Anti-Merkel protests turn violent in Athens Current Rating 4.0/5 Current Rating 4.0 A peaceful protest of 40,000 people according to police estimates turned violent when masked youth attacked a police barricade and policemen in parliament square. A total of 193 protesters have been detained, while 12 are arrested as a police show of force escalates and protesters throw a Molotov cocktail. More about: Angela Merkel, Athens, Clashes and riots, Economic crisis, Protests in Greece