ATHENS, Dec 6 (Reuters) – Clashes erupted between police and protesters in Athens on Friday as thousands participated in a march to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the police killing of a teenage boy, an event that sparked some of Greece’s most intense riots in recent history.
Approximately 5,000 people gathered to honor the memory of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, who was 15 when he was fatally shot by a police officer on December 6, 2008. As the march concluded in the Exarchia district, where the incident occurred, hooded protesters set fire to garbage containers, threw petrol bombs, and hurled stones at riot police. The police responded by firing rounds of teargas to disperse the crowd.
In anticipation of the protest, thousands of police officers were deployed in central Athens. A police official reported that more than 60 people were temporarily detained, and eight individuals were arrested.
The fatal shooting of Grigoropoulos ignited widespread riots on the night of December 6, 2008, with protesters setting cars ablaze, smashing shop windows, and looting stores. The unrest continued for weeks, leaving a significant mark on Greece’s political and social landscape.
