Skouries turned into a battlefield

The forest of Skouries in northern Greece's Halkidiki peninsula turned into a battlefield tonight as local villagers and Syriza leaning protesters clashed with riot police [see update below]. Approximately 2000 demonstrators marched peacefully to Eldorado company’s site over the severe environmental impact from its gold mining operations. Riot police squads had already blocked the way through the entrance and hurled teargas to disperse the crowd. 

There were multiple reports of outrageous police brutality going viral on twitter as the incident was not broadcasted by mainstream media. Officers reportedly smashed window cars down the road junction with passengers remaining inside, bashed elderly demonstrators, forced a woman to kneel before causing her leg injuries and broke photojournalist @nikospilos camera lens. Iliopoulos, member of Syriza youth movement reportedly said "they (police) were running after us all the way down for 7km and people got panicked. They hurled teargas inside the cars."

18 people were detained and led to the police department of Polygyro (capital of Halkidiki)  where another 150 gathered to express their solidarity. Following negotiations the detainees were finally allowed to see 4 lawyers. Syriza MP Katerina Igglezi was denied access into the premises and was reportedly assaulted by a plainclothes police officer on the spot. Detentions were converted to arrests but a pick-up truck driver was charged with attempted manslaughter although he was being transferred to hospital for heart issues as a teargas canister was thrown by police into his vehicle while driving.

Update 22/10/2012 by @IrateGreek: Among those present in the demonstration were anti-mining protesters from Kilkis and Thrace, whose regions are also threatened with environmental disaster due to mining plans. Also present were environmental activists from Thessaloniki, two MPs of SYRIZA, a former EuroMP of the Eco-Greens and a representative from the Independent Greeks' party.


Police hurled teargas and protesters - inside and outside cars - leave the site walking down the road. Some of them wear teargas masks while others have applied malox on their face for protection. 




Outrage over assault on Syriza MP Katerina Iggezi. At 0.38' the camera zooms on police officer

Riot police officers allegedly smashed window cars and threw teargas canisters inside



*pictures and video via alterthess.gr
edited by @inflammatory_