A peaceful demonstration in Syntagma Square turned into a violent showdown with riot police early evening, 25th September.
A Greek Reporter on the scene, who was not working, watched in amazement as suddenly thousands of demonstrators amassed in the square to protest on the latest austerity measures regarding the new Greek property tax.
The riot police tried to hold back the crowds of protesters on the steps leading from the metro station, keeping them from gathering outside the Greek parliament. However, the demonstrators surged forward sparking off heavy resistance from the officers.
The scenes were quite unbelievable as a few Greek officers targeted young women and elderly men, striking them with their shields around the head and throwing in a few hard kicks with their heavy black boots. Our Greek Reporter who went to defend a young woman, (name withheld) was shoved aside and hit on the head in the scuffle, but shortly after received an apology from the officer involved.
The incident did nothing to calm down the crowds who started shouting abuse at the riot officers, some witnesses were clearly outraged and filmed the scene on their cell phones. Another shocked woman protester asked an officer, “Whose side are you on”? and angrily stated “We are protesting for your rights too!”
Finally, the riot officers, allowed the protesters to move forward towards the parliament building where they continued their demonstration chanting slogans against the new measures and there were no more violent incidents.
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