GREEK RIOTS: SETTLING IN FOR THE LONGER-TERM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001698

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC SOCI PHUM GR
SUBJECT: GREEK RIOTS: SETTLING IN FOR THE LONGER-TERM

REF: ATHENS 1692 AND PREVIOUS

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) Levels of rioting and violence have increased in
localized areas of Athens, and anarchists are clearly trying
to injure or kill police and state security officials.
Rioters have sought to increase further their visibility by
placing banners on the Acropolis and attempting to burn down
(for the second time) the city's Christmas tree in Syntagma
square. They also attacked the French Institute on 12/19.
We assess that the violence may be shifting to a longer-term
phenomenon. To date, no U.S. government facilities have been
damaged, and we are unaware of an injuries to U.S. citizens.
End Summary.

--------------
Harming the Police
--------------


2. (SBU) After a lower operational tempo for a few days,
rioting in certain hotspots in central Athens increased
December 18 in a day that many Greek contacts considered
among the worst recent days of violence and destruction.
Striking civil servants closed government offices and the
Athens airport for several hours. A demonstration near
central Syntagma square become violent when anarchists joined
the group and began to challenge police with Molotov
cocktails and rocks. When protestors attempted to burn down
the City of Athens' Christmas tree (which had been hastily
replaced after the first tree was destroyed in the previous
weekend's violence),riot police intervened.


3. (SBU) Several recent events indicate that the anarchists
are actively seeking to injure police and security forces.
In one incident, anarchists set fire to a police bus with the
driver still inside, and blocked him from exiting the burning
bus. The driver was eventually able to escape. In a recent
attack on the building housing Greece's VIP protection police
units, a police officer was seriously injured when hit
directly in the face by a Molotov cocktail. Rumors abound
that anarchist blogs and SMS messages encouraged those
participating to harm or kill police officers. Contacts in
the police force confirm that significant numbers of police
officers have been injured.

--------------
Another Attack on a Teenager?
--------------


4. (SBU) Later in the day, there were also inchoate reports
that a 16-year-old boy had been "shot" in the Peristeri area
of town, leading to protests in that area. Although the
facts of the incident remain unclear, it appears that the boy
-- whose father is a teacher and affiliated with the
Communist Party (KKE) -- was shot in the hand by an airgun
while standing on a street corner with friends. He has now
had an operation, and the prognosis is positive. Police
officials have stated that there were no officers in the area
at the time of the incident. Nevertheless, demonstrations
were held in the neighborhood last night, and additional
demonstrations are scheduled for today.

--------------
Higher Visibility
--------------


5. (SBU) Beyond continuing demonstrations, protesters also
have been seeking to increase their already high profile by
placing banners on the Acropolis on December 17 that called
for a December 18 "Europe wide protest" and "revolution" and
"resistance." The images of protestors and their banners at
the Acropolis were widely carried in Greece and throughout
Europe.


6. (SBU) Meanwhile, Alexis Tsipras, President of leftist
coalition SYRIZA -- the party that has most actively
encouraged continued demonstrations -- called for the "center
of the struggle to move from show windows to schools and
universities."

--------------
Attack on French Institute
--------------


7. (SBU) On 12/19 at approximately 12:00 (local),about 20
youth attacked the French Institute, which is located in the

ATHENS 00001698 002 OF 002


Exarchia area of Athens. They attacked the police guard and
threw fire bombs at the building and broke several windows.
No students were in the building at the time, and no injuries
were reported. However, this represents the first time that
a diplomatic building has been attacked.

--------------
Settling In For the Longer-Term?
--------------


8. (SBU) Although many Greeks had expected the rioting to
peter out around the Christmas holidays, it is becoming
increasingly clear that those behind the demonstrations and
violence are settling in for the longer-term. Although the
level of violence and number of incidents has fluctuated with
downward trends, there have been significant incidents in
localized areas each day since the riots began, and
occasional days of increase in violence such as December 18.
We assess that we will see continued protests and violence in
these localized areas longer-term.
SPECKHARD