A rally protesting a bill drafted by the Ministry of Education attracted 7,500 demonstrators in Thessaloniki. A group of about 1,000 people then moved to another location, where another demonstration was underway. Tensions between police officers and protesters led to the extensive use of tear gas and stun grenades. The police made 24 arrests, filing charges against just one protester. The 18-year-old was charged with disturbing the peace and violating weapons legislation because she was in possession of a pole. She was given a reprieve and released.
The Manifold is compiling a file of allegations of police brutality. Check it out here.
The right to assembly is enshrined in both the Greek Constitution (Article 11) and the European Convention on Human Rights (Article 11). Although the police have the legal authority to attend public gatherings and to disperse them for specific reasons such as a threat to public order, the measures they take must be proportionate. The indiscriminate use of violent means that threaten the life or physical integrity of citizens is illegal in a state that adheres to the rule of law.
In addition, the ability of police officers to use violence is governed by the same guarantees as in any other case, as reflected in the Code of Criminal Procedure (Article 256), Presidential Decree 141/1991 (Article 120), Presidential Decree254/2004 (Code of Police Ethics) and in the 2005 Circular issued by the Headquarters of the Hellenic Police Force.
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