06 Dec 2022 | 05:07 PM UTC
Greece: Additional clashes likely in Thessaloniki through at least Dec. 9 following a police-involved shooting
Additional clashes likely in Thessaloniki, Greece, through at least Dec. 9. Heightened security, localized transport disruptions likely.
Event
Additional clashes, heightened security, and transport disruptions are likely throughout Thessaloniki through at least Dec. 9, following unrest Dec. 5,6. An estimated 1,500 demonstrators clashed with security forces in central Thessaloniki on the night of Dec. 5, hurling Molotov cocktails at the officers, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Security forces also used tear gas after locals in the Agia Sophia Settlement, in the Kalochori Area on the western outskirts of Thessaloniki, set up barricades, set fires to several vehicles, and burned tires and plastics. The unrest is related to the Dec. 5 shooting of a local member of the Roma minority by security forces.
Officials will almost certainly maintain a heightened security presence throughout Thessaloniki through Dec. 9. Localized ground travel delays are likely to persist.
Context
The unnamed Roma individual remains in critical condition after a police officer shot him the in the head early Dec. 5 after driving away from a gas station without paying. Thessaloniki police officials indicated that the individual had attempted to ram officers who were in pursuit on motorbikes. Activist groups have accused the Greek police of discriminating against the Roma community.
Advice
Exercise caution in Thessaloniki through at least Dec. 9 and heed the advisories of local officials. Leave the area at the first sign of a confrontation. Plan for localized ground travel delays.
