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NATO base in Crete

Maria | 07.04.2003 09:57

What happened at the Nato base in Crete.Greece.The demo ended in a stone-tear gas battle between demonsrators and police.

Last weekend more than 1,500 people camped and blocked the street that leads to the NATO base of Chania,Crete(Greece).
On Saturday there was a big gig with many bands expreesing their anti-war feelings.Later that night the demonstrators prohibited many NATO soldiers to pass through the blocked area.(mind that these soldiers were returning back from their Saturday night entertainment at the town of Chania).
Next morning the demonstrators were more than 2,500-3,000 and we all marched towards the central NATO gate.Among the demonstrators one could see children,old people even priests!The police in front of the gate were numerous.Demonstrators burned an american and british flag and threw red paint inside the NATO yard.When the demo organizers told people to go away from the gate and gradually start to split,very few did so.In fact many people gathered at an olive field , with stones in their hands .When they threw these stones ,police fired their tear-chemical gas .All people started to run away in panic and several passed out.Although it was an open area the air became totally suffocating!When the main body of the demo reached its starting point,lower below at the hill ,around 100 people started to throw stones at the police!(a rain of stones!)This time the wind blew against the police and the tear-chemical gas didn't worry the demonstrators.
Everything ended half an hour later when the police decided to go up the hill and surround the area in tear gas!
Once again the tear-chemical gas used by the police were EXPIRED in 1993(!)...we found many cans...
Throughout the demo a helicopter hovered above the area but 3 kites flown by demonstrators made its flight very difficult..

Maria