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Greek riot police fight to defend Christmas tree

by Teacher Dude | December 20, 2008 at 10:02 am

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Two weeks on and the anti - government protests sparked off by the killing of 15 year Alexis Grigoropoulos at the hands of a police officer in the Exarchia district of Athens continue unabated. Today riot police went into action to defend the city"s Christmas tree in Syntagma against protesters who pelted officers with rubbish (click here to see video). The previous tree was burnt during rioting last week.

In addition to mass street protests in the capital, 800 high schools and 240 university departments remain under occupation. TV and radio stations, theatres, town halls and other government offices have also been occupied over the last week by young Greeks angry at the death of the teen and the New Democracy government's economic and political record.

Protesters also threw yoghurt and biscuits today at Vasileios Papageorgopoulos, mayor of Thessaloniki, Greece's second city as he greeted shoppers in the central Aristotelos Square.

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jordan

flagged this story as Eyewitness Report

at 15:34 on December 20th, 2008

This is an eyewitness report from the NowPublic member Teacher Dude who was on the scene.

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Jarrett Martineau

at 10:08 on December 20th, 2008

Thanks for this.

Amy Judd

at 14:13 on December 20th, 2008

I hope the second christmas tree doesn't get burnt down..

Rhonda J Mangus

at 14:59 on December 20th, 2008

Thank you for the continuing coverage, Teacher Dude.

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 15:02 on December 20th, 2008

Greek insurgents had called out for Dec 20th to be a day of international actions of solidarity against 'state terrorism' and police brutality. In the north London area of Wood Green which has a large Greek/Cypriot/Turkish/Kurdish population a solidarity demonstration took place.

Amy Judd

at 19:20 on December 20th, 2008

Clashes between youths and police continued into the night Sunday around Athens Polytechnic in the district where a teenager was killed by a policeman two weeks ago sparking nationwide unrest.

Hundreds of people gathered late Saturday in the Exarchia district at the site of the December 6 shooting of 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos for a protest organised by youths occupying Athens Polytechnic.

Protesters hurled firebombs at police who responded with tear gas. A group threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police and set fire to garbage bins, acts often seen in Exarchia since the boy's killing.