These grainy images could easily have been photoshopped. I'm tired of all the coverage on IM about the brutality of the cops and nothing on the brutality of rioters. A minority of cops are scum and a minority of protestors are scum. Lets have some balance.

Don’t be surprised about this kind of action in Greece. I agree it can easily be done on pho. But it is no surprise at all if is real. How about this, another 16 yo kid got shot by a 38mm gun commonly used in Greece by police. How about all those students who were brutally attacked by the police recently in Greek protests. You are probably not Greek but the unfortunate reality in Greece is that the majority of the cops are scum. Police in Greece has a strong relationship with far right supposedly outlawed groups and political parties. You can see it for your self if u had a chance to spent an unfortunate busy day at a Greek police station. It was about time for someone to do some really disturbing “mistake". Violence brings more violence.

Eye for an eye will make the whole world blind!

Ruby, all cops are scum. You have to have something not quite right with you to want to join in the first place, and if you aren't scum then the job will soon turn you into scum.

It's the very nature of the job: power corrupts.

Avoid feeding the pig troll!

For the doubters, another photo as appearing on BBC website. Photo is put out by AP.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7789215.stm

As to what you actually 'say' happens!
 http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45309000/jpg/_45309922_006626371-1.jpg

from:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7789215.stm

The telling bit is the bottom of the cloud... the inverted triangle
suddenly the 'cloud' becomes very angular and loses its diffuse edge

I take that now everyone accepts that the snap is not falsified -- like the first commentator claimed. In addition, it is quite immaterial if the cop actually was aiming at the old woman or not. To discharge any variety of "tear gas" at such a proximity is enough for the agent to have the intended effect. Her age only means that she was at higher risk of various side-effects. At a minimum, the pig was negligent.

usually with the worst nearer the centre of what passes for "democratic"government power. Not all are bastards, many leave the job, turn a blind eye to people doing the right thing& alot of Met command security is based around spying on rank & file who might leak info to the press according to senior paramedic-activist & others I know who have seen both sides of the story.
Yeh the polices prime role when it comes down to many emergencies & riots etc is to protect corporate power not democracy, many dont realise until its too late, at same time its probably not a good idea to dehumanise them in the same way that some of them dehumanise activists.
The old lady picture doesnt shock me, I know that riot police can be capable of more than your average copper, at same time, we could argue all soldiers are worse scum they murder alot of people in Iraq, or that all robbers are scum as they many mostly rob other working class people.
In general definetely not trusting police & telling them nothing is the best policy, at same time we do need to communicate with them, successful social revolutions often involve support from non corrupt police officers who support democracy& as some one whoes suffered abuse as a child I have to say detention-therapy centres for serious criminals & at least specials would be necessary in a direct democracy-anarchic society, which would have rules. Most activists in a way are actually already like specials anway, most have jobs & play active roles in human rights, neighbourhood watch including ethical direct action where appropriate, any Ive got to get to a ska night,cya's. Nice post thanks, I must admit part of me wouldnt mind "rehabilitating" that copper in the pic personally, Ive received the same & worse from some of the mets finest

Guys, what we expect from you is solidarity and not arguing about if the photo is fake or not. I can assure you that this is a very common image from the streets of Athens and it doesn't actualy shock me as I've seen much worse than that these days, but also from long ago. I've lived in England for sometime and I understand that there are lots of people that don't agree with violence as an answer to the violence of the state, the police and capitalism in general, but please don't speak about things you can't understand. We are having a big struggle here and what we need is solidarity.

reminds me of 9/11 !!!!!!