Mass protest staged as Merkel visits Athens

Greek Police were out in force in the country's capital yesterday, to control thousands of people as German Chancellor, Angela Merkel visited. 

7,000 police officers were present in downtown Athens to control the crowds, and enforce the ban on protest in the areas where Merkel's itinerary was scheduled to take her. Police buses were seen in the city centre from the early morning, and six metro stations in the area were closed. 

Eye-witnesses reported police making a number of detentions before any mass protest had even begun. One man was reportedly arrested for holding an image of Merkel with a Greek flag as the background, and a Greek goddess sculpture with her middle finger up. Other reports suggest people may have been detained for sitting peacefully, and wearing black. 

Images from people in Athens show thousands converging on Syntagma Square, and eyewitness reports and photographs show that police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. 

Clashes were seen between protesters and police, however the situation did not reach the level of 'riots', with scurmishes remaining minor. 

Local media have reported lawyers on the ground confirming that as many as 2,000 people were detained during the six hours of protest, however official numbers are below 200. 

Merkel is regarded by many Greeks as the author of austerity. She is held responsible for demanding that Greece make extreme spending cuts in exchange for the two bailouts it has received. The German flag has even been burnt at demonstrations and one paper has dressed Angela Merkel in a Nazi uniform.