Demotix.com 01/06/2010
Fans of the Ιraklis football club took to the streets in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. Angry over their pending relegation the city’s oldest team supporters clashed with riot police – Thessaloniki, Greece
Fans of the Ιraklis football team took to the streets in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. Angry over the decision to relegate the city’s oldest club supporters fought with riot police yesterday evening in a series of confused clashes in which the authorities used tear gas, flash grenades and specially trained motorcycle units to break up the march.
However, police struggled to regain order around the St Demetrios cathedral and on several occasions were forced to beat a hasty retreat in the face of enraged supporters who threw chairs, bottles and stones at police units.
The decision by the Greek football licencing commitee not to grant permission to Iraklis, founded in 1908 to take part in next season’s Superleague was the result of allegations that the team had not fulfilled its financial obligations and owes 6 million euros in back taxes. However, the Iraklis management say that the oversights were clerical errors and debts concerned amount to less than three thousand euros in back pay.
The official Iraklis website announced that the “ "the war has started” " and following the decision being made known between 4 – 6,000 supporters, many on motorbikes and scooters paraded through the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city chanting that the town would burn if their team was relegated. Fans set fire to rubbish bins and sprayed grafitti on shops and walls as they made their way alongTsimiski Boulevard.
Trouble flared when riot police and motorcycle mounted Delta units attempted to break up the demonstration as it wound its way past the ex-ministry of Macedonia and Thrace. However, when police units moving in to clear the streets found themselves surrounded by angry protesters, many of them middle aged and pensioners who were outraged by the indiscriminate use of tear gas and on at least three seperate occasions police units narrowly avoided being trapped.
More protests by Iraklis supporters have been scheduled for this evening and once more the police are on high alert through the city.
Fans of the Ιraklis football team took to the streets in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. Angry over the decision to relegate the city’s oldest club supporters fought with riot police yesterday evening in a series of confused clashes in which the authorities used tear gas, flash grenades and specially trained motorcycle units to break up the march.
However, police struggled to regain order around the St Demetrios cathedral and on several occasions were forced to beat a hasty retreat in the face of enraged supporters who threw chairs, bottles and stones at police units.
The decision by the Greek football licencing commitee not to grant permission to Iraklis, founded in 1908 to take part in next season’s Superleague was the result of allegations that the team had not fulfilled its financial obligations and owes 6 million euros in back taxes. However, the Iraklis management say that the oversights were clerical errors and debts concerned amount to less than three thousand euros in back pay.
The official Iraklis website announced that the “ "the war has started” " and following the decision being made known between 4 – 6,000 supporters, many on motorbikes and scooters paraded through the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city chanting that the town would burn if their team was relegated. Fans set fire to rubbish bins and sprayed grafitti on shops and walls as they made their way alongTsimiski Boulevard.
Trouble flared when riot police and motorcycle mounted Delta units attempted to break up the demonstration as it wound its way past the ex-ministry of Macedonia and Thrace. However, when police units moving in to clear the streets found themselves surrounded by angry protesters, many of them middle aged and pensioners who were outraged by the indiscriminate use of tear gas and on at least three seperate occasions police units narrowly avoided being trapped.
More protests by Iraklis supporters have been scheduled for this evening and once more the police are on high alert through the city.
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