A 31-year-old man has undergone emergency brain surgery after clashes during the protest rally of trade unions held today in Athens. The man was wounded in the head in front of the luxury multi-storey shop Attica on Panepistimiou Avenue. The magnetic resonance imaging established the presence of haematoma in the cranial cavity. According to the doctors, his life was in danger and he was subjected to surgery immediately. Another Greek demonstration against the measures for financial stability of the country was bathed in blood.
12 demonstrators with respiratory problems and injuries from sticks were taken to hospitals after the clashes during the protest march against the Memorandum. Two policemen were also injured and according to a police source, 24 people were arrested for identification.
The demonstration against the Memorandum began at 11 am from the park in front of the central building of the union of the employees in the private sector. At about 1 pm, the rally got to Syntagma Square where the Greek Parliament is. The protest was led by the bus drivers from the public transport in Athens. According to a rough estimate, there was serous presence of members of the "I do not pay" movement at the demonstration, gathered behind a huge poster and dispersed in large groups throughout the demonstration. There was also numerous participants from the professional branches of kindergarten teachers who were on strike due to the extension of their working hours from 30 to 40 per week, government officials from municipalities, the union of workers in state hospitals, ambulance drivers and ambulance workers, technical staff in the media, editors who were on strike against the economic policy in general, the dismissals and the salary reductions.
The protesters chanted slogans against the Memorandum. "The law is the right of the worker, the striker and the unemployed", "They are stealing our rights which took a century to be achieved – let us all get out to oppose," "Go ahead people, do not give up, it is your right to revolt," "We did not ate it together," "Let a helicopter come over the Council of Ministers to take Papandreou and Papaconstantinou." According to the media, 3-4,000 people took part in the protest march but in several groups. And while the protesters chanted their slogans, the immigrants seeking asylum brought drums and whistles to make more noise and attract the attention, and placards in support of the demonstrations in North Africa. Shortly after a large group of demonstrators passed, a long procession of police special forces appeared that guarded the both sides of the so-called "black block" of anarchists. They passed without chanting slogans, some with uncovered faces, others with gas masks. The demonstration continued for another 15 minutes until all the protesters walked. Around 13:40 a group of hooligans began throwing Molotov bombs against the police which responded with tear gas. The clashes outside the Parliament were put to an end very quickly. Some of the last groups of protesters even passed in front of the Parliament with their posters and headed to Panepistimiou Avenue, while others remained outside the Parliament to protest against the stricter measures against the workers.
Subsequently, there were clashes on the Panepistimiou Avenue and Exarchia neighbourhood, where there were burned dust-bins. The city centre remained closed until about 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
