Riots Mark Anniversary of Greek Teenager’s Shooting

Violence erupted in Athens on Sunday as thousands took to the streets to mark the anniversary of the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot dead by Greek police a year ago. Within a few hours of his death, riots had spread across the country in a two-week spate of looting and burning. —JCL

The Guardian:

Police fired teargas at rioters who threw rocks and firecrackers in central Athens as thousands gathered to mark the first anniversary of the police shooting of a teenager.

Clashes broke out as about 3,000 people, mostly students, anarchists and leftists, began a march to parliament. More protests were expected tomorrow. An evening memorial service was planned in the Exarchia district, where 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot dead.

Violence also broke out in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, where demonstrators threw petrol bombs at police and smashed the front of a Starbucks cafe.

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flickr.com / manos2036

Greek riot police try to keep a lid on things in Athens in 2008, after the shooting death of a teenager.