Alexis Grigoropoulos: Six years later

By Georgia Linardou

He was not an idol from a slum, which was searching for a day job. He was not a rich boy who had lost everything due to the memorandum. He was a kid who went for a walk in Exarchia and was killed by a policeman. But why he became a symbol for thousands of young people and a fiendish headache for the older, who forgot that children seek the literal translation of the word: challenge? One of the most evolutionary maturity tools, regardless of age.

Noon, December 5th 2014. The school iron door opens and the kids are coming out. Between them is my daughter. She asked me what did I buy to her, -a common question in this age-, and then she "shoot": "Mom, the first name of Romanos is Giannis?".

I drive in one of the empty streets of downtown Athens (not because it is closed, but perhaps out of fear that followed the announcement of the measures on the arrival Davutoglu and particularly in light of the events for the anniversary of the death of Alexis Grigoropoulos).

"Nikos, but how do you know that?" I think for a moment that she had heard some of the phone calls I made all these days, on the case of the hunger strike. However, it was not only this.

-Was he a friend of Alexis, who was killed by a policemen, and now he is in prison?
"Yes. And how do you know Alexis? "

-Today our teacher spoke us for him!

Transfer of Information. Dissemination. History. Life. Culture.

I watched around me the almost empty streets because of the "fear" and I sensed in the air "the hidden tension", I realized how small and mainly how ephemeral everything is. Children have precious ingredients: are pure, they want to learn, are not afraid. We, make them to 'rush'.

I return six years ago, on December 6th.

That afternoon, a school door opened again and some best friends gave appointment for a night out. Nikos Romanos promises a treat to his friends. It is the celebration of his name. One of them is Alexis Grigoropoulos. They were both rich kids. Raised without discomfort, in areas without exhaust, somewhere in the Northern suburbs. They have no anxiety, neither for the financial, nor for their professional future. The crisis and the IMF have not officially entered our country. It is still a good period.

They want to go out and have fun. But these boys are worried about their social future. What the hell is a "social future", what the hell are these strange posters that have in their room and "smelling" doubt? And these skateboard of theirs, are dangerous and annoying.

They went in Exarchia. Why in Exarchia? Are they anarchists?

They laugh, fall in love, joking. They sat in a stair step. They hear the siren of a patrol car. Bustle. A stun grenade, explodes. Adrenaline is rising. They want to see what happens. To take part. Adolescence boils. The policemen are in close to them. Nikos and Alexis are twenty meters ahead. They felt strong. They entered in the brawl. They are not holding molotov cocktails. Neither revolvers. They do not wear a uniform. They are angry. The policeman is angry too. But ... he carries a gun.

He shoots. Alexis slumped down and Nikos writhes from crying.

A young girl, Leto, has heard the noice out in the balcony of her house and starts filming. Everything is dark. But they are visible. She describes the two police officers.
"They were walking in a pace, as walks someone who goes to a quarrel." And then? "Both officers pulled a gun in the middle of Tzavella street, marked and shot"
One of the two policemen, Vassilis Saraliotis argues: "we were surprised and we removed the vehicle. We lock it, to secure it and we headed on foot to see the persons and to ascertain their intentions. There were 30 people there, they threw to us sticks, stones and Molotov probably". He describes that Epaminondas Korkoneas (aka "Rambo" in the area of Exarchia) fired three shots in the air to intimidate: "People retreated with shots, and after we saw that we are well on our health, we went to get the vehicle."

After they saw that were in good health, they left. Did not they see the child who collapsed, to take him in a hospital? Maybe he could be saved. Nikos Romanos was shocked. In the one single statement that he give that evening at the police -because he was not in the trial- he said: "All I want to say is that Alexander he was not killed. He was murdered, in cold blood." He was the main prosecution witness.
His soul was haunted, by this event. Like thousands of other young people from all over Greece that while they were not there, they acted as key witnesses. They saw themselves in the position of Alexis.

Two years later, the trial takes place in Amfisssa. The defense of Korkoneas falls in potholes ... "" It was a tragic situation. Situated before the risk to face dangerous situations (Korkoneas) shot in the air. Among to those that were attacking, was the victim and the witness and because these 16 year old boys are not like yours and ours, we must see the qualities."

"Their" children and "our" children

Ultimately the E. Korkoneas was sentenced in life imprisonment. The judges saw deceit. The judges saw that the officer was not in danger, he did not defend himself from an attack, on any way. B. Saraliotis sentenced for involvement in 10 years imprisonment. Almost a year after the trial and specifically in October 2011, he released from prison on bail. E.Korkoneas is in Domokos Prison. His trial in the second degree has been determined for March 2015. In Prison seems to be the "scapegoat" for the rest of the inmates. Secure information describes that he "became religious." Indeed, last September, according to information, he had bite a fellow inmate because ... insulted the divine.

Six years after the assassination of A.Grigoropoulou, the kids of today will become tomorrow's teenagers. The teenagers of yesterday, who are adults today, I do not think that need some solid ideology or a partisan strict supervision, in order to rebel. Only the rush is enough. The passion for love, for life.

I write these words, dawn, December 6, 2014 ... in a country that I wish not to be broken in the moment that it has to wake up ...