Clashes break out on anniversary of police shooting that sparked Greek riots

Clashes break out on Greek riot anniversary

ATHENS, Greece — Clashes broke out Sunday during a march to commemorate the first anniversary of the police shooting of a teenager, whose death sparked massive riots.

Police fired tear gas at youths throwing rocks and firecrackers in central Athens, as several thousand demonstrators gathered to mark the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos.

Violence also broke out in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, where youths threw petrol bombs at police and smashed the storefront of a Starbucks cafe.

More than 6,000 police were deployed across greater Athens amid fears that the demonstrations under way in the capital and other Greek cities would turn increasingly violent.

Concern was heightened by reports that far-left groups and anarchists from other European countries have traveled to Greece to join the protests.