Police defend handling of Prespa Agreement protest

High-ranking police officers and officials from the Ministry of Citizen's Protection, which oversees security forces, defended police's handling of disturbances during Sunday's rally against the Prespa Agreement between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

"Police's stance was defensive and they made the minimum necessary use of chemicals to face the masked attackers. [Note: some were unmasked]. The riot police faced furious attacks with rocks, pieces of marble, explosive firebombs and direct aim flares. If no chemical use was made, police would have to chase the attackers inside the crowd, and it could get of hand," these sources said.

According to an officer at Athens police headquarters, most of the 25 injured policemen now at 401 Military Hospital were injured during the attack on the stairs behind the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier leading to...