Greece Exploded in Riots Again This Weekend

​Thessaloniki

This article was first published on ​VICE Greece
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​​On the 6th of December 2008, police officer Epaminondas Korkoneas shot 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, in the district of Exarcheia. Grigoropoulos died in the arms of his friend Nikos Romanos. The murder sparked a wave of violent riots in Athens that would soon spread to the entire country. High school and university students took to the streets to protest police brutality, in what would be remembered as one of the most violent periods of citizen unrest in recent years.

Six years later, now 21-year-old Nikos Romanos (who last year received a 16-year-long sentence for  ​robbing a bank in Velvento, Greece ) is on his 28th day of a hunger strike. His demand is to be granted furlough in order to attend university – a request the government rejects. At the moment condition remains critical.

Shadowed both by the anniversary of Grigoropoulos’ murder and Romanos’ hunger strike, this past Saturday in Greece brought memories of December 2008​ to life.
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Athens, photo by Anna Stamou

The protests began early. In the morning, university and high school students gathered at the Propylaea of the University of Athens, while m ore than 7,000 policemen had been deployed to babysit them. That first demonstration in Athens ended peacefully, in contrast to the marches in Patras and Thessaloniki, where police made several arrests and threw tear gas at the protesters.

The evening protest began shortly after 6PM with crowds shouting “Your Democracy stinks / solidarity to Nikos Romanos”.
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​​Athens

More than 10,000 people headed to the Parliament, where the presence of police was asphyxiating. Shortly after 7:30PM police and protesters clashed for the first time, just below Syntagma Square. A few shops and bus stops were hit, while a group of Syrian refugees – who have been holding a protest on the square since the  ​17th of November – tried to find shelter.

It was around that time that the tear gassing begun and the main bulk of protesters was divided, with a bulk of them heading towards Exarcheia and others towards the University.  Some remained in Omonoia, where the police debuted their water cannons. They also made mass arrests and threw tear gas inside the tube station.

The clashes between police and protesters continued in Exarcheia where the police also made use of the water canons. The police also headed towards the building of the General Confederation of Greek Workers ( ​GSEE) which has been under occupation for a few weeks. GSEE representatives reported that riot policemen attacked the entrance of the building, resulting in four injuries.
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​Thessaloniki

Overall, 296 people were detained by police – amongst them a journalist and a photojournalist who were released a short while later – and 43 were arrested. The tension continued until the early hours of the morning in Exarcheia. The police deployed their stun guns and tear gas while protesters threw stones and molotov bombs – some even from the roofs of apartment buildings.

Throughout the day, crowds gathered at the murder spot of Alexandros Grigoropoulos  to leave flowers and notes.

Marches were also held in many other Greek cities, like Thessaloniki, Patra, Agrinio, Veria, Volos, Kalamata, Chania. 
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Thessaloniki

​ In Thessaloniki, the protesters shouted slogans against the police and state oppression. Clashes broke out between police and demonstrators on Tsimiski street and the front window of a store was set on fire, but it is uncertain whether the damage was caused by Molotov cocktails. Demonstrators rushed to the place to help customers and staff exit the building and put out the fire before it spread. Shortly after, riot police cut the march in two by attacking the crowd with tear gas.

Several arrests were made, and at least eleven people were taken to hospital with wounds and respiratory problems.

At 19:30PM anarchists and members of the extra-parliamentary Left prepared for a new march towards the centre of the Thessaloniki. A small group of protesters clashed with undercover police officers and within seconds the city became a battle-field. Molotov bombs and tear gas were exchanged, with many protesters fleeing to the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. According to official announcements by the police, a total of 35 people were detained and 17 were arrested – all for misdemeanours.
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​Athens

In Mytilini, students reported that police threw a female protester into the sea, arresting her after pulling her out. Demonstrations in honour of the murder of Alexanros Grigoropoulos and in support of Nikos Romanos were also held across the boarders: In London, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna, Barcelona the chant on everyone’s mouth was: “From Ferguson to Athens / there can be no peace without justice.”

Meanwhile,  last night Nikos Romanos made his opposition to his family’s decision to meet with Greek PM Antonis Samaras clear with a handwritten note. Romanos stated that he understands his parents’s anguish but believes that the Prime Minister is only trying to manipulate the situation to his advantage.
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​Thessaloniki

​Thessaloniki

​Thessaloniki

​Athens

​Athens

​Athens
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​Athens

​Athens