Greece's controversial new policing policy gains favour with local media

In the northern city of Thessaloniki between six and eight thousands young Greeks took part in a march to mark the first anniversary of the death of Alexandros Grigoropoulos who was shot by a police officer in Athens. However, there were some minor clashes at the start and end of the demonstration as young people some just 12 years old threw stones at riot units who responded with flash grenades and tear gas. Greece, Thessaloniki, 12/07/2009.

The Greek government and much of the country's mainstream media have hailed the police's new zero - tolerance policy for preventing a repeat of last year's wide spread destruction in Athens and other cities. In addition more than 800 people have been detained and over 100 arrested in a clamp down by the authorities on demonstrations.

However, behind the widely circulated scenes of mayhem and destruction shown on all Greek channels the fact that tens of thousands of high school and college protested peacefully has largely been ignored.

In the northern city of Thessaloniki between six and eight thousands young Greeks took part in a march to mark the first anniversary of the death of Alexandros Grigoropoulos who was shot by a police officer in Athens. However, there were some minor clashes at the start and end of the demonstration as young people some just 12 years old threw stones at riot units who responded with flash grenades and tear gas. Greece, Thessaloniki, 12/07/2009.

Doubts remain on the other hand about how the police's new more aggressive tactics are resulting in the detention of large numbers of innocent protesters who have committed no crime and not participated in any violent acts. During yesterday's march the authorities used tear gas to isolate and surround a group of approximately 150, 20 of whom who were later taken in for questioning but not before several of them were beaten by officers with clubs and shields.

Also controversy still surrounds the use of motorcycle units to control crowds after three trade unionists were injured, one serious when they were run down by a motorbike near the university of Athens campus during yesterday's disturbances. The use of such tactics, first witnessed during the Tehran riots earlier this year has been condemned by several left wing groups.

In the northern city of Thessaloniki between six and eight thousands young Greeks took part in a march to mark the first anniversary of the death of Alexandros Grigoropoulos who was shot by a police officer in Athens. However, there were some minor clashes at the start and end of the demonstration as young people some just 12 years old threw stones at riot units who responded with flash grenades and tear gas. Greece, Thessaloniki, 12/07/2009.

The Greek government and much of the country's mainstream media have hailed the police's new zero - tolerance policy for preventing a repeat of last year's wide spread destruction in Athens and other cities. In addition more than 800 people have been detained and over 100 arrested in a clamp down by the authorities on demonstrations.

However, behind the widely circulated scenes of mayhem and destruction shown on all Greek channels the fact that tens of thousands of high school and college protested peacefully has largely been ignored.

In the northern city of Thessaloniki between six and eight thousands young Greeks took part in a march to mark the first anniversary of the death of Alexandros Grigoropoulos who was shot by a police officer in Athens. However, there were some minor clashes at the start and end of the demonstration as young people some just 12 years old threw stones at riot units who responded with flash grenades and tear gas. Greece, Thessaloniki, 12/07/2009.

Doubts remain on the other hand about how the police's new more aggressive tactics are resulting in the detention of large numbers of innocent protesters who have committed no crime and not participated in any violent acts. During yesterday's march the authorities used tear gas to isolate and surround a group of approximately 150, 20 of whom who were later taken in for questioning but not before several of them were beaten by officers with clubs and shields.

Also controversy still surrounds the use of motorcycle units to control crowds after three trade unionists were injured, one serious when they were run down by a motorbike near the university of Athens campus during yesterday's disturbances. The use of such tactics, first witnessed during the Tehran riots earlier this year has been condemned by several left wing groups.