Who Is Rioting In Greece?

Modern Conservative blog says it's "Communists" (thanks to our contributor Nora/Spanish Pundit):

When violence erupts in the streets somewhere, the first question is not "was it left or right." The first question is, "was it left or Muslims."

With rare exceptions, street violence is committed by various left wing groups or Muslim "extremists." So, who is it in Greece?

The AP and CNN refer to them as "anarchists." I don't trust CNN or the AP as far as I can spit, and I don't trust their use of the term "anarchists" here.

I have covered left-wing rallies, and all the "self-styled anarchists" at these rallies are just as supportive of left-wing causes as all the other left-wingers in attendance. And I'd bet dollars to dolmades that the rioters in the streets of Athens vote left every chance they get.

For a clearer view, turn to Al Jazeera. They have their problems, but unlike CNN and the AP, they don't have any reason to cover for any fellow leftists.

Hence, in this Al Jazeera piece, you will actually read phrases like . . .

"the socialist Pasok opposition party"

"mass rally in central Athens organised by the Greek communist party"

"The Communist Party has called for a rally in the centre of the city and it is possible that other far left groups may join them,"

"University professors, who had planned to join a nationwide strike against pension reforms and economic policies on Wednesday, said they would now stage a three-day walkout starting on Monday."

The wave of violent protests was triggered by the police shooting of Alexandros Grigoropoulos in the traditionally left-wing Exarchia district on Athens on Saturday.

The piece does not come out and use the phrase "the protesters are all abunch of lefties." It does, however, place the riots in their proper political context, something you won't get out of most Western media.