Greek Crisis

Violent Riots at Rallies across Thessaloniki

09/09/2018

Sep 8, 2018

Thousands of protesters gathered in Thessaloniki on Saturday in four separate rallies with the demonstration against the Prespa agreement on the FYROM name ending with clashes with the police.

The demonstrations on Saturday were in light of the presence of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at the Thessaloniki International Fair, where he would give a keynote speech in the evening.

The main demonstration was against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia name agreement where thousands gathered waving Greek flags and shouting slogans against Tsipras and Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris.

The demonstrators vehemently opposed the Prespa agreement signed between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece, in which the two sides decided to call the Balkan country “North Macedonia”.

A few hundred demonstrators detached themselves from the main crowd and tried to attack City Hall. Police fired tear gas and threw noise grenades to repel the crowd.

Earlier there were demonstrations of the Greek workers confederation (GSEE), the Communist Party unionists (PAME) and a rally of anarchists. The workers protested the austerity measures that continue to plight Greek society.

Earlier in the afternoon, a group of anarchists clashed with a group of nationalists, resulting in the injury of a 23-year-old man who was taken to the hospital.

Published at https://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/09/08/violent-riots-in-rallies-across-thessaloniki-video/