Police officer indicted over alleged obstruction during Athens riot

A police officer accused of trying to obstruct the arrest of a protester during riots that broke out in central Athens last Thursday has been indicted by a prosecutor and will stand trial on September 3.

The officer has denied the charge, which was filed by one of his colleagues.

What’s more, he also claimed that his colleague was not trying to arrest someone in the first place. 

The officer had been transferred from guard duty outside the central headquarters of the leftist SYRIZA party to monitor the demonstration. 

Parliament approved a bill on Thursday regulating street demonstrations as thousands marched through central Athens to denounce the new law.

The law seeks to regulate demonstrations which it says cause frequent traffic disruptions and affect commerce. 

About 10,000 demonstrators rallied outside Parliament holding banners reading “Hands off demonstrations.”

A group of protesters who peeled off from the main group threw petrol bombs at police, who responded with tear gas.