The Prime Minister changed his narrative this time about the protest against the Greece-FYROM Prespa Agreement. Now the story is that all who participated were not from the far right, but it was they who set the tone of the demonstration.
Even if that were true, nothing justifies the injury of dozens of protesters or the fact that the tear gas that was used targeted the crowd indiscriminately. Such tactics are simply a display of authoritarianism.
The extreme elements referred to in the statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office were indeed present, but they were only a few dozen. That in no way justifies the extent of the reaction by police.
If the police are unable to isolate a small number of troublemakers, either they are incompetent or they are executing instructions unrelated to maintaining order issued by their superiors.
Responsibility must be attributed at the political level for the excessive use of tear gas and injuries.
Instead of issuing statements to justify police violence, the government should account for what occurred and apologise to the demonstrators who gathered in Syntagma Square for a peaceful protest. It should also remember what it was saying about such incidents when SYRIZA was in the opposition.
That is the least that the government has a responsibility to do.
