Anger, outrage and dark humor were on display on Sunday as the world waited for European leaders to figure out a solution to the most recent installment of the Greek debt crisis.
The anger and outrage coalesced around the hashtag #ThisIsACoup, in which people expressed their displeasure with Germany, which has pushed for even harsher terms on Greece even as the country already struggles with cash shortages and banks on the brink of failure. The country has pushed hard for Greece to accept stringent cuts to pensions and and tax hikes.
#ThisIsACoup centered around the perception that Germany was negotiating with the goal of forcing Greece's current leadership to step down. Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Syriza party were elected on a platform of fighting more cuts in return for another bailout.
#ThisIsACoup is now 2nd worldwide TT. Somebody has to bring the news at #EuroSummit and tell #TsiprasLeaveEUSummit pic.twitter.com/FswlJqeXRw— spyros gkelis (@northaura) July 12, 2015
In Greece the #ThisIsACoup (#2 hashtag worldwide) being replaced by #TsiprasLeaveEUSummit— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) July 12, 2015
#ThisIsACoup is trending in Greece and… in Germany.— Amaury Guibert (@amauryguibert) July 12, 2015
Barcelona Mayor @AdaColau tweets: "Greece demands respect, democracy, human rights. I am with Greece. #Thisisacoup"— Isa Soares (@IsaCNN) July 12, 2015
Looks like the whole world thinks #ThisIsACoup pic.twitter.com/vwckqloOlJ— Steve Kerr (@kerr_steve) July 13, 2015
Even people who really knew coups jumped in.
Egyptian Twitter, which excels at gallows humor, and knows a thing or two about coups, has discovered #ThisIsACoup. https://t.co/3UpokygZ4c— Zeynep Tufekci (@zeynep) July 13, 2015
The outrage kicked up a notch after a new list of demands emerged that would require Greece to pass a series of reforms by Wednesday to receive much-needed cash to pay its upcoming debts.
The hashtag caught the eye of
">New York Times economics columnist Paul Krugman,
"The trending hashtag ThisIsACoup is exactly right," he wrote. "This goes beyond harsh into pure vindictiveness, complete destruction of national sovereignty, and no hope of relief."
There were numerous defenses of Greece as a misunderstood nation.
Do you think Greeks are lazy? Then have a look at this table. Our former governments were crap, not us #ThisIsACoup pic.twitter.com/7xeEXDnbzv— Niemands Rose (@niemandsrose) July 12, 2015
1. Force country to take loans you know it can't repay 2. Seize assets to cover the debt 3. Repeat #ThisIsACoup pic.twitter.com/lPbYEHufaW— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) July 13, 2015
In defense of Germany, some commentators dug up early predictions of euro-doom, and even a Founding Father or two.
He didn't foresee Twitter, but in a sense, Arnulf Baring did predict this whole #ThisIsACoup business. pic.twitter.com/OjRv2uzliu— Kristian Niemietz (@K_Niemietz) July 13, 2015
Well, I never ever thought I'd agree wholeheartedly with Milton Friedman! #ThisIsACoup #SolidarityWithGreece https://t.co/5uVMRZFTO7— Jo (@nocutstoservice) July 12, 2015
" #ThisIsACoup "There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt." - John Adams (1735-1826)”— Romayne Phoenix (@romaynephoenix) July 13, 2015
The outrage also gave way to some rather dark humor, as people began to mock the demands of Germany and, later, the severity of the spending cuts in the final agreement.
#ThisIsACoup. Stripping a country of its assets to sell them to financial industry = modern colonialism.— Hendrik Wagenaar (@spiritofwilson) July 13, 2015
Some just went for straight dark humor.
Here's the list of reforms in the #Eurogroup draft that Greek government has to pass by Wednesday to get bailout pic.twitter.com/nEF8OmDBiA— Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) July 12, 2015
A deal agreed for #Greece. #GermanGodfather #ThisIsACoup pic.twitter.com/CVBEemXWNn— Gemma Godfrey (@GCGodfrey) July 13, 2015
Don't know the source of this pic but it's fitting. Europe bleeds through its Greek reflection. #ThisIsACoup #Greece pic.twitter.com/IkDspX4o18— Zoe Mavroudi (@zoemavroudi) July 13, 2015
At the official press conference, reporters even asked officials about the sentiment behind #ThisIsACoup
Q: you've been accused of staging a coup. Juncker: we said it'd be worse after the referendum. So, yes #ThisIsACoup pic.twitter.com/xUjLNEzNLg— Oscar Reyes (@_oscar_reyes) July 13, 2015
Rumors continued to leak from the talks, although many of them were not confirmed. The day's tension and slow news drip led to even more snark.
Remember, folks. pic.twitter.com/SU0lAUxNI2— Tom Nuttall (@tom_nuttall) June 18, 2015
Why invade a country when you can conquer it with a spreadsheet? #ThisIsACoup— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) July 13, 2015
who needs the military if one can use bankers? #ThisIsACoup— ben caudron (@bencaudron) July 12, 2015
Agreement leaked!! #ThisIsACoup pic.twitter.com/9N0A1OvNHH— Erik Marquardt (@ErikMarquardt) July 13, 2015
Some saw a chance to immortalize the day in rhyme.
The people who run the EU Are telling the Greeks what to do. They've lost their autonomy To run the economy That is why #ThisIsACoup.— Mick Twister (@twitmericks) July 13, 2015
And yes, there was backlash against "truthers."
Useful reminder for the #ThisIsACoup truthers. https://t.co/r317YHhTZH— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) July 13, 2015