Youth rioters attack police, burn cars in Athens

www.monstersandcritics.com

Europe News

Sep 5, 2009,

Athens – A group of 20 self-styled anarchists attacked riot police and burned several cars in Athens overnight, causing damage but no injuries, authorities said Saturday.

The 20 hooded youths hurled homemade Molotov cocktails at riot police on guard outside the old offices of the main opposition Socialist party in the area of Exarchia. Riot police retaliated by spraying tear gas.

The youths escaped through the narrow streets of Exarchia, burning two cars and an ATM machine.

Earlier this week, an explosion outside the Athens Stock Exchange injured one person, caused minor damage to the building and destroyed at least eight cars parked nearby.

At about the same time, another explosion occurred in front of a ministry building in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, causing minor damage.

The building is near the site of the Thessaloniki Trade Fair, which Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis was to inaugurate and where he was to give an annual speech on the economy Saturday.

Greece has been plagued by bombings and arson attacks since the police shooting of a teenager in December, which sparked the worst riots the country has seen in decades.

Officials said they believe the latest attacks could be the work of left-wing militants who have carried out other attacks targeting police, banks, government buildings and a private television station.

The violence has embarrassed Karamanlis’ government, which has been criticized for its inability to protect citizens.

The government has vowed to crack down on the increasing violence and sought advice from British police.

Four arrested in Exarchia violence

www.ana-mpa.gr

5 09 2009

Four people were arrested at dawn Friday in the Exarchia district of downtown Athens, for involvement in an attack on police officers.

The four, aged between 21 and 29, were part of a group of some 50 individuals who made repeated attacks on a MAT riot police team near the former headquarters of main opposition PASOK party on Harilou Trikoupi street that started at 1:40 a.m..

The group made repeated attacks with home-made firebombs (molotov cocktails), bottles, rocks and other objects against the MAT team, injuring three police officers and causing damage to two police cars.

The police responded with tear gas, after which the group of attackers set fire to garbage dumpsters they had piled up as road blocks on surrounding streets.

Two of the detainees, who were taken in for questioning at security police headquarters, claimed they had been injured during the disturbances and were taken to hospital. One of the two was hospitalised while the second detainee was returned to the police lock-up facility after medical examinations were conducted.

~ par Alain Bertho sur 5 septembre 2009.

Publié dans émeutes, riots