Friday 9 January 2009

Athens policeman gunned down

I have never had much respect for TimesOnline but this article here about the continuing violence in Greece made my opinion of them to drop even further, then prompted me to knock up this small post.

A policeman was shot and seriously injured in Athens early today as protesters sprayed automatic fire at officers guarding the Culture Ministry, prompting fears of renewed anarchist violence.
Do you see it? I know you do. "protesters sprayed automatic fire". What the hell do they mean by using the word protesters?

Someone shooting a police officer with an AK47 is not a protester. He is a bloody terrorist.

I suppose the fact that the policeman was only wounded makes the shooter a "peaceful protester".


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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, caught! Neat point that that speaks volumes.

Jeannine said...

It does indeed.

Voice of the People said...

I appreciate what you're saying but I fail to decipher the Times' political angle in using "protesters". Please help.

The Green Arrow said...

WB my friend. You are looking for something that is not there.

It just amazed me that a news-site could describe people letting rip with AK47s as just "protesters".

I also think it shows the way the press can play down events with words. Newspeak is a good to describe the article.

"The Titanic struck a large block of Ice".

"The Hindenburg Airship landed after a fire broke out"

Just playing with words like them.

Hope you are well.

Anonymous said...

GA on the way back from Greece in October, we spent a day in Patras waiting for the ferry, during that time gangs of Africans (it turned they were Somalis) repeatedly tried to infiltrate the dock area, the police turned them back several times with batons drawn , towards evening the gangs united and tried to enter by force of numbers, however police reinforcements chased them of, I asked a policeman who they were he said they were illegal Somali immigrants trying to stow away on ferries going to Italy, once there they would make their way to France and the UK, when I asked why they were not arrested and deported, he said two weeks ago they would have been, however the police were now forbidden to arrest them, so it would seem mass illegal immigration via the land rout is being steped up.


As for the media I have to agree with you GA they pretend to tell both sides of the story, however they emphasise the state-corporate version of the news, this is then 'balanced' by commentary that presents superficial or trivial counter-arguments that do not seriously challenge the official view, as for the hacks themselves they are simply media prostitutes.
Regards ed