Democracy comes to a Boil

Democracy was born in Greece in the 5th century BC.

As a result of the Greece financial difficulties and pressures by the EU to accept significant restraint measures, there have been demonstrations. The one in the week prior to our arrival ended in a small tear gassed riot.

Yesterday, there was another vote in Parliament, and so another set of demonstrations that had potential to turn into a riot. All week we've seen a significant police presence in the area; groups of riot police  and armoured buses strategically positioned just out of view from the Parliament building.

 Yesterday, that police presence increased to include the military. By late afternoon, a protest by one side started slowly in front of the parliament building, by evening all the streets were closed by police, and a large noisy march came through from another direction on another street. There were 1000s of people everywhere, some protesting but many were like ourselves, just curious, watching and waiting. This is what we saw and heard from the two sides.

Ourhotel was front and centre to all the activity. They had closed the protective covers on the windows, and all but one door. Hotel security warned us that things could escalate very quickly, and that they would close the hotel to all to protect the guest inside. The security personnel were on high alert. Shortly after dark, about 9:30, there was a panicked mass movement of people at the intersection 50 meters away, and the anxious security personnel gave us last call.

We could see that a molotov cocktail had been thrown into the intersection. It burned, but failed to flare up. It appeared the demonstration was turning into a riot, so we took refuge in the hotel.

In the end, that was the extent of the progression from demonstration to riot. It had been nipped in the bud, and an hour later, the demonstrators had dispersed and the streets reopened. Kudos go out to the people of Athens, the police, and of course, our hotel security.

Greek democracy had come to a boil, but fortunately just simmered under the Grecian sky.

Click here for the next story in this series:
http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2015/08/kudos-and-other-things-grecian.html