The gold mining site in Skouries turned into a boiling cauldron on Sunday as protesting residents moved to hinder the company’s vehicles form approaching the work site. The clash between residents and riot police ended with 7 policemen and one resident in the hospital and three women in handcuffs.
Greek media report that one of the policeman was shot and seriously injured by a hunting riffle.
The women – aged 25, 39 and 40 – are to face the prosecutor on Monday with supporters readying to launch a protest. They are to be charged for physically have threatened the police with one woman allegedly to have bitten the hand of one policeman.
According to residents, police intervened when protesters tried to hinder works at the gold mining site. Tear gas was fired.
Policemen do not seem happy with the situation as well. They describe themselves as “boxing sack” and say “investment is good but there must be also a dialogue with the citizens.” Skouries gold mining protesters attack policemen with “stones and nails” launched via self-made tubes. “The role of the police is not to protect investments on a 24-hour basis,” the general secretary of policeman association in Thessaloniki told local media.
Video: raw footage short before the clashes
embedded by Embedded Video
YouTube Direkt
At the same time police continues investigation to identify the person who shot at the riot policeman.
Meanwhile, the meeting between Justice officials, police, Hellas Gold representatives and residents aiming to diffuse the tensed situation has been indefinitely cancelled as company and police representatives declared participation obstacles…
More on Skouries here
