Conflict in Greece

This single photograph  reveals a political crisis, which has existed in Greece over the past few years and has created a great deal of suffering in that society.  This photo documents the relationship between those individuals who are working for the government, and those that are against it.  When words have lost all of their power, and agreements cannot be made, we sometimes find ourselves in violent situations, such as this one. The main theme that seems to encompass this photo is fear. Not only is fear projected through the man on the ground or the people lining the streets, but also it is seen within the two policemen.  If the policemen were not fearful of losing their position or disappointing their superiors in government, they wouldn’t have lashed out in a violent manner we see in this photograph.

             The close proximity of the two policemen to the victim shows a very aggressive conflict.  It is clear that this is not a controlled encounter; the policeman definitely wants to injure this man and prove something to him.  The Greek government has become so dysfunctional that fear and violence has not only corrupted Greek culture, but the lives of the Greek people as well.  The witnesses in the background are soaking up everything that is going on as these tragic events unfold.

            Essentially there are four separate influences that are captured by the photographer in this single photo. The first influence is that of the fallen protester. He is captured in a prone and defenseless position. He has tried to rebel against authority and has clearly lost today's battle. We realize he is passionate about his opposition, but he has been overcome by the military police. The second influence is the police officers themselves. They have moved far beyond simple law enforcement or crowd control. The photographer has captured the precise moment when one of the officers is about to kick the protester in the head and cause serious harm. This reveals that this protest has escalated far beyond a typical political demonstration to a potential riot in which the police themselves have lost control. Nonetheless the photo has also captured the fact that there are only two policemen, but perhaps one hundred Greek citizens in the frame.

            The third influence is represented by the protester with the red flag in the middle ground of the photo. He is far more involved than the general crowd, but he is not yet physically interacting with the police. Finally, we see the general population of Greece represented by the crowd in the background. Although they seem passive and many have their hands in their pockets, we can also see the expressions on their faces. The photographer has captured the people bearing witness to the violence and insanity unfolding on the streets of their community. This is not an image of the conduct of a single or random protester. Rather, the photograph reflects the terror in the streets of Greece and the immediate reactions of the people to these events.

             We can suspect that many of those in the crowd will soon be holding those red flags like the man running between the fallen protester and the crowd. His physical location between the police and the crowd suggests that he is a transitional figure. The aspect of the photo that I find most interesting is that it captures people who are at each level of involvement; the injured demonstrator, the violent police, the active flag bearer, and the horrified crowd. The photo seems to foreshadow future events in which we will soon witness crowds of rioters and lines of riot police. The photo seems to call out for a peaceful solution before it becomes too late.