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Greek youth commemorate 2008 death of teen by police fire

Xinhua, December 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Greek youth commemorated on Sunday the 2008 death of a Greek teen by police fire that had sparked the worst riots in the country in four decades.

Rallies for the anniversary of Alexandros Grigoropoulos' killing in Athens ended in scuffles with anti riot forces, as in previous years, despite the draconian security measures.

No serious injuries have been reported. At least 15 protesters have been detained, according to police, for pelting rocks and petrol bombs at police officers and causing damages to cars, kiosks and shops and at least one apartment at the end of a mainly peaceful march of about 5,000 citizens.

Anti-riot forces responded by firing tear gas to disperse the groups of about 500 hooded anarchists.

Most clashes took place at the central Athens district of Exarchia where 15-year-old Grigoropoulos was fatally shot during a verbal argument between a group of youth and two policemen.

The teen's death triggered a wave of rioting across the country for a week and ever since the anniversary has been repeatedly marred by violence.

Hooded anarchists who start the incidents have claimed that they protest police violence and the harsh austerity of recent years that has left six out of 10 young Greeks jobless.

Grigoropoulos' mother Gina Tsalikian had made a plea ahead of this year's anniversary that "people stop exploiting and insulting Alexis' memory."

She had made a clear reference to a statement by Nikos Romanos, a friend of Grigoropoulos who was standing next to him when he was killed, and in 2013 was arrested for an armed bank robbery.

The now 22 years old self styled anarchist Romanos, who is serving a 16 year sentence for the robbery, as well as other convicted extremists, have threatened that this December will be marked with violence in protest of Grigoropoulos' killing and the hardships of youth.

Greek police was on alert, as minor incidents between hooded anarchists and police at Exarchia were reported also on Saturday night when a Portuguese tourist was slightly wounded when the vehicle he was driving was hit by rocks during the scuffles. Endit