Nerves frayed as more rallies are lined up
The prospect of another mass rally against university reforms on Thursday in central Athens caused the government concern yesterday because of fears that a further outbreak of violence could lead to injuries or even deaths. Sources said that the government is stressing that Thursday’s march should be carefully organized and policed to avoid a repeat of last week’s scenes when self-styled anarchists fought running battles with riot police for several hours. Although 61 people were arrested – an unusually high number for a protest rally – the police, and Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras in particular, came under heavy criticism after officers failed to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and allowed a protester to set fire to a guard post in front of the monument. Authorities have been trying to devise methods which would help them to police similar rallies and the Public Order Ministry is understood to be thinking of arming officers with paint guns to fire pellets at troublemakers so they can be easily identified and arrested. «The police are trying to deal with these sorts of [violent] incidents as best they can,» said government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos. Demonstrations will be held in several cities on Thursday to protest the reforms. The rally in Athens is due to begin at noon outside Athens University. However, protesters clashed again with riot police yesterday outside the courts where 49 of those arrested last week were to stand trial. Their cases were adjourned to March 21. Youths also hurled dozens of Molotov cocktails at a police station in Zografou, eastern Athens, early yesterday. Nobody was injured or arrested. Students also blocked a number of streets in Athens with burning rubbish, tires and desks as part of protests against the recently passed university reforms law. Athenian shop owners, meanwhile, pleaded with the government to take action to stop the almost daily protests, which they claim are causing them to lose up to 92 percent of their business. Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis backed their calls. «Athens cannot be held hostage on certain days of the week and licking its wounds on the remaining days,» he said.
