Authorities in cities around Greece and in Athens, in particular, will be on high alert this coming Wednesday Dec. 6, the 15th anniversary of the killing of a 15-year-old teen by a policeman in 2008, a shocking incident that sparked mass protests and widespread rioting.
Ever since, this has been a day of solemn remembrance for Alexandros Grigoropoulos, who was fatally wounded by a single bullet to the chest in the Exarcheia district, the hub of self-styled anarchists and anti-state movements in the country. The grim occasion has often been accompanied by street violence in the past.
The fatal shooting occurred on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008. The feast day of St. Nicholas in the Eastern Orthodox ecclesiastical calendar, that evening should have been one of joyous celebrations. Restaurants and clubs around the country expected a busy night and tens of thousands of Greeks were preparing to celebrate their nameday at home with friends. Since December 2008, however, the date has also been one of sorrowful memories for Greek society.
