victims of police tear gas attack (below), and fires started by protesters (above), choke the citizens of Athens as riots grip the city
Athens on Fire: Photographs and text by Panos Skoulidas Athens, Greece December 7, 2009
a YEAR AGO FROM TODAY…POLICE SHOT AND KILLED A 15 YEAR OLD KID…
point blank..
His name was ALEXIS…15 year old…
Last year was on fire for a whole month…
A year later…in his memory..
All schools are closed..Thousands of students protesting in the middle of Athens..
The “Kratos”…the state … ( GOVERNMENT )named all those students as “ANARCHISTS”…
900 ARE DETAINED SINCE YESTERDAY…
i was briefly detained two nights ago… but my American citizenship helped me out..
The police ( ordered by the Greek government )…are out of control…
THEY VIOLATE EVERY HUMAN RIGHT POSSIBLE…
let me explain:..They stop you in the middle of the street…ask for id or passport..
if you do not have one you get arrested..
if you are an immigrant..you are jailed for 3 months at least…
Greek police with no authorization .
interrogates, harasses and jails “illegal” immigrants…
If you are a student , poor…or look “weird” you are immediately detained and charged as a terrorist..
All that because Greece is close to bankruptcy…
Despair,high rates of unemployment… corrupted politicians…
dirty church leaders…etc..
If you dare to protest….then you go to jail…
you are a terrorist…
Greece is the only European country that still send to jail drug users…
The only country in the western world that fails to understand that drug use is a disease and not a crime..
What a shame for the country that gave birth to Socrates and invented Democracy..
shame…
Panos Skoulidas
(editor’s note: the above photo and caption provided by Skoulidas and is considered an editorial..few facts on this are known by Burn at the moment of publication..dah)
Associated Press report:http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091206/athens_riots_091206/20091206?hub=World
From Panos: “All that because Greece is close to bankruptcy…
Despair,high rates of unemployment… corrupted politicians…”
From BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8400773.stm
its a single photo..not an essay…i was as “close” as a 28mm can go..
second..when i posted the link on “cutouts”..i clearly stated that
i will avoid the typical boring pj cliche “cop hits kid with a button”
classic crap…now im called out to show some blood…
sorry folks.. use your imagination for that or go here:
CLOSE/BORING/CLICHE…
http://www.slide.com/r/yC-52ywt6j-Vgq1beyjGKU7vPCd5iTsZ?previous_view=TICKER&previous_action=TICKER_ITEM_CLICK&ciid=3458764514218021376
Panos close is when you clutch the policeman’s balls and click the shutter
Michael..
once again..u nailed it..
exactly… thats whats going on here in grecolandia.
DESPERATION… anything can spark a fire…
anything………….
the funny thing about protests, there is always a bit of fun to have amidst all the mayhem
———————————
That’s the great thing about youthfulness… And hope too.
Panos, as I wrote you, come take a rest in Thailand this winter. Maybe there will be demos too (yellow shirts vs red shirts), but they don’t check Ids there, or arrest you… No, no fear about that…. They just shoot you in the back from afar (the plainclothes cops that is, or someone)…
I think every PJ there has a bullet proof vest to work in (Nacthwey too!), or stays home.
Well, anyway, you are invited! :-)
I enjoy the slideshow from innerspacecowboy. No judgement, I will put myself in your shoes before I do so!
Panos close is when you clutch the policeman’s balls and click the shutter
———————————————————————–
laughing hysterically…..
closer than that is being a tattoo on the cops ass..
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Haik,
I have a feeling Panos is not in tune enough with street demos strategies, that he is too much part of the crowd to show the strong moments in an explicit way. How they build up, where the clashes will take place. Being at the right spot a the right time (and that is usually a mere 1 or 2 minutes long), when violence erupts.
It takes anticipation and proper pre-positioning, all in a very unstable environment. Not easy. But somehow almost all street demos follow the same pattern. It is mostly a quite codified confrontation. What makes it dangerous is the ‘mostly’. Sometimes the pattern is altered a bit and you can get in trouble. And sometimes it really gets out of hand.
Mind you, being in the right place a the right time takes luck also…
How much closer? Something like this: http://johnvink.com/photo.php?z=VIJ2009003H0455,160,2
Herve..
as u very well said..
just a/my TESTIMONY..
fuck the truth..
we got BBC for that..
we are just lost “artists”…
( although my 784 fellow greek students are still detained .. and thats not just the “truth” but simply a “reality”..)
Panos, the main thing is you are there and it’s happening. Keep shooting and posting.
Panos,
A “cop hits kid with a button” photograph may be a cliché (although: how can violence become a cliché?) when taken on its own, and would have been one if you had posted only that on Burn. I can agree with that, and agree it is interesting to show something else. But in the slideshow it is another matter. I sincerely feel you’re too much ‘in’ the crowd to makes us feel what it is like.
John..:)
of course ..absolutely…i totally feel you are sincere on the subject..
i also know u r a famous magnum photog and all that..
its funny though that the way way u think and shoot is exactly the opposite of
the way i think , see, live and breath..
but i cant help it…
once again the conversation “loose vs tight” comes to my mind..
old school vs “light”…etc…
and John u talk and think too “tight” for my “loose”..”loose” brain…
big hug
respect and love…
nothing wrong with that but if you are the “day” then i totally represent the “night” my friend..
and there is nothing wrong with that..
two different poles..
peace
i still like #18 … :))
P
that 1st shot:
the beauty…
in
the
beast……
take care of yourself….
you are close enough….
keep writing!!!!
your words are strong too…
xox
***
Panos,
You can take away the “famous”. It is a very relative concept anyhow…
Loose against tight maybe, but I don’t agree on the old school vs “light”. Old school is not necessarily “heavy” or “not light”.
YOUNG TOM…
yes, #18 is the best single photograph of the bunch…just thought i would save that for the Greek essay coming up…since it is not a newsy photograph and can work in a larger context, i made that decision…didn’t figure i could publish it twice…
New York Times article re: Athens
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/07/world/AP-EU-Greece-Riots-Anniversary.html?_r=1
One photo was posted in the “Pictures of the Day: Monday, December 7.” It is #7
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/
Panos,
I can only imagine what it must have been like in the middle of the melee. Is this the first real ‘combat’ zone you have shot? Where you thinking about getting the “shot” or were you in the middle trying to figure out how to stay safe? I know when I was caught in a street battle between rival gangs in Thailand all I wanted to do was get out of there, and no pics to show for it. As for what is happening on the ground, I think this scenario could happen anywhere, civil rights and liberties have been severely restricted since 9/11 without most paying any attention. What do you do when your government is corrupt, when democracy fails, when the police motto “to serve and protect the people” becomes protect and serve those in power. What do you do when you’ve done everything they told you to do and you still end up broke, unemployed and in debt. What do you do when the rich get richer, the poor get poorer and politicians protect themselves and leave a country in ruin. What do you do? ….You take photos.
Thanks Panos,
Frank
David, no explanation necessary of course but that makes total sense and thanks for relating. :)) There are editors, and then there are editors.
Amnesty International has accused Greek police of serious rights violations and called on the government to set up an inquiry into “systemic problems”.
from BBC..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7971577.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8396693.stm
Thank u Patricia for the NY Times article..
They also confirm the 784 detainees and the 136 arrests..
784..
784 detained…
( viva greek police and state of desperation..)
:((((((((((((((((((((
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/07/world/AP-EU-Greece-Riots-Anniversary.html?_r=2
Panos…
First off, congrats for bringing this issue to the front page of Burn and therefore to the attention of thousands around the world who would probably not have known about it if not for you.
But,
a)
I have to disagree with your statement <>
For me the picture of a bunch of riot cops kicking a “kid” face down on the ground is a more clear depiction of what’s way wrong in Greece at the moment that tear-gassed people. As you already know, tear gas is in everyday use by the riot police in Greece no matter if there is call for it or not. Hell, I’ve been tear-gassed a dozen times and I can tell you that in none of those times there was a legitimate cause for the use of it—no riot at hand, no desperate need for crowd control, no nothing… it’s just the norm in Athens… chemical warfare by the police against the citizens it supposed to protect and serve.
b)
the greek police is known to keep taps and lengthy files on anyone who participates in demonstrations—especially the ones around Polytechnio and the US embassy. That’s probably the reason most of the faces in the pictures in the link you posted yesterday (the ones taken by greek pj’s) were blurred out.
Just a couple thoughts… didn’t have the time to go through all the comments yet… I’ll be in the darkroom all day today and won’t follow the discussion here until late at night.
Something when wrong there… you statement I was referring to is:
…i will avoid the typical boring pj cliche “cop hits kid with a button” classic crap…
Thodoris…:)
i see what u r saying..
People believe that if u participate in a demo in athens..
u better be an anarchist…
In other words …as u can see in my first photo “innocent by passers” were gased too..
i wasnt trying to show police brutality..
i was more focused on the aspect that people could get caught into the battlefield accidentally..
suffer & suffocate without even protesting or anything..
i was one of those “innocent civilians” myself..
i hate to say it..
but i wasnt there to either participate or photograph the event…im not a hero..
im not Nachtwey either..i got cought by accident..
Athens on fire is the title..
not police brutality…
This is the point that John Vink and most viewers didnt get..
Im happy though that at least DAH got it..
thats why no pictures of cop brutality or faces of anarchists…
i just photographed once again MYSELF getting in the middle of shit…
big hug
…THE TITLE should probably be: “I GOT COUGHT IN THE MIDDLE”
…..honestly i was photographing myself in the middle of another bullshit…
i wasnt there to overthrow/depict the government, i wasnt there to show police brutality..
i dont work for Amnesty…i wasnt there to throw stones..
i wasnt there to snitch on the kids ( anarchists ???!!) either…
i was there sort of an accident..
I just TOOK SIDES in the middle of the event… me unable to breath ,suffocating etc..
helped me choose which way to go…
again my photos were “self portraits”
big hug
“…First off, congrats for bringing this issue to the front page of Burn and therefore to the attention of thousands around the world who would probably not have known about it if not for you…”
ahhh Thodoris.. thank u.. but i dont deserve this kind of credit…
as i explained above i was just doing self portraits…next u know i got trapped…
next-ext thing u know..i couldnt get out…
im like the old lady here( thats how brave i was..;)
http://picasaweb.google.com/innerspacecowpanos/TIF18?authkey=Gv1sRgCP2vg7qtn8b78QE#slideshow/5412560570923721058
Frank Michael Hack
Where you thinking about getting the “shot” or were you in the middle trying to figure out how to stay safe?
———————————————
pretty much yes…
Frank , thank you..
i second all that you wrote above…
people lose their liberties more and more each day..
and nobody seems to care..
sad..
( we entered the times of the “couch revolution” )
Panos:
damn, I came late to the show…
glad to see of-the-moment pics here…
didnt really understand the tear-gas controversy as I just read through the thread..(the top pic is definitely not tear gas, the bottom pic shows protestors who’d been gased), i guess i missed the sequences of events/pictures that stirred that up yesterday…i agree, when shoot spot-news, or any kind of journalistic work, accuracy is paramount, it’s all we have, our word and the ‘word’ of the image……but, looking at it now, seems like the captions are accurate….if they were not yesterday, i can see in the madness of the moment how they might have been misconstrued… but that’s what fact checking does…news is also team work: photographer/editor/reporter…
it looks fine now…
most importantly, you’re on the ground and there and please stay safe Panos and keep in close, u r there for a reason, to get it…seems like they followed u from Venice! ;))….
get those cops balls in your shutter clutch, indeed..that will be close and nostalgic! ;)))
stay afire, but aware Panos!
seems like they followed u from Venice! ;))….
————————————————-
laughing..
Bobus..im afraid u r once again right!!!! trouble follows me everywhere..
I was just going for a coffee… and suddenly , god nachtwey or god Aris ( greek god of war )
appeared in front of me…
karmic , no???( who knows what the hell was i doing in my previous life????..:)
Yesterday i was criticized that i took the side of the protesters..
no, no, no…i tried to stand in the middle and stay out..i just couldnt go anywhere though..
( at least for a while )..
see here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/innerspacecowpanos/TIF18?authkey=Gv1sRgCP2vg7qtn8b78QE#slideshow/5412559592287629186
and here is my partner in crime…:)))))
laughing…
http://picasaweb.google.com/innerspacecowpanos/TIF18?authkey=Gv1sRgCP2vg7qtn8b78QE#slideshow/5412560570923721058
panos :)))
you’ve got good karma, believe it or not, as i told you :)))…u weren’t detained this time ;)))
i watched the whole sequence of your pics just now…it’s good stuff, and i see the whole thing unfold, from the pics of old folks to you standing close-close to the riot police (that’s pretty close :)) ), to the madness that ensued….i’ve always like spot-news stuff that shows me the whole damn thing…
it’s frantic stuff, watching it unfold…im beginning to believe Venice is inside you :)))))))))))
stay safe brother….glad u got this stuff here so quick…even if u guys had to scramble yesterday….i’ve been there in my past life (newsroom), and it’s always madness…dont sweat it, just keep digging…
running
hugs
b
thank u bob..
yes , for a non news guy like me..it was pretty quick delivery..
i’ll take that..:)
big hug
BOB..
i can testify that cops do indeed follow Panos wherever he goes…and i have said this before and i will say it again, Panos gets stuff to me fast and in good order….i wish everyone would/could do the same…since we do have here photographers all over the world, it might be interesting to see if others follow….i will publish here on Burn any relevant event that our photographers shoot….yes, yes, attribution of facts and accuracy of photo reporting are paramount for this type of work…we did have a bit of a breaking news scramble yesterday, but it was fun for all of us and all comments constructive and helpful….
ok..
i found a new career..
im calling James Nachtwey & Jim Powers right now..
Im gonna be shooting cops, protests and wars from now on..
next stop for a coffee..???
hmmm , palestine…or israel…
PANOS…
FYI, it was Jim Powers who skyped me right in the middle of the whole thing and suggested i get your story on top for at least the next few hours….he was a damn good news editor….he and i were chatting by skype as i was posting your work…
I spent sometime in `90′s living in several Anarchist squats in Athens. I heard many stories from my friends of random arrests, torture and general corruption from the police. Apparently the worst ones at the time were from the motorcycle cops. I agree with John. You need to get ‘closer to your subjects’ to make your photos more compelling. And I don’t mean bright and tight. What I mean is more emotional. But make sure you do it your own way. Look forward to seeing more soon! Be safe okay?
DAVID :))))
i think panos WAS a cop in a former life ;)))
as i’ve said to u in private and in public, panos is many things but he always delivers the goods, and fast. in a moment like this, that’s a key. since i miss the whole thing unfolding yesterday/last night (finalizing a wrting think that was 6 months late), i only saw this today, and it all looks fine…even if there were bumps experienced, that’s the nature of the biz…i’ve seen the Times get stuff wrong the 1st go around too, that’s just life, aint nothing wrong, that it was properly captioned is testatment to how the 2 of you worked quickly…what i also like too (not found in spot news stuff) is the sequence he supplied (an advantage of the web) which shows us the sequence of events…
and i feel for u, about all those not getting pics and stuff to u on time…i remember those days too of trying to get people to get stuff to us in time and as promised….generally speaking, i dont like leaving things unfinished/unsent etc…so i understand that…
good for both of u….:))))
now i want to see one of Panos up-close stories on both a person from this riot and a cop! :)))
cheers
running
b
David..
i know i told u that in person ..but i also wanna make it public…
total respect for Jim and all his contributions/experience…
Nothing wrong with “tell it like it is”..or “tell it like u believe it is”..
one thing for sure..Jim is honest…a man of his word..
and has no fear..( PLUS sense of humor )
WHAT NOT TO LIKE?
Bob…hmmm
actually thats not a bad idea…
scratching head..
BOB…
Panos as a cop? yea, probably..under deep deep cover….
Panos as a deep cover cop? If his cover got any deeper, he’d be in China.
vice or DEA? yeah DEA, I don’t think he has the legs for vice …
Panos – Mostly, stay safe. Although I would not call good photojournalism “cliche,” you have captured it in a different way and what you have done does tell a story – it takes a little more study to comprehend that story but it comes through with impact.
MR P
looking good …. stay safe ….hugz and cheers vivek
John V..:)
agreed ..removing the word “famous”…sounds too LA for someone like u..
big hug
Brennan..
gotcha..big hug also..
Akaky..:)
changing my name and heading china..
Young..
i dont have the legs, ha….!!
(ok..i dont ..:()
Frost…:)
i forgot to thank u the other day when u posted your “accident” story and offered a new perspective..
thanks again..
Vivek…
im still scheming to make it to India…
stay strong.
ALL..
leaving athens today, once again…
seeking for a break…and CLEANER AIR..
10TH DAY OF THE MUNICIPAL WORKERS ON STRIKE..
THE PILE OF GARBAGE IS UP TO THE 3RD FLOOR..
IT IS EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY HERE..
I WILL POST something later on tonight…when i make it to the old city of Amvrakia..
Going West today…360 km from athens..north west..
big storm is coming and im determined to greet it..
Greyhound awaits… i will meet u again in a few hours..
6 hour trip..
stay safe and shoot more..
keep the fire on..
big hug brothers and sisters…
Civi…i’ll be in Amvrakia around 5pm..
meet me in the station..
:))))))))
ahhhhh… breaking newa ..Again..:((
in about an hour from now the OLDER GENERATIONS of athens are about to protest…
people 70 years old and up… the state is trying to lower their social security wages plus..
plus raise the age of their eligibility to retire..
So now the retirees are ready to protest..
should i leave?
should i stay or should i go?????
Damn , All…Civi…what do u think?
Get that old leica out they won’t be phased by your digital shit
Running to catch up with the Retirees…
who said they are slow???
see y’all later on tonight…one more night in the city of mustaches…
Running..
PANOS…again bad weather going West…
I have a friend …coming this way…waiting for you…
email-me …civilianma …@…yahooo….com
let me know…unsafe road conditions…let me know the soonest as NOW
Panos — I’d stay, talk about non-cliche protest pictures. :)