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DE RUEHTH #1649/01 3441406
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O 091406Z DEC 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2893
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001649 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC PTER SOCI GR
SUBJECT: GREEK RIOTS: DECEMBER 9 UPDAT 
 
REF: ATHENS 1643 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) Rioting continued in multiple cities on the evening 
of December 8 and further protests are expected December 9 as 
the funeral takes place for the 15-year-old student.  In 
Athens, several businesses and public buldings, including 
the National Library and a uilding housing part of the 
Foreign Ministry, were damaged.  Large crowds in Thessaloniki 
also destroyed commercial and public buildings including 
commercial establishments on the grund floor of the building 
housing the U.S. Consulate General.  PM Karamanlis held an 
emergency meeting with key cabinet members the evening of 
December 8 and met December 9 with President Papoulias and 
the leaders of opposition parties; following his meetings the 
Prime Minister reiterated that the security services will 
protect lives and property.  Main opposition PASOK President 
Papandreou has called for the government to resign and for 
new elections to be held.  No U.S. Government facilities have 
been damaged, and we are not aware of any injuries to Amcits. 
 The Embassy has instituted a liberal leave policy for 
December 9 and December 10.  Consulate General Thessaloniki 
closed early December 9 and staff will be away December 10 
for training.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------- 
Rioting Continues 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Many cities in Greece saw a third day of violent 
protests as students and anarchiss continued demonstrations 
against the killin of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoriadis 
(reftel): 
 
-- In Thessaloniki several thousand youth marched, with 
fringe elements burning windows and storefronts of several 
businesses, including some businesses on the ground floor of 
the building where the Consulate General is housed.  The 
building's security gate was damaged, but not breached, and 
there was no damage to the Consulate General itself. 
 
-- In Athens, the rioters damaged shops, banks, apartment 
buildings and cars, primarily in the downtown area, although 
students clashed with police throughout the city.  In one 
widely publicized incident, anti-riot police had to withdraw 
to the stairs of the Parliament building on the city's main 
square in the face of a large crowd.  The same crowd also set 
the square's prominent Christmas tree ablaze.  A building 
housing part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was damaged 
by fire, and other public buildings -- including the National 
Library were also damaged.  There are press reports of 
various university buildings that were damaged, and the 
Rector of Athens University resigned because the Government 
was unable to protect his facilities. 
 
-- Throughout Greece, 33 police stations were attacked the 
evening of December 8.  Police have apprehended a total of 
130, and arrested 70 of those -- primarily for looting. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In both Athens and Thessaloniki, those responsible 
for the violence have organized from the universities.  Greek 
security forces continue to observe Greece's "asylum" 
policies for higher education institutions, which prohibit 
Greek security forces from entering campuses. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) We anticipate additional demonstrations on December 
9, as the Grigoriadis funeral takes place.  The funeral will 
be in an area of town far removed from the Embassy and 
Embassy employee housing.  Observers also expect substantial 
demonstrations on December 10 as part of a previously 
scheduled general strike.  The autopsy report on Grigoriadis' 
death is also expected to be released December 9, and that 
may spark further protests. 
 
------------------- 
Government Response 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) PM Karamanlis held an emergency meeting late 
December 8 with key cabinet members.  Following the meeting, 
Minister of Interior Pavlopoulos announced that the 
government did not/not plan to declare a state of emergency 
(as some had rumored).  He added that the GOG's police, fire 
 
ATHENS 00001649  002 OF 002 
 
 
fighters and other first responders were "functioning" and 
that the government would "do what we have to do" to protect 
property and lives.  PM Karamanlis also publicly reiterated 
that "the state will protect the citizens." 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The PM met with the President Papoulias on December 
9 and is holding separate meetings with leaders of all of the 
opposition parties in Parliament.  Following his meeting with 
the President, the Prime Minister reiterated that those 
responsible for Grigoriadis' "unjust loss" will be punished. 
There were no announcements of any additional government 
actions or decisions. 
 
------------------- 
Opposition Response 
------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Main opposition PASOK party president George 
Papandreou has formally called for the government to resign 
and for new elections to be held, telling the press, "the 
government cannot handle this crisis and has lost the trust 
of the Greek people," and adding "the only thing this 
government can offer is to resign and turn to the people for 
its verdict."  GOG spokesmen have not yet responded to 
Papandreou's statements. 
 
---------------------- 
Mission Greece Actions 
---------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) We circulated an updated warden message late on 
December 9 advising U.S. citizens of the continuing 
possibility of civil disturbances and demonstrations, noting 
that a National Day of mourning was planned for December 9, 
and a general strike, to include the transportation sector, 
was planned for December 10.  Embassy Athens and Consulate 
General Thessaloniki have instituted a liberal leave policy 
for December 9 and 10. CG Thessaloniki closed early December 
9, and will be closed for a previously scheduled training day 
on December 10.  To date, no U.S. government facilities have 
been affected, and we are unaware of any injuries to Amcits. 
RSO continues to monitor security developments and is in 
constant contact with Greek police authorities. 
SPECKHARD