RIOTS The Beginning of the End for Europe

[Joanne98]

Run time: 03:35 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIRCiL7AaH8   Posted on YouTube: January 18, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: January 18, 2009 By DU Member: Joanne98 Views on DU: 1677

 

[sasquatch]

1. What're they rioting about?

[Joanne98]

2. The economy and the police state

[Leftest]

13. Eastern Europe braced for a violent 'spring of discontent'

Here's a couple of articles I found:

Riots and street battles are set to spread through Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic states as inflation, unemployment and racism fuel tension, reports Jason Burke

Eastern Europe is heading for a violent "spring of discontent", according to experts in the region who fear that the global economic downturn is generating a dangerous popular backlash on the streets.

*Snip*

In Latvia, years of strong economic growth have given way to recession, soaring inflation and rising unemployment. Trust in the state's authority and officials has fallen catastrophically, said President Valdis Zatlers last week, threatening to call snap elections.

*Snip*

Last year Latvia was forced to ask the International Monetary Fund for a £6.25bn bail-out package, fuelling a jingoistic backlash against a perceived "national humiliation".


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/18/eu-riots-vilinius

Monetary union has left half of Europe trapped in depression

Events are moving fast in Europe. The worst riots since the fall of Communism have swept the Baltics and the south Balkans. An incipient crisis is taking shape in the Club Med bond markets. S&P has cut Greek debt to near junk. Spanish, Portuguese, and Irish bonds are on negative watch.

Dublin has nationalised Anglo Irish Bank with its half-built folly on North Wall Quay and €73bn (£65bn) of liabilities, moving a step nearer the line where markets probe the solvency of the Irish state.

A great ring of EU states stretching from Eastern Europe down across Mare Nostrum to the Celtic fringe are either in a 1930s depression already or soon will be. Greece's social fabric is unravelling before the pain begins, which bodes ill.

Each is a victim of ill-judged economic policies foisted upon them by elites in thrall to Europe's monetary project – either in EMU or preparing to join – and each is trapped.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/4278642/Monetary-union-has-left-half-of-Europe-trapped-in-depression.html

[Joanne98]

3. Here's an AP report from 2 days ago

2 days ago

RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Latvia's senior ruling coalition party is calling for early parliamentary election following violent protests this week.

The People's Party says extraordinary elections are the only way to overcome the political and economic crisis that has gripped the Baltic state. The party said in a statement Friday that lawmakers should begin working immediately on holding new elections this spring.

The People's Party is largest of four parties in Latvia's center-right government.

On Tuesday Latvia experienced its worst violence since independence when a peaceful anti-government protest turned into an angry mob that attacked Parliament.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igNfjvfgwAexpWFDzydqxdWIrsPgD95OCN202

[mitchtv]

4. Latvia , ugh, Homophobic capital of Europe.

Serious about Gay persecution. KEEP THEM OUT. I have little sympathy

[burning rain]

5. I respect Europeans for protesting and rioting more than Americans.

They, particularly the French, have a strong sense that there's more to democracy than just voting on election day. Even the Iraq War protests were anemic here. Our government committed grave crimes and by and large Americans went... shopping.

[mitchtv]

6. Greece has been in turmoil with riots

all it took wa a trigger

[Peacetrain]

7. I love Europe..but heads up on this.. they are very prone

to dictatorships..

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Meh - that video tells us very little

It claims "all over Europe" - but only shows us Latvia. There has been stuff going on elsewhere (Lithuania, Greece, and Bulgaria and Romania are edgy, it seems), but it didn't try to show us that. They put up a few slogans in (bad) English, but don't bother translating the voiceover, so we don't really know what was actually going on. They claim everywhere except Britain is rioting, but that's bollocks; but the message is aimed at Britain, presumably, calling us 'sheeple'.

Heh - check the 'more from skegy' on YouTube. No wonder he's illiterate. You're better off checking Google news to find out what's really going on. Chemtrails do not make for credibility, 'skegy'.

[Fedja]

9. I object to your title

And what a ridiculously misleading and pathetic title it is.

Beginning of the end for Europe? Because some Latvian students decided to turn over some cop cars and throw a few rocks? Latvia is about as big of a player in Europe as Hawaii is in the US. If they decide to step out of the European Union, most of us wouldn't notice. Now I'm not saying they're not valued and appreciated as much as any other nation that's a member, I just mean I won't be expecting food shortages because 2 Latvian police cars got tipped over.

eom

[mrgerbik]

10. /agreed

we need to be careful when molding a worldview ... this includes what we see in the media. always be vigilant and aware.

[Swede Atlanta]

11. Hardly the end for Europe

Europe has survived for thousands of years...... I agree that Europeans, especially those in recently-liberated eastern Europe are more inclined to civil disobedience but that hardly constitutes "the end". This too shall pass and hopefully with improvements in governance similar to what happened in Poland with the uprisings around the Gdansk shipyard.

[BobTheSubgenius]

12. Looking at the way Europe came back after WW1 and WW1,

not to mention countless other, smaller wars, riots and revolutions, I think they have at least an even chance to get past this.