Molotovs, rocks and chemicals during the Alexis protest

Extensive clashes occurred at noon on Tuesday, in Athens, as the march of the student protest for the three-year anniversary of the assassination of Alexis Grigoropoulos, turned once more into a theater of conflict between students, masked individuals and riot police.

Police proceeded with nine arrests and six detentions, while 14 police officers have been injured.

In front of the Parliament, youths threw rocks and Molotov cocktails against police. The presidential guards were removed from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and police forces were deployed on point, repelling protestors towards Panepistimiou Boulevard and Syntagma Square.

Masked individuals were moving around nearby streets, smashing marbles in front of hotels and setting fire to benches at bus and trolley stops.

Seville oranges were thrown against riot police by students in Stadiou, while riot police made limited use of chemicals.

Roads were open to traffic shortly after 15.00 and cleaning crews of the municipality were working in Syntagma Square, while demonstrators were scattered around the streets.

The police strategic plan was fully implemented since riot policemen, despite the rock attacks, did not take any steps that would futher exacerbate the situation and limited their action to the use of chemicals which, however, was much less than ever before.

The protest in Athens, however, had begun calmly. Around 1000 to 1500 students gathered in Propylaea and began their march towards Parliament. The climate was calm, initially, with banners dedicated to the 15-year-old. Police presence was discreet, and trucks of riot police were stationed in Stadiou and outside Parliament, around Syntagma Square.

Due to the protest mergers, the metro station at Panepistimio will close at 17.00, while the Syntagma station will close at 18.00, since a protest of anti-authoritarians is planned for that time.

Greek police has adapted its plans to the standards of the day of the Polytechnic commemoration where, admittedly, everything went smoothly, without excesses and extended episodes.

Following the meetings of staffs of the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Police leadership, the Athens center was fortified. Specifically, 5000 police officers will take part in the operation. 1500 of those belong to the Directorate of Police Operations.