Police studying video of officers and rioters
A video showing riot sqaud officers shielding demonstrators carrying metal bars during the protests in central Athens on Wednesday is being investigated by the Greek police, following a request by Citizens? Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis.
Speaking on Mega Channel on Thursday morning, a man who identified himself as an ETHEL bus company trade unionist said he was one of the people seen in the video. He claims that he and a group of fellow trade unionists carrying the Greek flag were attacked. The group sought protection from riot police who in turn escorted them to safety behind police lines in the area outside the Parliament.
Speaking on Skai TV, Alexandros Kominis, general secretary of the Athens Urban Transport Organization, identified two of the people in the video talking to policemen as former trade unionists of the ETHEL bus company. He said the two men were involved in an incident with members of leftist organizations. Kominis said that a group of about 15 ETHEL employees had been surrounded in a shopping arcade and that riot police assisted them.
Kominis made it clear that he was referring to two men in the video and that he was unaware of the identity of another man who appears shirtless, with his face covered, carrying a metal bar and talking to policemen.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday afternoon, Papoutsis confirmed that the police had been called in to escort the three men to safety after they had come under attack from other protesters.
