GREECE: Protesters prepare to camp out in front of Athens' parliament

Record ID: 345750

  • Title: GREECE: Protesters prepare to camp out in front of Athens' parliament
  • Date: 14th December 2008
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (DECEMBER 13, 2008) (REUTERS) MOON OVER PARLIAMENT AS HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS GATHER IN FRONT OF POLICE MOON OVER PARLIAMENT WITH GREEK FLAG IN FOREGROUND PROTESTERS LIGHTING MORE CANDLES PROTESTERS SITTING IN FRONT OF A ROW OF CANDLES PROTESTERS WITH LANTERNS AND SITTING ON THE GROUND VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SINGING AND SHAKING MARACAS PROTESTERS SITTING FACING POLICE / PAN TO PITCHED TENT AMONGST CROWD POLICE STANDING IN LONG LINE AROUND PROTESTERS VIEW OF TENT SET UP IN THE MIDST OF PROTESTERS AS POLICE WATCH, STANDING IN A LONG LINE AROUND PROTESTERS MORE OF PROTESTERS HUDDLED TOGETHER AROUND THEIR CANDLES VIEW FROM INSIDE TENT THAT PROTESTERS HAVE SET UP WITH POLICE IN BACKGROUND POLICE WATCHING PROTESTERS TENT SENT UP IN THE MIDDLE OF PROTESTERS, PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND
  • Embargoed: 29th December 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAETW7THCKRYXDHWXIX1WPKB9NA
  • Story Text: Hundreds of protesters, some setting up a tent, prepare to stage an all-night protest in front of the parliament in Athens, exactly one week after a teenager was shot dead by police, sparking violent riots across Greece.
    Hundreds of protesters gathered on Saturday (December 13) after nightfall to hold a peaceful candlelight rally in honour of a teenager whose killing by police a week ago triggered the worst rioting in decades.
    Athens residents and families, friends and former school mates of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, known by friends as Alexis, met in the main square outside parliament, under a full moon, after seven days of violence in the city of four million people, to light candles in his memory.
    Some were visibly preparing to stay all night, pitching a tent in the centre of the square.
    The boy's shooting on December 6 unleashed a wave of riots by students and anarchists, tapping into resentment over political scandals and a slowing economy hit by the global recession.
    Thousands of youths went on a rampage in Athens and other cities, smashing and burning shops, banks and cars, pelting police with stones and piling pressure on the fragile conservative government. More protests are planned for next week.
    The policeman charged with killing the teenager has been jailed along with a colleague pending trial. He says he fired warning shots after being attacked by youths in a leftist Athens neighbourhood and that one bullet ricocheted.
    The subsequent unrest has caused 200 million euros (265.3 million U.S.
    dollars) of damage in Athens alone. Police have detained 432 people.
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