Friday, August 27, 2004

Cashing in on the Olympics

If Bush can do it, so can the anti-Bush demonstrators.

Greek anti-war organizations and trade unions staged a big demonstration in downtown Athens Friday night to protest the planned visit to Greece by US Secretary of State Colin Powell who will attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games on Sunday.

Around 3,000 protesters gathered in front of the Athens University and then marched to the Parliament, declaring Powell "persona non grata".

The demonstrators also tried to march to the US embassy but failed in strong presence of anti-riot policemen and road blockade.

They held high slogans against the Bush administration, demanding "an end to the occupation of Iraq an end to any plan on the involvement of Greece in this issue."

The protesters also noted that the US president cannot use the Olympics in his election campaign in the United States.

Minor clashes occurred in front of the Parliament building whenthe demonstrators attempted to break through the police cordon. Riot police repelled the demonstrators, initially with their shields and then dispersed them with tear gas.

Some of the protesters later went towards Omonia Square, threw stones and rocks along the way but caused only minor damages.

All the roads leading to the center of Athens were blocked, some with a big bus across the road.

About 400 protesters also rallied in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

Greek Communist Party (KKE) is scheduled to hold a similar demonstration early Saturday.
  Xinhuanet article

I guess the front of the US embassy is not a Free Speech Zone.

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