Greek authorities ban clashing police union, anarchist meets

ATHENS, Greece – Hoping to defuse a highly explosive mix in central Athens, Greek authorities have banned separate gatherings planned by police unionists and anarchists — both ostensibly themed against violence.

The issue arose when the Poasy police union called an open public meeting for Thursday evening in an anarchist stronghold to discuss anarchist attacks on police.

The selected venue was a square in the Greek capital's Exarcheia neighborhood, which is the focal point of frequent street fighting between Molotov cocktail-bearing anarchists and riot police.

Anarchist groups responded by calling a Thursday evening public meeting against police violence in the main square of the adjacent Kolonaki area of Athens. Other anarchists planned protests in Exarcheia against the police union gathering.

The ban issued Wednesday covers both Exarcheia and Kolonaki.