In the last few months anti-austerity protests across the Eurozone have increased in intensity and violence.
As the EU leaders met in Brussels for a two-day summit the Greek population hit the streets in Athens in force.
Thousands upon thousands of embittered Greeks swamped the streets to voice their displeasure. However, what some protesters termed a ‘totally peaceful march’ became violent soon after helmeted riot police descended on Syntagma Square.
Stun guns were fired, helicopters circled, tear gas was deployed.
Now reports have been confirmed by police regarding the death of a man involved in the demonstration. The 65 year old protestor was said to have died of a heart attack although the exact cause has yet to be confirmed. His death marks the fifth in two years of protests.
A spokesman for the Greek police told journalists that the man’s body had been taken to Athens largest public hospital for an autopsy. He was quoted as saying: ‘There is some speculation that he had a fainting fit and other suggestions that he either suffered a cardiac arrest or stroke. We will only know once the coroner has conducted an autopsy, but what I can say is that there were no police or skirmishes at the spot at which he died. In other words, the death was not provoked by violence.’
Although the actions of the riot police are not thought to have brought about the death the anger of some demonstrators was intensified by their acts of ‘police terrorism’.
One demonstrator commented ‘People either don’t have work or they are becoming policemen because the police force is the only body that is hiring and pays relatively well. Ever more of the new recruits are going straight into the riot police. And basically they are thugs.’
As of 15:37 pm
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