Press Release
Ierissos 7/3/2013
Riot police storm the village of Ierissos once again
Local communities of North Eastern Chalkidiki in Greece are
once again in turmoil. This morning, amidst unclear reports that local
residents were being detained and/or arrested, at least 6 squads of riot
police arrived at the entrance of the village of Ierissos - home of
about 3000 residents. At 11 am, while a large number of residents had
gathered, the riot police began shooting large quantities of teargas. As
people started to pull back, continuing the use of tear gas, the riot
police chased the large crowd of men and women of all ages backwards
towards the village square.
The riot police stopped at the main gate of the Ierissos high
school, where teachers and students alike were starting to feel the
effects of the tear gas that the wind was bringing to the school
building and school yard. Having barricaded the school entrance, the
riot police then shot canisters of teargas into the school yard. Panic
ensued as students could not breath. Several fainted and doctors’
assistance from the nearby medical center was called for. The doctor was
blocked from passing the riot police lines for quite some time - the
entrance into the school yard was made possible after the intense
objections of people in the road. It was yet some more time before
parents were allowed into the school to take their children home and
busses were allowed to take students from other villages back to their
homes.
Which police force of a democratic state raids a village with
chemicals and teargas in front of a school full of students during
school hours? What kind of police force blocks a doctor’s entrance into a
school full of students, whose classrooms are full of teargas?
At this time, residents’ houses are being searched by men of special
police forces in the presence of judicial officials. They are
accompanied by buses of riot police, while other buses remain
barricading the entrance of Ierissos. Members of Parents Associations
are at the local police station in order to file a report of todays’
events at Ierissos high school.
The police forces are lined up at the entrance of Ierissos opposite
local residents. Opposite local residents who are struggling for their
lives, their health and that of their children.
From the besieged
village Ierissos, we send a message of resistance and struggle. We will
not allow the targeting and the criminalization of a social struggle as
the one we are fighting.
This social struggle is resilient and will prevail.
Coordinating Committee of Associations of Stageira-Akanthos
against gold mining in Halkidiki
For background information on the issue, visit http://soshalkidiki.worpress.com