Protests continue although violence has decreased

Following some incidents of violence late in the week, youth protests abated over the 27-28 December 2008 weekend. On 26 December youths attacked a bank in the Athens suburb Psychiko, a police car in Athens and a government official's car outside his home in the northwestern city of Ioannina. While some damage occurred, there were no serious injuries. Arson attacks also occurred in different locations throughout Athens on 25 December, damaging a number of cars. In addition, gunshots were fired on a suburban train traveling through the Tavros neighbourhood of Athens during the late night hours on 25 December. The windows of the middle carriage of the train were destroyed; however, none of the six people on board the train were injured. Although the number of demonstrators and incidents has decreased significantly since the beginning of the youth protests on 6 December, students are planning to launch fresh protests against perceived police brutality on 9 January 2009 with a large rally. Meanwhile in Athens, protesters unaffiliated with the youth unrest demonstrated on the morning of 28 December at the central Ermou Street, which is one of the busiest shopping streets in the city. The entrances to several stores were blocked, and some stores were closed during the first part of the day as a precaution. The pro-union demonstrators were protesting that fact that the stores were permitted to open on Sunday; city officials had allowed the businesses to open for the day in an effort to make up for revenue lost as a result of the recent protests, but union supporters fear that the city government will attempt to make Sunday shopping permanent. Separately, several leftist and anti-war groups are calling for protest marches and demonstrations against continuing Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip on the night of 29 December. One group is organizing a march from the War Museum in central Athens to the U.S. and Israeli embassies beginning at 1800 local time. Two other groups will stage rallies at the Israeli Embassy at 1600 and 1830 local time respectively.