Police Use Tear Gas Grenades to Disperse Protesting Farmers in Thessaloniki

Greek police used tear gas and stun grenades against hundreds of farmers gathered to protest against pension reforms and tax hikes in Thessaloniki, Skai TV reports.

ATHENS (Sputnik) – An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 farmers tried to break through a police cordon around the Thessaloniki Agrotica exhibition on Thursday. Earlier, the farmers declared that they wanted to open the Agrotica exhibition themselves, instead of Agricultural (Rural) Development Minister Vangelis Apostolou, Skai TV said.

The opening ceremony was cancelled after police used tear gas and stun grenades against the protesters.

According to Skai TV, around 10,000-15,000 farmers, fishermen and producers participated in the Thursday Thessaloniki protests.

The demonstrations are the latest in the recent series of protests that farmers have been holding across Greece.

Greece’s left-wing Syriza party led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras promised to revise austerity reforms, such as pension cuts and tax hikes, after securing victory in the January parliamentary elections.

However, in July, the country's government signed an agreement with international creditors approving a third bailout package for Athens worth 86 billion euros (about $95 billion) in exchange for the highly unpopular austerity reforms.

A nationwide strike against pension reform is planned for February 4 in Greece.