New video of the massive protest that turned into a fierce street battle (Exarcheia, 6 December '24)
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Friday, 6 December 2024, to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the police killing of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, the police murder of a kid that ignited Greece's most severe riots in decades, in that time back in 2008.
The annual march, which has taken place since then, does not just serve as a reminder of the tragic events that unfolded on the night of 6 December, but as a protest against Police and State violence of the present.
Following the dynamic protest in Athens city centre and the greek parliament, a fierce riot erupted at the Exarcheia district, in the area of the fatal police shooting of 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos's back in 2008, with hooded protesters trapping the riot police between a hail of stones from the buildings above and attacks on the ground from different sides.
The memory of Grigoropoulos's death continues to resonate deeply in Greece. His killing on December 6, 2008, by a police officer sparked weeks of protests and riots, not just in Greece but also in many countries abroad, fueled by broader frustrations over economic hardship and continuous incidents of police brutality.