Police brace for busy day
Police chiefs are due to meet today to discuss how to organize a massive security operation in central Athens tomorrow when the Russian and Bulgarian presidents will visit to sign the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline deal at the same time that university students are set to stage a mass rally. Some 5,000 officers will be deployed in the city center to police the events and traffic restrictions between the Hilton Hotel, Syntagma Square and the Acropolis will be in place from 2 p.m. today to 3 p.m. tomorrow. Police fear that protesters may try to break through barriers and head for the Presidential Palace, where the oil pipeline agreement is to be signed. Sources confirmed that authorities are considering detaining potential troublemakers before the rally in an effort to avoid the violent clashes seen last week. They are also thinking of firing paintballs at anyone involved in violence so they can be identified more easily. The government is anxious that there be no serious disturbances to the same degree or worse than last week.
