Protesters and officers clash after migrant dies
The death of a Nigerian man, who appears to have jumped from the first-floor window of a cafeteria in Thessaloniki on Saturday night to evade arrest, sparked clashes between migrants and police in the northern Greek port city. Police said that the 25-year-old man, unofficially named as Tony Ougounha, was selling pirated compact discs and thought that two plainclothes policemen were watching him. This caused the migrant to panic and run to the window of the cafeteria in Kalamaria, a suburb of Thessaloniki. According to police, he jumped out of the window to avoid being detained by the two men. The 25-year-old was killed instantly when he hit the sidewalk below. Police said that there was no evidence to suggest that there were any undercover officers in the cafeteria at the time of the incident. News of the man’s death prompted other migrants and protesters to gather outside the cafeteria during the night. Some Nigerians in the crowd claimed that a week earlier the 25-year-old had been caught by two plainclothes officers who badly beat the illegal CD seller. His countrymen suggested that Ougounha was trying to get away from the same two policemen when he jumped out of the window. Clashes broke out between protesters and the police, resulting in damage to stores in the area, a fire engine and a parked car. The police presence was strengthened so the body of the 25-year-old could be moved from the scene but protesters began pelting the officers with stones. This resulted in slight injuries to two officers before the crowd dispersed.
