A “hell” of a weekend lays ahead in downtown Athens and strong security measures are planned not only for the official visit of the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, With hunger-striker Nikos Romanos’ health deteriorating, the 6th anniversary of teenager boy Alexis Grigoropoulos by a policeman in 2008 and the planned protests against the voting of the austerity budget 2015 have set all possible and impossible security forces on alert. Some 8,000 policemen are reportedly to be deployed in Athens over the weekend and avert riots and clashes.
Friday – Saturday
Greek Police already banned public gatherings and protest rallies from 6 a.m. on Friday (Dec 5), when the Turkish PM is due to arrive, through 3 p.m. on Saturday (Dec 6), after his departure.
The ban will be imposed along the routes that Davutoglu is expected to take during his visit as well as at central Syntagma Square.
Metro stations <Evaggelismos>, <Katechaki> and <Megaron Mousikis> will close to public on Frieday, Dec 5/2014 as of 13:00. It is not clear, when they will open again and it up to police to decide.
Saturday
Several protests rallies are planned for the 6th anniversary of Alexis Grigoropoulos, 15, who was killed by a bullet from a policeman’s pistol on December 6th 2008 in Exarchia district of Athens. Grigoropoulos’ murder triggered rioting in Athens, while the protests during the anniversary often ended in riots and clashes between anarchists and police.
Scheduled Protests: outside the Athens University – Panepistimou Avenue.
12:00 noon Groups: high-school students, anarchists
01:00 pm Group: SYRIZA
06:00 pm Group: anti-authoritarians
The protests get a special meaning as Grigoropoulos’ friend Nikos Romanos, now 21, is on the 25th day of his hunger-strike and his health is deteriorating.
Romanos was together with Grigoropoulos who was together with the victim at the moment of his murder.
Greek prime time news reported that anarchist Nikos Romanos, who has been hospitalized since last weekend, suffered a fainting collapse Thursday afternoon.
Upon the news of Romanos health condition anarchists occupied the building of biggest private sector union GSEE in Patision Avenue in central Athens.
Metro stations
<Evaggelismos>, <Katechaki>, <Megaron Mousikis> will be closed to public as of 11 a.m.
Police may close down more Metro stations in downtown Athens, should protests get out of control. This has been the usual practice for the last two years.
Sunday
Several anti-austerity protests are planned outside the Greek Parliament at Syntagma Square in the afternoon, where lawmakers are expected to vote for the Budget 2015.
