The violent crackdown on protesting seasonal firefighters at the Ministry of Climate Change & Civil Protection late on Thursday has triggered an outrage.
The “heroes” the government hails and is proud of in summer, loves to beat and teargas in autumn.
Riot police forces fired teargas in the corridors of the Ministry where the firefighters were holding a peaceful sit-in.
#εποχικοί #Πυροσβέστες χρειαζόμαστε ασθενοφόρα έχουν χτυπηθεί Πυροσβέστες από τα ΜΑΤ pic.twitter.com/ph2TKApCcK
— Εποχικοί Πυροσβέστες (@epoxpyrosvestes) October 31, 2024
They kept firing chemicals and sound flares on the streets, when the protesters run out.
Δολοφόνοι κατά #Εποχικών #Πυροσβεστών Πρωθυπουργέ αυτό είναι το ευχαριστώ σου. pic.twitter.com/0YHeAl0dXX
— Εποχικοί Πυροσβέστες (@epoxpyrosvestes) October 31, 2024
They beat them with batons and sent some of them to hospitals.
Να τα δει όλη η Ελλάδα. Έχει ξεκινήσει μια αηδιαστική προπαγάνδα από φιλοκυβερνητικα ψεύτικα προφίλ σχολιάζοντας κατά των Εποχικών Πυροσβεστών.
Είναι ντροπή σας, εμείς όποτε μας χρειαστήκατε ημασταν δίπλα σας.#Εποχικοι #Πυροσβέστες pic.twitter.com/hxT8xtxCCt
— Εποχικοί Πυροσβέστες (@epoxpyrosvestes) November 1, 2024
Seasonal firefighters, a total of 2,500, are hired for six months during the wildfires season ending on October 31 and are jobless again as of November 1. Some have been on this work modus for over 5 years. According to ANT1 TV, there are 4,000 vacancies that have to be fulfilled.
Yesterday, Thursday, hundreds of them gathered outside the ministry demanding permanent jobs or at least 12-month contracts and a meeting with minister Vassilis Kikilias who was allegedly too busy to meet them. He had promised them a meeting with a delegation next Wednesday.
At some point the protesters entered in the building, refused to leave and launched the sit-in. soon, riot police surrounded the ministry and ordered them to evacuate. They did not.
“We entered our house, we sat inside peacefully, until we could meet the Minister and they threw chemicals at us. They threw tear gas inside a closed space, in a dangerous space, with glasses, with glass windows with stairs, they threw chemicals,” the president of the seasonal firefighters told media.
“They beat colleagues, they beat journalists. Some will spend the night in the detention center. Many thanks to our Minister. This is the thank you to us.”
Οι #Εποχικοι #Πυροσβεστες αύριο πρωί μένουν άνεργοι και μπήκαν στο Υπουργείο για να διαμαρτυρηθούν.
«Μπήκαμε στο σπίτι μας, καθίσαμε μέσα ειρηνικά, μέχρι να δούμε τον Υπουργό και μας ρίξαν χημικά» «Ρίξαν δακρυγόνα μέσα σε κλειστό χώρο, σε επικίνδυνο χώρο, με γυαλιά, με τζάμια με… pic.twitter.com/X6JiAnbTJC
— Chris Avramidis (@chris_avramidis) November 1, 2024
The violent crackdown triggered an outcry on social media and sparked stormy reactions from opposition parties. MPs from SYRIZA, PASOK, KKE, Course of Freedom, New Left and Greek Solution reportedly spoke of “abusive, excessive and unjustified use of violence” and expressed their full support for the struggle of the seasonal firefighters. they called on the government to accept their just demands and a full report of the protest crackdown incident on Thursday.
In a statement, the Greek Police justified its violence saying that they were first attacked by the firefighters. 12 police officers have been injured, the statement added.
Συγκλονιστικές φωτο από τον Γιάννη Κέμμο. Ο πυροσβέστης χτυπημένος στο κεφάλι από τα ΜΑΤ και οι συνάδελφοί του να προσπαθούν να τον επαναφέρουν. pic.twitter.com/eRliPS0YNj
— Stelios nikitopoulos (@stenikito) October 31, 2024
Two firefighters were submitted to hospital, one with head injuries caused by a baton.
Four people have been detained: three protesters and one journalist who was covering the incidents and who reportedly also became victim of a brutal police attack.
Απαράδεκτοι. Εριξαν χημικά σε κλειστό χώρο, χτύπησαν με κλομπ στο κεφάλι γυναίκες και άντρες που κάθε χρόνο σβήνουν τις φωτιές και παίζουν κορώνα-γράμματα τη ζωή τους. Πέταξαν κρότου-λάμψης και φυσικά δεν έφεραν διακριτικά.
Και μέσα σε όλα αυτά συνέλαβαν και τον συνάδελφό μου Γ.… pic.twitter.com/ShfqD8oRv7— Emanuel Kypreos (@EmanuelKypreos) November 1, 2024
According to government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis “it was a minority of seasonal firefighters who started rioting, a provocation. They broke the entrance door and threw items to police officers. the officers’ duty is to apply the Law. We won’t be Uganda.”
The seasonal firefighters gathered again outside the Parliament in downtown Athens on Friday morning. So far the protest has been running peacefully.
It is not the first time the government goes violently against protesting firefighters. In 2017 it was left-wing SYRIZA government, in 2021 it was again the conservative New Democracy.
And it probably won’t be the last one.
It’s exactly these violent crackdowns that are making the country into ‘Uganda’ in the eyes of the rest of the civilised world. Disgusting, disrespectful behavior.
What the hell is wrong in this country??? Anybody using the brain they have in their f*cked up heads??? Disgusting!!!