Thousands of Greek youths protest Rice visit

Thousands of people massed in the streets of Athens on April 25 to protest an official visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The Greek Communist Party (KKE) and anti-globalization groups organized the protest.

Crowds attempted to break through a police barricade thrown up around the U.S. Embassy where Rice was meeting with Greek officials. As Greek riot police sprayed teargas, demonstrators defended themselves against random police attacks by hurling homemade gasoline bombs and throwing stones. (New York Times)

Most were youth and students who hailed the call of leftist parties, anti-war groups and mass organizations to protest Rice’s visit.

Streams of protestors marched under red flags and carried signs denouncing Rice and U.S. foreign policy objectives. Protestors chanted against the war in Iraq, the U.S. embargo against Cuba and potential sanctions against Iran for its development of a nuclear energy program.

A statement issued by the KKE described Secretary Rice as a “messenger of war” whose closed door meetings with the Greek Foreign Ministry would not be tolerated without protest.

The KKE shocked Greek police forces the day before the protests by unfurling a large banner reading “Condoleezza Rice Go Home” over the Athens Music Hall, across from the embassy.

The KKE and other groups feared that Rice’s visit was designed to earn support for U.S. threats against Iran. Costas Kazakos, a senior member of KKE, said that the protests were against “Rice who is here seeking allies for a new war against Iran.” (Reuters)

Stop the War, an anti-war group that earlier endorsed the demonstrations, issued a statement saying, “We will not let this war hawk visit Greece. We will fight to cancel the visit.” (Infoshop)

Many of the demonstrators remember the CIA-sponsored military dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974. That military junta, known as the “reign of colonels,” implemented a regime of torture, disappearance and murder against its political opponents--many of whom were communists.

While Greece has officially been a NATO ally for decades, the Greek people have consistently mounted struggles against U.S. imperialist aggressions in the Mediterranean region and around the world.

The youthful militants in Greece share much in common with their counterparts in France, where in April a two-month rebellion by French student groups, supported by the trade unions, brought down a French anti-youth law that would have allowed big corporations to exploit young workers and then fire them at will. Both France and Greece have youth unemployment rates that exceed 22 percent.

The writer is a Fight Imperialism-Stand Together (FIST) organizer in Washington, D.C. Email [email protected]