Athens municipal clean-up crews have taken to the streets to begin the process of cleaning up the smashed glass, burnt cars and debris resulting from last night’s street battles between police and anti-establishment protesters.
296 people were detained in the center of Athens alone, 43 of whom were subsequently charged. Of the 43 arrestees, 19 have beeb charged with perpetrating attacks on police officers. According to Greek police HQ, 12 officers were injured during the street battles.
As the sun rose over debris-strewn streets, the first tally of the damages was made. Several cars were set on fire and kiosks, shops and bus stops were damaged on the main thoroughfare of Panepistimiou in the center of the city.
Police remain on alert in Athens as new demonstrations have been planned to coincide with the parliamentary vote for the 2015 budget.
Last night’s street violence was the worst seen in Athens since anti-austerity demonstrations peaked about two years ago.
A new phenomenon was also evident – a new type of aerial war on the part of the protesters who. from rooftops and balconies in Exarheia unleashed hailstorms of petrol bombs, rocks, and even fridges onto the streets below, targeting the police.
According to the Deputy Mayor responsible for sanitation, municipal clean up crews have already collected 50 tonnes of wood, rocks and other debris from the streets.
“The destruction is equivalent or very close to that which was seen in 2008 [when Grigoropoulos was killed] but located in one area,” a source said.
“They were jumping from rooftop to rooftop, attacking from there with whatever unbelievable items one can imagine. They had taken strategic parts of the square and other possible approaches by police forces. In one instance a professional fridge fell on to the street from the 2nd floor of an apartment building,” one high ranking officer who had a leading role coordinating the police response told TheTOC.
The police talk of a more coordinated plan on the part of the anti-establishment protesters than has been witnessed until today. Police helicopters filmed protesters on rooftops throwing items and taking positions in scenes reminiscent of guerilla urban warfare.
An official from the Ministry of Public Order spoke of “complicity of some residents,” that would need to countered by, “the organized state.”
"The young people had spilt oil and grease on the roads and at points which lead to Exarheia square. Motorcycle police were injured when they fell on the slippery surface as were others on foot. In other areas we found hosepipes along the width of the road in which nails had been embedded (in threes so that they stayed upright) in order to burst the tires of police vehicles.”
On the part of the security forces, it was the first operation in which the water cannon vehicle ‘Aiada’ played a major role.
The armored vehicle was effective in pushing the protesters back and extinguishing small fires created by petrol bombs. While the vehicle came was at times targeted by a hailstorm of petrol bombs, its defensive system which covers the vehicle in a ‘rain’ of water was effective in protecting its passengers.
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