Riot police quell months of protest - Sacked workers removed from headquarters

ATHENS (AP):

In a pre-dawn swoop yesterday, Greek riot police ended a nearly five-month protest by sacked workers broadcasting from what was once the headquarters of the defunct ERT state broadcaster, removing a few dozen people occupying the complex.

Police said four people were briefly detained during the operation in the northern Athens suburb of Agia Paraskevi.

About 50 people were removed from the building, which will be handed over to ERT's successor that is now broadcasting from cramped studios in another part of Athens.

The detainees

Among the detainees was radio journalist Nikos Tsimbidas, who was broadcasting live as police entered the studio.

"Believe me, it's a shocking experience to be on the mic with two platoons of riot police surrounding the live broadcasting booth," he said on air. "We are being removed, I've just been informed that it appears orders have been given for me to stop talking."

The evacuation was peaceful, although police later used tear gas to push back a crowd of about 200 who turned up outside the complex to support the former ERT workers.