Edinburgh joins protest for Greek teenager
Posted by carlasimps on December 11, 2008
EXCLUSIVE
By Carla Simpson
Demonstrators in Edinburgh gathered in the city centre last night to protest against the political situation in Greece, Dunedin Napier News can exclusively reveal.
Around 20-30 people met at Bristo Square and marched along Princes Street, before ending their protest on Castle Street by lighting candles in memory of Alexis Grigoropoulos, the fifteen year old boy killed by a police bullet in Athens last week.
The event was arranged by bloggers online, after the success of their protest outside the Greek Consulate on Monday. Campaigners in Italy, France, Bulgaria and Spain have also been demonstrating.
Passer-by Jeni Scott witnessed the protest as it made its way to Princes Street.
She said: “They were coming down the Mound around four o’clock, just past the gallery.”
“Some of the banners were written in Greek and it looked really impressive.”
Dunedin Napier News reporter Catie Guitart captured these exclusive scenes last night:
Police were in attendance at the event but there were no arrests made.
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police told Dunedin Napier News: “There was no violence at last night’s protest and police were only there to facilitate the peaceful protest.”
Meanwhile riot police clashed with protestors in Athens yesterday on the fifth day of protests, as pressure mounted on Greece’s conservative government.
As the policemen accused of killing the teenager whose death triggered the chaos testified in a city courthouse, youths attacked the building with rocks and firebombs.
The violence escalated into running battles, with masked youths pelting police with bottles and blocks of marble smashed from the Athens metro station entrance. Shop windows newly replaced after four nights of rioting were shattered again.
To add to the tension, a general strike has resulted in the closure of schools and hospitals, with many flights being cancelled. Police and youths also clashed in the city centre during a demonstration by over 10,000 people to protest against the government’s economic policies.
