Athens: clashes, batons, tear gas and 19 arrests at the march in memory of Alexis Grigopoulos

On December 6, 2025, large-scale clashes, which have already become traditional, took place in Athens during a march of memory Alexi Grigopouloswho died from a police bullet 17 years ago.

Thousands of people filled the city center, forming numerous columns that ran from the Propylaea to Syntagma and continued until late in the evening. Police reported 54 arrests And 19 arrestsand the city turned into a “besieged fortress” for several hours.

From early morning, people of all ages gathered on the Propylaea: families, schoolchildren, students, trade unions and civil groups. Many were heading to Eξarchy to the place where Grigopoulos was killed, leaving flowers, candles and wreaths. The atmosphere combined mourning symbolism with notes of protest.

Day March and the Beginning of Tension

Around 18:00 a mass evening demonstration started, in which approximately 5,000 people. The columns moved along Panepistimiou towards Syntagma Square, occupying most of the road. The morning event, attended by about 300 people, ended calmly, but the situation changed in the evening.

Encounters: Klaftmnos, Propylaea, Panepistimiou

Tension rose sharply in the area Klaftmnoswhere the first clashes between protesters and units took place MAT. Soon, Molotov cocktails began being thrown on the Propylaea, to which the police responded with stun grenades and chemical agents. Additional forces were deployed to Omonie and Panepistimiou to block possible attempts to enter Eξarchia.

Around 20:00 the group is approximately 400 peopleaccording to ΕΛ.ΑΣ., attacked police units at the intersection of Panepistimiou and Emmanouil Benaki streets. Participants were equipped with masks, helmets and wooden sticks. The police used a significant amount of chemical agents to disperse the crowd.

As a result of this operation, it was carried out 15 arrests.

Victims, hospitalizations and services

According to EKΑB, four cases of beatings were recorded, the victims were taken to the hospital Erythros Stavros. Medical services received numerous calls due to breathing problems caused by the chemicals used by special forces.

The city center was under tight police control: sections of roads were blocked Panepistimioutraffic was periodically suspended for Stadium And Acadimia. Metro stations «Syntagma” And “Panepistimio» opened only after the situation had stabilized.

Official report of ΕΛ.ΑΣ.

In their statement, the police indicated that 54 arrests were made, of which 4 turned into arrests for violating laws on weapons and narcotic substances. The remaining 38 arrests related to the main march resulted in 15 additional arrests. The investigation is being led by the Office for Combating Racist and Extremist Violence.

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