GREECE: Five Greek policemen injured in clashes with youths
- 00:02:41
- ITN Source
GREECE: Five Greek policemen injured in clashes with youths
A peaceful education rally turned violent in Athens when student protesters clashed with police. Greek riot police clashed with self-styled anarchist youths in Athens on Wednesday (January 17), turning the city centre into a battle-ground of billowing smoke for hours. The youths hurled hundreds of petrol bombs at police, burning four cars and one shop. Police retaliated with several rounds of teargas that choked up the capital's streets. The clashes started when about 30 youths broke off from an otherwise peaceful march against an education reform law and attacked riot police with petrol bombs. About 9,000 students, educators and civil servants marched through the city to oppose the law that allows the creation of private universities in Greece, which protesters say will commercialise education and make it hard for the poor to attend college. The conservative government and main opposition socialists back the bill, saying it will give much-needed competition to Greek state universities and improve higher education.
ITN Source | January 18, 2007
