Vassilis Papakonstantinou: The episodic interruption of his performance by parastatals in Thessaloniki
The 1970s were a highly politically charged decade. The country had just emerged from a catastrophic junta and perhaps the first time the left could cowardly express itself.
The youth and those who lived in the junta were strongly politicized and this was also expressed by the ways of entertainment. One of the usual ones was the boats.
Vassilis Papakonstantinou, together with Maria Dimitriadi, was found singing in a bar on November 21, 1978. The bar “Liogerma” on Lori Margariti Street in the center of Thessaloniki.
“A portion of love please”
There was no pin in the store. The two artists sang political songs and below, people sang with them. And suddenly, before the end of the first part of the show, a couple from the audience, started shouting loudly: “A portion of love please”.
According to mixanitouxronou.gr, Vassilis Papakonstantinou initially did not react, considering that this is a “delicious” joke. However, when he realized that the girl was still “ordering” in an ironic way, he did not hold back and asked to leave the bar. The couple left after a while, launching insults and threats.
The episodes
Before long, six young men, including a Moroccan, stormed into the center, holding bulls in the center, holding truncheons. “We will kill you because otherwise you will eat us”, they shouted and threw pots and bottles at the surprised spectators.
In a few seconds customers and intruders were caught in the arms. A pandemonium was created. The owner immediately called the “100”, but when the patrol cars arrived, the rioters had moved away, threatening to throw Molotov cocktails.
The MATs have arrived, but…
A MAT cage also appeared at the scene, but it was too late, as the rioters had fled. But the MAT men, instead of dealing with the riots, locked all the customers in the bar and subjected them to a physical examination for three hours.
Then they searched the store bit by bit and made group additions. Those who were brought to safety were released in the early morning hours, after the mediation of the then Mayor of Thessaloniki, Michalis Papadopoulos.
“Not even in the dictatorship”
“Even during the dictatorship, we did not have such a control and such a long siege,” Maria Dimitriadi complained to reporters. He added: “We denounce the anarcho-fascist elements that attack democratic citizens in order to obstruct functions, such as the progressive song. We also denounce the police who, instead of protecting us, brought the MAT against us, wanting to terrorize the people and show that where there is a progressive event, there are also people. “
Maria Dimitriadi and Vassilis Papakonstantinou hinted that the intruders acted in an organized manner and under the tolerance of the police. However, it was not the only adventure of the two artists with the police authorities of the city. As they reported to the press, two days before the incident at the “Liogerma” bar, the security men had stopped their car on Agiou Dimitriou Street, thoroughly investigating every part of the vehicle.
They also stressed that it was the first time since 1974, when the specific bar opened, that police had monitored both the store and themselves in Thessaloniki. For the record, however, the only one arrested by the six intruders was the Moroccan, without anyone ever knowing what happened to his case.