Protesting farmers clash with riot police in city center of Athens

Clashes broke out in the city center of Athens between protesting farmers and riot police, particularly outside the Ministry of Agricultural Development. Protesters threw stones and tomatoes to the police, which responded with tear gas and flash bangs. Four demonstrators have been detained by the police.
Earlier in the day, about 2,000 farmers arrived from Crete early via ferry boat and stationed themselves outside the Ministry of Agricultural Development, to protest the government’s pension system reforms.

Meanwhile farmers from the north of Greece are on their way to the capital with the various road blocks not participating in the demonstration facilitating the journey. As such, the road block at Tempi will remain open until noon.

The police have set up road blocks of their own across the national high ways, with inspections are being carried out in trucks to prevent farmers from trying to transport tractors to the city center. It was later announced that a small number of tractors will be allowed to symbolically drive past Parliament, with a police escort to avoid any problems.

Joining the farmers in their protest are public sector trade union ADEDY, which has planned a demonstration on Klafthmonos Square at 5pm, as well as the All Workers Militant Front (PAME), which has scheduled its own rally for Saturday in Omonia.