Wednesday

7th Jun 2023

Amnesty condemns Greek crackdown on anti-austerity protests

  • An injured man in Syntagma Square (Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis)

Amnesty International has condemned the use of "excessive force" by Greek security forces in suppressing protests against EU-IMF-imposed austerity.

In a statement issued Wednesday (29 June) night, the human rights group described how their supporters had catalogued a series of abuses against the largely peaceful demonstrators in Athens' central Syntagma Square in front of the national parliament.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"Video footage and witness testimony points to the repeated use of excessive force by police in recent demonstrations, including the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of tear gas and other chemicals against largely peaceful protesters," the group said in a statement.



"Amnesty International representatives present in Syntagma square have witnessed incidents of peaceful protesters being beaten by police officers."


Throughout the day, riot police numbering some 5,000 fired multiple volleys of tear gas and stun grenades into crowds, including into the metro station where a makeshift medical shelter had been set up.

Hundreds have been hospitalised with respiratory troubles, burns and bruises from the attacks, according to local reports.

"Many protesters have reportedly been hospitalised with breathing problems caused by inhaling the tear gas and a number of protesters and riot police officers have been injured," the Amnesty statement continued.

An unnamed supporter of the group described how the police targetted peaceful demonstrators: "The people have nothing to do, nothing violent. But this is indiscriminate. Listen, I was in front of the medical centre where the police shoot tear gas."

"This is what we do not understand - why the police are attacking the square inside because nothing violent is happening inside the square," the female rights monitor said. "Some protesters are violent, but it is in the streets around the square."

The group's deputy director for Europe and central Asia, John Dalhuisen, said authorities should not engage in such violence again as protests continue.

"The largely peaceful demonstrations of the past two days have been marred again by a minority of rioters clashing with the police," he said.

"Police have a duty to stop the violence and arrest those responsible, but they must ensure the use of force is proportionate and directed only at violent demonstrators," he continued.

"They must not curtail the legitimate right of the vast majority of peaceful demonstrators to gather and protest in Syntagma square."


Responding to the Amnesty condemnation, European Commission spokeswoman Pia Hansen on Thursday rejected suggestions that the EU-IMF-ECB troika imposing austerity in Greece bears any responsibility for the disorder.

"It is for the Greek authorities to deal with public order. This is not something we have a role on. I have no lessons to give Greece at this point," she told reporters in Brussels. "We expect what we would expect from any [EU] member state regarding the rights of people to express their views peacefully."

"Any manifestation of violence is of course regrettable and unacceptable," she added.

An EU diplomat however was more frank, suggesting that behind closed doors, leaders are indeed worried that Greece is becoming unstable.

"We are not very far from a very bad turn in Greek social developments. It is a very grave concern," said the source.

Final push for EU-Mercosur deal, amid deforestation fears

Finalising the EU-Mercosur agreement is a priority for the EU and the upcoming Spanish EU council presidency, ahead of the summit with Latin America and the Caribbean countries to be held in Brussels on 17 and 18 July.

ECB: eurozone home prices could see 'disorderly' fall

The European Central Bank in its Financial Stability Review warned EU home prices could see a 'disorderly' fall as high mortgage rates are making houses unaffordable for households and unattractive for investors.

Adapting to Southern Europe's 'new normal' — from droughts to floods

Extreme weather events in recent months have worsened agricultural production in southern Europe, prompting concerns for authorities in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. As countries will likely face dryer conditions, experts urge adaptation measures for the 'new normal'.

Analysis

Final steps for EU's due diligence on supply chains law

Final negotiations on the EU due diligence law begin this week. But will this law make companies embed due diligence requirements in their internal processes or incentive them to outsource their obligations to third parties?

Latest News

  1. Final push for EU-Mercosur deal, amid deforestation fears
  2. Ministers given 50/50 chance of reaching EU asylum deal
  3. EU Commission wants better focus on mental health care
  4. Right of Reply from the Hungarian government
  5. True scale of horror in today's Belarus hard to comprehend
  6. Israeli settlers encircling Jerusalem, EU envoys warn
  7. No clear 'Qatargate effect' — but only half voters aware of EU election
  8. Part of EU middle class 'being squeezed out', MEP warns

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us