Fresh clashes in Keratea landfill protest

by (ANA-MPA) 9 Feb 2011

Five people were arrested in police raids on four homes, charged with participation in the violence, and are due to be led before a public prosecutor on Wednesday. Three more persons were taken in for questioning, while several protestors and police were injured in the incidents. The violence erupted when hundreds of protesting residents attacked the Mat riot police forces on Lavriou Avenue, where locals have set up a roadblock. Riot police used teargas to disperse the protestors, while homemade petrol bombs and rocks were thrown against police and at the local police station, breaking several windows. Police used teargas on a handful of occasions, before calm was restored about an hour after midnight. Residents Outraged at Keratea Rubbish Dump Plans Posted on 09 February 2011 by Apostolos Papapostolou Fresh incidents occurred last night between police and residents of Keratea, south-east of Athens. This location has been chosen over the past few years alongside Grammatico (north of the capital) as the site for two new large rubbish tips for the Attica region. Keratea inhabitants are against the construction of the dump, saying that regular administrative procedures were not complied with and that the dump would be next to an archaeological site. The incidents led to the arrest of five people. This follows arrests in January and December, when tension continued for eight consecutive days with violent clashes breaking out between inhabitants and police. According to media, last night’s incidents were more serious than the ones of the last few months. ”Nothing was left standing” reported the daily paper Eleftherotypia. The conflict shifted to inside the city itself, in the streets and squares, and lasted until late in the night. Police used tear gas on attacks by protestors, who used incendiary bombs and stones. The government is instead pushing for the projects to be carried out rapidly, especially in order to avoid losing EU funds. A judge had temporarily suspended the works while awaiting on a ruling on the matter. The Greek State Council, the supreme administrative court, gave the go-ahead on January 10th for the construction of the rubbish tip in Keratea. Πηγή : http://greece.greekreporter.com Keratea: When police suffers a breakdown, who protects the citizens from the police? (video) A young plain cloths Greek policeman has pull his gun and holds it against some people. His hand is shaking, his nevres are blank. He seems kind out of control.One of his collegues grabs him from the waist and tries to calm him down. Other policemen come to aid and try to diffuse the tension. The incident happened Tuesday afternoon in the town of Keratea when plain cloths policemen were conducting house search during an investigation of a petrol bomb attack against a police premises some hours earlier. I had some reservation when I saw the picture on the internet this morning, but then there came the state television to confirm the scary incident. Quoting police sources, NET’s reporter enlightened me explaining that ‘the policeman was in self defence when residents tried to disarm him’. OK… But when a policeman suffers a nervous breakdown, who can protect the citizens from the police? Is the answer “another policeman” ? What if he were alone? The picture has been published in its full live-video version taken by a resident via mobile phone. Video: Plain cloth policeman pulls his gun (0:06 and 00:35-0:57) Meanwhile a preliminary administrative inquiry has been ordered by the General Police Headquarters of Athens against the plain cloth policeman after websites and private television channels published the picture and the video. Well done, guys! Picture Source: Keratea Blog (antixyta.blogspot) I have been wondering what would I do seeing a man with jean and pullover holding a gun in his hands. I would seek a hide and while running away I would be praying not to get a bullet in my back. Most likely, I think, I would freeze out of fear though… Or even worst, I would drop dead on the spot and miss my chance to take such a courageous footage. Definitely I woudln’t try to disarm him ... http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com