Greek unrest flares up once again
Youths attacked the Greek riot police HQ in Athens today in a revival of violence sparked by a teenager’s shooting.
A group of 30 youths threw petrol bombs and stones at the building, damaging cars and a police bus parked outside.
After a two-day lull, violence flared across the city. Children blocked streets and dozens of teenagers gathered outside the capital’s main court complex and a maximum security prison – where some threw stones at police.
Protesters have called for riot officers to be pulled off the streets, for police to be disarmed and for growing social inequality to be resolved.
The focus of the protests is now shifting to high school students, who were shocked by the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos in a police shooting and have also voiced concerns at government economic, social and education policies. Lessons have stopped at more than 100 secondary schools that are under occupation by students, according to the Education Ministry.
Scores of university buildings across Greece are also under occupation.
After the December 6 shooting, furious youths smashed and burnt hundreds of shops in Athens’ main shopping area, and attacked riot police who responded with massive use of tear gas.
Dozens of people were injured in the rioting, while more than 300 people were arrested. The policeman accused of killing the teenager has been charged with murder and is being held pending trial.
Meanwhile in the northern port of Thessaloniki today riot police fired tear gas to disperse 300 youths throwing fruit and stones outside the city’s main court complex. The disturbance followed a court decision that found eight police officers guilty of abusing a student following riots two years ago.
The policemen received suspended sentences ranging from three years and three months for grievous bodily harm to 15 months for being an accessory to the abuse.
