tweet Civil Protection Minister, Michalis Chysochoidis stated that “600 people hurled 150 Molotov Cocktail bombs, stones and other items and damaged 10 police cars.”
Σήμερα βγήκε μια ιστορική απόφαση που χτίζει τη Δημοκρατία. Από τις 20.000 που χειροκροτούσαν έξω από το Εφετείο, 600 την υποδέχθηκαν με 150 μολότωφ, πέτρες και φθορές σε 10 αυτοκίνητα της Αστυνομίας. (1/2)
— Μιχάλης Χρυσοχοΐδης (@chrisochoidis) October 7, 2020
He wrote further that “police used water cannons to repel the attack and when this measure did not work, tear gas was fired.” And ultimately, that police continued throwing water at the people, with the noble aim “in order to reduce the effects of the chemicals on the gathered crowd that was leaving.”
Apparently the Minister, who was not even at the spot, was the only one who saw the “150 fire bombs.” Everybody else saw the police water cannon throwing water to the cheering crowd right after the announcement of the verdict.
72 δευτερόλεπτα τα έχουν όλα.
Η ΧΑ είναι εγκληματική οργάνωση.
Η αντίδραση του κόσμου.
Η αντίδραση της αστυνομίας.
pic.twitter.com/wi24QrqbSL— Themis Kessaris (@Kessaris_) October 7, 2020
But the Minister is possibly not aware that nowadays people shoot footage and post it live on social media.
Even media close to the government posted several document-videos saying that Chrysochoidis’ claims have no evidence.
Indeed, as media in.gr notes “the tear gas was fired first, then the water cannon was used.”
The incident occurred just a few minutes after the verdict was announced and the crowd cheered.
As if this was not enough and without any provocation on th epart of the protesters, police went with batons against a group of people trying to protect themselves from the tear gas.
SYRIZA and MeRA25 accused the leadership of the Ministry of Civil Protection that the police forces broke apart a completely democratic and peaceful protest and responded with a disproportionate show of force due to some provocateurs.
Left without any other convincing justification, Minister Chrysochoidis announced today that “New Democracy has fired much less tear gas in the 14 months in power than the SYRIZA government in the first 7 months of 2019.” The Minister accused his critics that they “cannot stand a serious, democratic police,” and stated also “we work so that we will not need to fire tear gas in the near future.”
Σε 7 μήνες ΣΥΡΙΖΑ 2.135. Σε διπλάσιο διάστημα ΝΔ, τρεις φορές λιγότερα χημικά. Και κουνάνε το δάκτυλο και λένε ψέματα και γράφουν ψέματα! Γιατί δεν μπορούν να αντέξουν μια σοβαρή, δημοκρατική αστυνομία! Γιατί εμείς δουλεύουμε, ώστε σε σύντομο μέλλον, να μην χρειάζονται χημικά!
— Μιχάλης Χρυσοχοΐδης (@chrisochoidis) October 8, 2020
PS This kindergarten argumentation reminds me of the times we were competing in summer months about the number of eaten ice creams and swims. We usually stopped this silly competition at the age of 7 or 8.
