Classical Civilization

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Europeans who the liberals would have you emulating.

ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) -- Two top Greek opposition politicians trapped by anarchists in Athens most volatile university walked safely from the campus on Wednesday, police said.

Their departure ended eight hours of tension in central Athens after up to 150 self-styled anarchists attacked the cars of the politicians late Tuesday when they attended a book-launching ceremony inside the Athens Polytechnic campus.

The two politicians, fearful of attack if they had left the building without assurances of safety, remained barricaded inside with other guests throughout the drama.

"The politicians can't come out and the police can't come in," a witness at the scene had said in the midst of the near siege-like conditions.

The politicians were former Athens Olympic Games supremo and culture minister Evangelos Venizelos and former transport minister Cristos Verelis. Their socialist party lost power to the governing conservatives 14 months ago.

Rioting by anarchists in the birth place of democracy. Unfortunately, I can't claim to be surprised.