Greek riot police showed extensive cruelty and use of force by stripping and humiliating at least two demonstrators on Friday night. The incidents took place following clashes after the march on the 11th anniversary of the assassination of teenager boy Alexis Grigoropoulos by a policeman in Exarchia district of Athens.
The picture of police humiliating demonstrators flooded the social media late on Friday.
#Greece #Athens Cops beat and sexually assault demonstrator before arresting him #antireport pic.twitter.com/1NBEyUbtPJ
— Δρομογράφος (@dromografos) December 6, 2019
In one occasion, several policemen beat one demonstrator and strip him of his blouse.
While policemen are holding the man’s hands, one of their colleague has taken down his pants and pulls his underwear. Half naked, the man is taken to the nearest police station.
In another incident, riot police is pulling the clothes of a young woman up to her neck.
Eurokinissi photographer Tatiana Bolari wrote on facebook that the man was detained and not arrested. “one of his shoes was left on the street” as police took him away.
In a third incident, police arrests a young woman who was screaming that she had nothing to do with the riots.
This girl was just screaming at the cops. No riots were happening. This is the brutal way they have arrested her in Exarcheia Square some minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/2wdxYasuAt
— · Hibai Arbide Aza · (@Hibai_) December 6, 2019
It is not even clear whether these people were involved in the attacks against police or they were simply happened to be there.
Following a non-stop outcry on social media, the Greek Police ordered an urgent investigation on Saturday.
It all started after the end of the commemoration march and several anti-authoritarians moved to Exarchia.
More than 10000 people commemorated Alexis Grigoropoulos who was shot dead by two cops in 2008. He was 15y.o. #athens #greece #nopasaran #antireport pic.twitter.com/B3gCn7mvwC
— Nikolas Georgiou (@mpodil) December 6, 2019
#grigoropoulos #Γρηγοροπουλος #Athens #greece pic.twitter.com/4yE7Vxc7Hp
— Tony Rigopoulos (@tony_rgps) December 6, 2019
They first hurled molotov cocktail bombs at the headquarters of PASOK, later fire bombs and stones at riot policemen.
Police responded with extensive use of tear gas, while it also used water cannons.
2 #police riot vehicles approaching #exarcheia square. Minor tension in the area. #athens #greece #grigoropoulos #Γρηγορόπουλος pic.twitter.com/pLZUHeelZz
— Tony Rigopoulos (@tony_rgps) December 6, 2019
Clashed with police took place also in Thessaloniki and Patras where commemoration marches were held as well.
Police detained 50 people in Athens and arrested 10 of them. In Thessaloniki, 8 demonstrators were detained and 2 of them arrested. In Patras, all 19 detainees were arrested in the end.
The headquarters of Greek Police spoke of “limited incidents.”
However, the issue did not end there, in Exarchia, that the Prime Minister and the Minister for Citizen Protection are determined to “clean” from anti-authoritarians, anarchists and other troublemakers.
A barrage of attacks against shops, public services and ATMs in suburbs of western and eastern Athens as well as in suburbs of Piraeus took place between 2:30 and 4 o’ clock in the morning.
Smashed were the windows of 13 shops, 5 ATMs and 3 public services among them one tax office and offices of the Water Company were attacked and damaged.
Two cars were set on fire.
Police estimates that the attackers moved around on motorbikes and used sledgehammers and hammers. Seven people were detained but were set free later.
ANIMALS!