Athens Lights Christmas Tree
CHAN:
After a week of delay, the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Athens took place before a subdued crowd and some noisy but peaceful protesters. This is the second tree erected for the festive season after the first tree was torched by rioters.
STORY:
Last night, the mayor of Athens welcomed in the Christmas season by lighting a second Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square.
The first Christmas tree was erected some ten days earlier across from the parliament buildings, but was burnt down by demonstrators the next day.
Riots broke out in the city on December 6, when 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot by a police officer during a street confrontation. Since then there have been many more demonstrations, with some being more organised and peaceful.
Last night hundreds of people turned out to watch Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis kick off festivities with the tree lighting and a fireworks display. But there were also hundreds of demonstrators who took the opportunity to protest, singing and chanting as the festivities were underway.
“Wake up! Wake up!” they shouted as the lights were lit in the city’s center.
Kaklamanis told the crowd that the city would take good care of those who protested peacefully and sent a sharp message to those who held violent riots over the past ten days.
[Nikitas Kaklamanis, Athens Mayor]:
“Tonight we are here to ensure the young people of Greece who protest peacefully by day, without wearing hoods, that we will do all we can to make their dreams come true.”
Asked whether Christmas should be celebrated this year in their city, Athenians were divided.
[Stelios, Protester]:
“This year not. If all thought that Alex, the guy who was killed, or Grigori as we call him, was the child of all of us and was not just another kid from some family, but was a child of Athens, no one would celebrate, it’s true. Because if you think that it’s your child, then you wouldn’t celebrate Christmas.”
But another resident, Pantelis, was adamant that things would get better.
[Pantelis, Resident]:
“For sure this has ruined the mood and that won’t change. Our mood will get better, but it will always be on our mind.”
Christmas spirit in the city is low with shoppers afraid to venture out shopping due to the protests.
[Spectator]:
“We didn’t want to come down. We were really worried about the events, about the child, about what was going to happen. Now they lit the tree, it’s nice. I think things will calm down. At least I hope so.”
Scores of shops, cars and buildings were burned by the protesters in the riots, and besides the tree, Santa’s workshop was also torched. Municipal officials worked for days to clean up the square and install the new tree.
Duration : 0:2:51
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