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police inside the city’s main university campus, where unrest has been bubbling for weeks over a left-wing party. squat that has been closed.”/>1of6A protester runs during a protest at the University of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, May 26, 2022. Earlier on Thursday, protesters clashed with police inside the city’s main university campus, where unrest has been bubbling for weeks over a left-wing party. squat that has been closed.Giannis Papanikos/APShow moreShow less2of6A protester shoots fireworks towards police forces during a protest at the University of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, May 26, 2022. Earlier Thursday, protesters clashed with police in inside the city’s main university campus, where unrest has been simmering for weeks. on a left squat that was closed.Giannis Papanikos/APShow moreShow less3of64of6Riot police operate during a protest at the University of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, May 26, 2022. Earlier Thursday, protesters clashed with police inside the main university campus in the city, where unrest has been simmering for weeks over a left-wing squat that has been shut down.Giannis Papanikos/APShow moreShow less5of6A protester throws a stone towards police forces during a rally in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Greece, Thursday, May 26, 2022. Earlier on Thursday, protesters clashed with police at the inside the city’s main university campus, where unrest has been simmering for weeks over a left-wing squat that has been shuttered.Giannis Papanikos/APShow moreShow less6of6
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Riot police in this northern Greek city fired tear gas to disperse crowds attacking them with petrol bombs and rocks Thursday night during a protest against the planned of the government to introduce the police on university campuses.
Around 5,000 members of leftist and anarchist groups took part in the march through central Thessaloniki, smashing shop windows and setting trash cans on fire. At least eight people were arrested. No injuries were reported.
Earlier in the day, protesters clashed with police at the city’s state university main campus, where unrest has been simmering for weeks over a left-wing sit-in that has been shut down. Authorities are trying to build a new library where the squat used to be, and the police are there to protect construction workers from attacks by people angered by the end of the sit-in.
Protesters are angry at government plans to introduce a new police force to guard university campuses, which lack effective private security and have suffered from political violence as well as petty crime.
Greece’s centre-right government has repealed decades-old laws that effectively barred police — in the name of protecting academic freedom — from entering university grounds in most cases.
Left-leaning opposition parties have strongly criticized the move as well as the planned campus police, which are expected to take up duty in the coming weeks.
