Second day of clashes in Greece in anniversary of Alexandros Grigoropoulos murder

libcom.org Dec 7 2009

A second day of protest marches occupations and clashes across Greece
marked the first anniversary of Alexandros Grigoropoulos murder as pupils
take to the streets

The second day of the anniversary of Alexandros Girgoropoulos murder was
marked with protest marches, occupations and large scale riots in major
greek cities.

Monday was the day of pupils as pan-educational marches against police
brutality and in memory of Alexis were staged in all major greek cities
with the Teachers Union and ADEDY (major umbrella union) calling a 3-hour
labour stopage to allow people to attend the marches.

In Athens, people started gathering at Propylea at 12:00. Quickly a mass
of 13-17 year old pupils attacked riot police forces gathered on Akadimias
street. The pupils first attacked the cops with oranges but soon escalated
with use of rocks and broken marbles. The police was forced to retreat
many times in a rain of projectiles before the march finally started its
way towards the Parliament. During the clashes before the beginning of the
march 9 people were arrested. Riot police forces came soon again under
attack by protesters and resorted to extensive use of tear gas. More
clashes occurred before Omonoia square. The 10,000 strong march continued
to Klafthmonos square where the march halted due to riot police forces
positioning themselves along its sides on the pavement. Marchers demanded
the immediate removal of police forces, and started moving only after this
was granted. The march then reached Syntagma square and the greek
parliament. On the way back to Propylea the march found the university
asylum blocked by riot police forces which engaged the front of the march
forcing the protesters to move towards Omonoia, many seeking refuge at the
Polytechneio. Clashes between protesters around the Polytechneio and
police forces ensued throughout the afternoon, until the Polytechnic
occupation made an exodus in the form of a march at around 18:30 towards
Omonoia square where more clashes took place. Unlike yesterday there was
no use of the delta-team in the repression operations.

At the same time smaller marches of pupils took to the streets of many
Athens neighborhoods. In Kalithea 150 pupils attacked the local police
station with sticks rocks and oranges damaging several police cars. In
Patisia, 200 pupils attacked the local police station at Agias Lavras with
rocks. In Kesariani pupils attacked their local police station with rocks
and oranges.

In Salonica a 5,000 strong protest march took to the streets of the city
and was soon attacked with tear gas by the riot police triggering a
response in stones. When the march returned to the Polytechneio, delta
team police thugs broke into the university asylum with their motorbikes
and threw tear gas canisters into the building, detaining several people.
As a response to the third violation of university asylum in the city
during the last three days, protesters occupied the rectorial headquarters
of the Aristotelian University. Later a protest march was formed against
police brutality and marched again on the streets of the city.

In Ioannina more than 1,500 people marched in the streets of the city
attacking capitalist and state targets. Battles developed between the
protesters and the police after the former attacked the courts of the
city.

In Larissa a thousand strong protest march took to the streets of the
city, with the block of pupils attacking the riot police with oranges and
rocks.

In Chania, Crete, extended clashes between protesters and riot police
broke out in the centre of the city with protesters smashing banks and
erecting barricades.

In Irakleio, Crete, clashes broke out between riot police forces and
protesters outside the courts of the city where the arrested of
yesterday's march were interrogated. The protesters attacked and damaged
several police cars and a riot police van, while pupils attacked the back
side of the courts themselves. At evening another march took to the
streets of the city but was quickly attacked by riot police forces which
managed to disperse it with use of force and tear gas.

In Rhodes, clashes broke out between riot police and protesters after the
former tried to arrest an pupil attacking a bank. During the clashes one
more person was arrested. As a result the protesters have occupied
university premises demanding their immediate release.

In Tripoli clashes developed between pupils and riot policemen when the
latter blocked the way of the pupil's march.

In the city of Kozani protesters have occupied the city hall denouncing
police brutality.

In the island of Samos a pupil protest march took to the streets of
Karlovasi, while another pupil protest march in Vathi attacked the local
police station as well as the municipal headquarters and the city hall
with eggs.

Protest marches also took place in many other towns like Naousa, on Paros
island, Zakynthos, Volos and Katerini.

On the legal front, 10 people arrested on Saturday have been released from
custody. During the hearing process 13-14 year old pupils from a nearby
school marched to the courts erecting barricades on the streets blocking
the traffic to and from the central courthouse of Athens.

Regarding the comrades of Resalto and the occupation of the Keratsini city
hall, at 13:00 a demo was formed outside the courts of Peiraeus in
expectation of the 21 arrested of Resalto, the anarchist social centre
raided on Saturday. During the demo a local pupil's protest march joined
the protesters piling the riot police guarding the courts with oranges.
Meanwhile the city hall and local council of Keratsini published an
announcement condemning the arrests of the occupiers of the city hall, and
demanding their immediate release. According to the announcement there
have been no damages done to the premises during the occupation to allow a
police intervention. At 14:45 the interrogating authorities waved the
anti-terrorist charges against the 21 arrested of Resalto, deciding they
should be tried only for possession and of explosive substances (kerosene
heating oil). At 19:00 the 41 arrested occupiers of the Keratsini city
hall were released amongst high fists and solidarity slogans of protesters
outside the court. They will be tried only for non-criminal offences
tommow. The 21 of Resalto are still being interrogated at the time of
writing.

Protest marches against police brutality in the last few days have been
called for tomorrow in both Salonica and Athens.