Demonstrators clash with police in Exarcheia

The Athens neighborhood of Exarheia and surrounding areas have seen a night of street battles, petrol bombs and flames.

An earlier demonstration in the capital to mark the 6th anniversary of the murder of 15 year old Alexis Grigoropoulos by a policeman was largely peaceful. However a second march that began at about 6pm from the Propylae on Panepistimiou descended into street battles between protesters and police. These were largely contained to the area of Exarheia.

While the demonstrations have become a yearly event since the killing of Grigoropoulos, this year they have taken on added significance due to the hunger strike of Nikos Romanos - an avowed anarchist and Grigoropoulos's childhood friend who was with him on the night of his murder. Many demonstrators - peaceful and not - expressed their support for Romanos in today's demonstrations that took place throughout Greece.

Anti-establishment demonstrators fashioned makeshift barricades at the intersection between Stournari and Boublina Street.

They lobbed petrol bombs at the police who responded with extensive use of tear gas and stun grenades.

On Stournaris and Solomou street a water cannon vehicle appeared - the so-called 'Aiadas'.

At least two hundred demonstrators were detained - mainly on Agiou Konstantinou road and in Omonia square.

Addtional arrests were made on Sokratous street.

A number of protesters were wounded, as was one motorcycle police officer who suffered minor injuries.

In Exarheia petrol bombs rained down from balconies on Solomou Street as soon as the water cannon vehicle appeared.

One car was set alight on Benaki road.

Once the protest turned violent, a large number of protesters made their way to the central Omonia Square where they were dispursed by the water cannon truck.

Shortly after 10 pm the violence was largely restricted to Exarheia Square where anti-establishment demonstrators continued throwing petrol bombs and police responded with tear gas late into the night.

Earlier there were sporadic violent scenes in Syntagma Square.

Police forces deployed clouds of teargas and used stun grenades to drive the protesters out of the square and towards Exarheia.

Young demonstrators then made there way along Panepistimiou Street towards Exarheia, some of whom smashed store and bank windows, bus stops, kiosks, and traffic lights on the way.

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