ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Greek farmers wielding shepherd’s staffs clashed with riot police in central Athens on Friday as thousands headed to the Greek capital for a two-day protest against the government’s plans to impose new tax hikes and reform the pension system.
About 800 farmers from the island of Crete who arrived by ferry rallied outside the outside the ministry of agriculture, throwing tomatoes as tension escalated when police prevented them from staging a symbolic occupation of the building. Clashes soon broke out, with riot police using tear gas to repel protesters throwing rocks and setting dumpsters on fire.
At one point, an outnumbered riot police unit was forced to flee up a street, with Cretan farmers wielding staffs and pieces of wood in pursuit.
Many of the ministry’s windows were broken, while rubble from rocks and broken paving stones lay strewn around outside the building. Police said the farmers also threatened to spray riot police with a pesticide used for olive trees if the police used tear gas. At least four farmers were detained.
“These scenes were aimed at blackening the struggle of the farmers,” said Agriculture Minister Vangelis Apostolou. “For us, there is one path – that of dialogue to solve the problems of farmers. And this (path) has been opened by the prime minister.”