From the Greek Streets

Map of today’s events from Last Hours

15.37 GMT+2 Street-fighting has moved to Exarcheia; the riot cops have just stormed the area’s square; people are gathering in the Polytechnic.

14.30 GMT+2 In Athens, clashes with the police in Omonoia square (central square of Athens), many groups of demonstrators moving in different places. Extent use of tear-gas in a large area.

14.22 GMT+2 Back in Athens, a team of the Delta motorcycle force was attacked by demonstrators while trying to make an arrest. At least one more demonstrator has been arrested on Stadiou Avenue this time, after being heavily beaten by riot and motorcycle cops.

14.20 GMT+2 In Thessaloniki today’s demonstration is reported much larger than last general strike. A first report on IMC claims 6-7,000 demonstrators; two chain supermarkets and one large confiserie were looted. One CCTV camera was smashed; riot cops tear-gassed the demonstration at that point, but the demonstrators remained calm. Also, during the demo, many ATMs, a fast-food chain store, vodafone, and a church’s store were smashed.

13.57 GMT+2 Riot police have once attacked the demo, toward its end, at  the corner of Panepistimiou Avenue and Sina Street. At least five detentions, the demonstration has been broken off.

12.38 GMT +2 The riot police (MAT) attacked the demo almost as soon as it set off, it seems. There is MAT forces on all the side streets of Patision Avenue; they have tear-gassed the demo. There are clashes around Stournari Street right now.

12.03 GMT+2 A reminder for anyone who might be in Athens at the moment: There are absolutely no buses and only line 1 (green) of the Metro is functioning today; the other two lines (underground) and the tram network are all closed down by the strike. Additionally, line 1 is closed in its Piraeus extension for works and reports say there are no replacement buses today, so access to the centre for people coming from the direction of Piraeus will be hard.