Pensioner's Death Sparks Clashes in Athens

[marmar]

from Der Spiegel:



Violent protests have erupted in Athens following the public suicide of a 77-year-old retired man. A note he left behind accused the Greek government of impoverishing him with its debt crisis austerity measures, a message that resonated with demonstrators. Many are blaming the state for his death.

The public suicide of an indebted pensioner in Athens on Wednesday has touched a nerve in the Greek capital, sparking violent clashes with police.

The 77-year-old retired pharmacist shot himself in the head during the morning rush-hour near the central Syntagma Square, police said on Wednesday. In a note found in his clothing, the man reportedly blamed the debt crisis and austerity measures for his suicide. After paying into his pension for 35 years, the government had rendered it too small to survive, he said in the message, published by local media. "I find no other solution than a dignified end before I start searching through the trash for food," it read.

The square where the incident occurred, just opposite the parliament building, has already been the site of frequent protests during Greece's debt crisis, and people gathered once again on Wednesday to mourn the unnamed pensioner's death. The death is the latest in a growing number of suicides in Greece, a country grappling with dramatic financial troubles that have led to high unemployment, lower wages and shrinking pension payments. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,825957,00.html

[xchrom]

1. BBC News - Greek clashes after pensioner suicide 2012

[SammyWinstonJack]

2. What the repugs have in mind for the majority of us.

[socialist_n_TN]

3. Only because the Republicans are the most OVERT...........

backers of the system. This is what CAPITALISM wants for the majority of us. Google "the reserve army of labor". When most of us are fighting over scraps and dumpster diving, the capitalists don't have to worry about finding compliant workers.

It's an EVIL system.