Greek cities hit by fresh rioting
Hundreds of students clashed with riot police in the second
city of Thessaloniki
Fresh clashes have broken out between police and
protesters in at least three Greek cities, after the fatal
shooting of a 15-year-old boy by police.
About 300 students battled police in Thessaloniki, while
protests turned violent in Trikala and Piraeus.
Five demonstrations are planned in major cities later,
including a mass rally by the Communist Party in Athens,
where Saturday's shooting occurred.
Two police officers have been arrested in connection with
the boy's death.
One of them, who is accused of murder, said he fired a
warning shot and that the boy was killed by a ricochet, but
witnesses told Greek television that the officer aimed
directly at the boy.
The second officer has been charged with being an
accomplice.
A post-mortem is being carried out on the body of
Alexandros Grigoropoulos, which should help to determine
the trajectory of the bullet.
The boy's family has hired an independent pathologist to
ensure there is no cover-up.
Politically motivated
Hundreds of students clashed with riot police in Greece's
second biggest city of Thessaloniki in a third day of rioting
on Monday.
MAJOR RIOTING IN GREECE
1973 - Repression of student uprising in Athens helps bring
down military junta a year later
1985 - Youths clash with police in Athens after rally
marking 1973 uprising becomes violent and police shoot
dead 15-year-old boy
1991 - Riots break out across the country after a school
teacher is killed during protests in Patras
1995 - Riots erupt after protest in Athens and revolt in
prison ahead of 1973 uprising's anniversary
1999 - Police clash with protesters opposing a visit by US
President Bill Clinton to Athens
2003 - Youths battle police during an EU summit in
Thessaloniki
2008 - Protesters battle police across country after an
officer shoots dead a teenager in Athens
In pictures: Greek riots
Eyewitness: Athens riot
Students at the city's Aristotle university spent the night
holed up on campus stockpiling missiles and petrol bombs
before taking to the streets, says the BBC's Malcolm
Brabant in Athens.
He says they then retreated safe in the knowledge that
they could not be followed as Greece's constitution strictly
prevents the authorities from entering the grounds of
schools, universities and polytechnics.
There was also trouble in Trikala, in Greece's agricultural
heartland, and reports of a police station being attacked in
Piraeus, the maritime gateway linking Athens with the
Greek islands.
Five demonstrations are planned in major cities at dusk,
including a rally by the Greek Communist Party and the
socialist Pasok opposition, in Athens.
Pasok's youth wing has called for peaceful protests.
Our correspondent says opposition parties are capitalising
on the national sense of outrage.
Even though an individual policeman precipitated the worst
violence seen in Greece in decades, the government is
getting the blame, he adds.
Reply With Quote