Protesting farmers and livestock breeders in Central Greece clashed with riot police on Thursday, when they broke a police cordon and climbed to the road junction in Karditsa on foot.
Earlier riot police had fired tear gas and flash bangs at the hundreds of protesters.
The situation was out of control, as even an officer of the Hellenic Police was trying to calm down the riot policemen. One of the riot policemen did not hesitate to push the officer right in front of the reporters’ cameras, reported topontiki.gr , SKAI TV and other media.
The officer ordered them to back off, however the leader of the riot police group told him that as long as the farmers remained at “his station”, his men were not going to retreat.
In an incredible crescendo of provocation -as media commented -, he took off his has mask and told the office in a strong tone: “They will leave and then I will retreat.”
The officer continued to give the order to retreat and got between the farmers and the riot police.
Police announcement
Later on Thursday, the Greek Police issued a statement saying that one police officer was injured when protesters threw him on the ground. A case file against the protests has been issued, the statement added.
Protests for a better life
At the mass meeting held on the E65, Kostas Tzellas, president of the United Federation of Agricultural Associations of Karditsa (EOASK), denounced the authoritarianism of the government that attempted to put a brake on their struggle with beating and chemicals. He made it clear that the farmers of the area will not take a step back from the collective decision they took to set up a blockade on the E65 because their problems are real and they do not leave them any room for waiting.
At the same time, he demanded that the government withdraw the repressive forces and put their demands into practice. He briefly presented the framework of the demands of the farmers and livestock breeders and stressed that their struggle must be escalated by setting up blockades and multifaceted action throughout the country.
In a coordinated action, hundreds of farmers and live stock breeders took to the streets and with over 250 tractors set up blockades in Karditsa but also in Larissa, Trikala and Magnesia.
Protesters demands
Among others, the protesters demand:
Measures to reduce the production costs such as tax-free fuel, a ceiling on electricity price at 7 cents/Kwh, subsidies for fertilizers, agricultural supplies and animal feed.
Protection against reduced income and low prices
Regulation changes to cover all natural hazards and diseases at all stages of production.
Implementation of all necessary infrastructure projects and preventive measures for protection against natural disasters and diseases.
Immediate increase in agricultural pensions.
Additionally, for the Prefecture of Larissa they demand:
Compensation for producers who were unable to cultivate their fields due to the devastation caused by storm Daniel, as well as payments of compensations that have been largely delayed and the immediate implementation of infrastructure projects to protect production from floods, but also to ensure a sufficient amount of water for irrigation and to prevent water from becoming an extremely expensive commodity for the Unified Water Management Agency S.A. and also to solve the problem with the Public Power Corporation in drilling, the exorbitant bills, and even bills for drilling that do not work.