‘Why do I deserve to finish up my work shift in a hospital?’
He is one of those police officers in khaki uniforms who fight with hooded anarchists on the sidelines of demonstrations. These police officers’ voices are rarely heard, but one of them, who is 27, decided to talk to Kathimerini. For obvious reasons, his name cannot be given. What is your opinion of the recent demonstrations over the education law? The incidents that have marred the protests seem to me a primitive way to react. But after talking to friends of mine who are students, I put myself in their place and wonder whether it might be frustration that makes them act the way they do. On the other hand let me ask this: Why do I deserve to finish up my work shift in a hospital? My sister is a student and I have talked to her and other students. Many say they don’t want the sit-in protests, but when I ask them if they go and vote at student meetings they say no. As I see it, it is as if the minority is deciding. Minorities are also those creating incidents in the protests, people who might not have anything to do with the students demonstrating. So who are these anonymous people? From our experience of these incidents, I have reached the conclusion that there are two groups. Foremost there are the professionals, who are older and seen as the instigators. We never see them in the marches when incidents take place, but they always come to the peaceful marches, perhaps to avoid the likelihood of arrest. They know what they are doing and leave nothing to chance. It is as if someone is protecting them. What do you mean? I can’t say exactly who, but I’ll give you an example. In an operation in Exarchia after an attack on one of our platoons, reinforcements were called in, the area was immediately closed off and everyone who had taken part in the incidents was trapped. While we were waiting for the police van to come and pick them up, we were ordered to leave without doing anything. What is the second category? These are the young kids who usually create all the trouble. The-17-18 year-olds are the most reckless. They come and go as if they are doing it just for the fun. At first, when I first joined this service, I thought they might be doing it for ideological reasons. Now I don’t think so. Sometimes I feel sorry for these kids because they live in Athens and don’t have the opportunity to let off steam in any other way. How do you approach each incident? Are you scared? Is it dangerous? The first few times I was faced with these situations I was worried. Now I might be anxious before they begin, as to how they will start. But as soon as they do there is no time to think. Over time it becomes routine. We see the services the previous day, and they tell us where we are to be. We just go in, we know we might get Molotov cocktails thrown at us, stones or flares, but we just get on with it and hope that we won’t end up in hospital. Have you ever been injured in an attack? Not seriously. Just minor injuries. Once I was terrified when a flare skimmed passed me; it had been shot from just 2 meters away and I had raised the visor on my helmet. Colleagues have been hit; I have put out a fire from a Molotov that struck one of them. Often we know our deployment orders are wrong, but orders are orders. How did you get into this service? I wanted to come; I thought it I would have something to offer. The reality is quite different and recently the situation has become worse. We are continually out on the streets with these repeated demonstrations. People’s reactions also bother me. They don’t see us as people but like machines with helmets. For example, at the anti-war rally they yelled out that we were for the war. How can they say that about me? They don’t know me and they don’t realize that I am there to do a job, to try to keep the march peaceful. There are people, though, who support us. How do incidents start? It depends. In some demonstrations the demonstrators come up to the barrier and say: «As soon as the cameras arrive we’ll push you a bit and then we’ll leave.» The ones wearing hoods usually start with an attack that we are called in to break up. There are demonstrations by workers or pensioners where hope nothing happens. It isn’t easy to push someone who could be your father, particularly when you think that their demands are just. The farmers’ demonstrators in Thessaly are also difficult. Eighty percent of my colleagues are from there and have to confront people whose claims they support.
