Protesters used a metal grinder to try to cut off the statue’s feet and tug it down with ropes before riot police intervened and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least three protesters were injured, with blood trickling from their heads, according to reports. The statue suffered minor damage following the riots on the streets of Athens. Several hundred KKE supporters joined a march to the US Embassy, a couple of miles from the statue, in the third demonstration in Athens against Saturday’s air strikes.

Yorgos Perros, a member of the communist-affiliated union PAME, said:“What we did today is a symbolic move against the US and the war in Syria. “The statue is a symbol of imperialism and the United States in Greece.” The riot erupted after Theresa May launched military action in Syria in the early hours of Saturday as part of the US-led airstrikes following the alleged chemical attack in Douma little over a week ago. The PM demanded that the use of chemical weapons in Syria “must stop now”.

She described the alleged chemical attack in Douma as “an act of almost unimaginable horror”, and referred to the horrifying scenes which caused her to take action. The 12-foot, bronze Truman statue, also not far from the prime minister’s office, has been a regular target of protesters who have vandalised or attacked it with paint against what they call American “imperialism” in Greece. Many also believe Washington backed the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967-74 as well as the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 following a brief Greek-backed coup. The statue had to be removed and restored in 1986 after being bombed.</s>Protesters used a metal grinder to try to cut off the statue’s feet and tug it down with ropes before riot police intervened and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least three protesters were injured, with blood trickling from their heads, according to reports. The statue suffered minor damage following the riots on the streets of Athens. Several hundred KKE supporters joined a march to the US Embassy, a couple of miles from the statue, in the third demonstration in Athens against Saturday’s air strikes.

Yorgos Perros, a member of the communist-affiliated union PAME, said:“What we did today is a symbolic move against the US and the war in Syria. “The statue is a symbol of imperialism and the United States in Greece.” The riot erupted after Theresa May launched military action in Syria in the early hours of Saturday as part of the US-led airstrikes following the alleged chemical attack in Douma little over a week ago. The PM demanded that the use of chemical weapons in Syria “must stop now”.

She described the alleged chemical attack in Douma as “an act of almost unimaginable horror”, and referred to the horrifying scenes which caused her to take action. The 12-foot, bronze Truman statue, also not far from the prime minister’s office, has been a regular target of protesters who have vandalised or attacked it with paint against what they call American “imperialism” in Greece. Many also believe Washington backed the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967-74 as well as the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 following a brief Greek-backed coup. The statue had to be removed and restored in 1986 after being bombed.</s>Protesters belonging to PAME, a union associated with the Greek Communist Party (KKE), try to bring down a statue of former US president Harry Truman in central Athens Monday during a demonstration against air strikes on Syria by the USA, UK and France. Another protester tried to chop off the statue’s feet using an angle grinder before riot police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least three people were injured, while the statue – which has been targeted several times in the past, ostensibly as a "symbol of US imperialism" – suffered minor damage. [Eurokinissi]</s>Protesters used a metal grinder to try to cut off the statue’s feet and tug it down with ropes before riot police intervened and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least three protesters from the Greek Communist Party were injured, with blood trickling from their heads, according to reports. The statue suffered minor damage following the riots on the streets of Athens. Several hundred KKE supporters joined a march to the US Embassy, a couple of miles from the statue, in the third demonstration in Athens against Saturday’s air strikes.

Yorgos Perros, a member of the communist-affiliated union PAME, said:“What we did today is a symbolic move against the US and the war in Syria. “The statue is a symbol of imperialism and the United States in Greece.” The riot erupted after Theresa May launched military action in Syria in the early hours of Saturday as part of the US-led airstrikes following the alleged chemical attack in Douma little over a week ago. The PM demanded that the use of chemical weapons in Syria “must stop now”.

She described the alleged chemical attack in Douma as “an act of almost unimaginable horror”, and referred to the horrifying scenes which caused her to take action. The 12-foot, bronze Truman statue, also not far from the prime minister’s office, has been a regular target of protesters who have vandalised or attacked it with paint against what they call American “imperialism” in Greece. Many also believe Washington backed the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967-74 as well as the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 following a brief Greek-backed coup. The statue had to be removed and restored in 1986 after being bombed.</s>ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek communist party (KKE) supporters tried to take down a statue of former U.S. president Harry Truman in Athens on Monday during a protest against air strikes on Syria by the United States, Britain and France.

Protesters used a metal grinder to try to cut off the statue’s feet and tug it down with ropes before riot police intervened and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. The statue suffered minor damage. At least three protesters were injured, with blood trickling from their heads, a Reuters witness said.

Several hundred KKE supporters joined a march to the U.S. Embassy, a couple of miles from the statue, in the third demonstration in Athens against Saturday’s air strikes on what Western powers said were Syrian chemical weapons installations.

“What we did today is a symbolic move against the U.S. and the war (in Syria),” said Yorgos Perros, a member of the communist-affiliated union PAME. “The statue is a symbol of imperialism and the United States in Greece.”

The 12-foot, bronze Truman statue, also not far from the prime minister’s office, has been a regular target of protesters who have vandalised or attacked it with paint against what they call American “imperialism” in Greece.

Many also believe Washington backed the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967-74 as well as the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 following a brief Greek-backed coup.

The statue had to be removed and restored in 1986 after being bombed. Truman was U.S. president from 1945 to 1953.</s>Police clash with students who try to pull down Harry Truman statue in Athens (photos-videos)

Students are marching towards the US Embassy in Athens, protesting the strikes in Syria. The march started shortly before 1 pm on Monday and students are demanding Greece not take part in any way in the military operations against Syria by the US, Britain, and France.

With slogans like: “Rise up! No to the imperialist war in Syria – No participation of our country “, students and student clubs (Historical-Archaeological, Teachers, Kindergarten, Turkish Studies, NFEEBP, FEA, STETROD TEI ATHENS) gathered earlier at Propylaia to voice their opposition and indignation against the war.

During the march clashes with police resulted in the reported injury of a student, while a statue of US President Harry Truman was allegedly pulled down by the students. Meanwhile, Panepistimiou Avenue, Stadiou, Amalias, and Vasilissis Sofias have been closed.

“We give our hand to the people of Syria! Stop the carnage now!”, the students are chanting.</s>ATHENS: A group of Greek communist students on Monday attempted to topple a statue of former US president Harry S Truman during an anti-American demonstration in Athens, police said.

 Riot police fired tear gas to prevent the students from bringing down the three-metre bronze statue using a chainsaw and ropes.

 At least two people were injured, reports said.

 Around 700 people were demonstrating at the time, part of a wave of protests against this weekend’s aerial bombing campaign in Syria by the United States, France and Britain.

 The statue was erected in 1963 in recognition of America’s 33rd president who approved the 1948 Marshall Plan of economic assistance that helped rebuild war-shattered Greece.

 It was built by late US sculptor Felix Weldon, best known for the Arlington County Marine Corps War Memorial.

 The Truman statue has been a frequent target in anti-American demonstrations in Greece.

 It was bombed in 1986 and sawn off at the legs a decade later. In 1999 it returned to its pedestal just in time for an official visit to Athens by then US president Bill Clinton.

 There is strong anti-American sentiment in Greece over Washington’s support for the brutal army junta that ruled the country from 1967 to 1974.

 Truman is also reviled for ordering the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that hastened Japan’s surrender in World War II. — AFP</s>Greek communist party (KKE) supporters tried to take down a statue of former US president Harry Truman in Athens on Monday during a protest against air strikes on Syria by the United States, Britain and France, Reuters reports. Protesters used a metal grinder to try to cut off the statue's feet and tug it down with ropes before riot police intervened and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. The statue suffered minor damage. At least three protesters were injured, with blood trickling from their heads, a Reuters witness said. [Eurokinissi]</s>A group of Greek communist party supporters has attempted to take down a statue of former US president Harry Truman in central Athens during a protest against air strikes on Syria by the US, the UK and France on April 14.

At least three protesters were reportedly injured.

​​​READ MORE: NATO Chief: US, Allies' Strikes on Syria Were 'Signal' for Syria, Russia, Iran

On April, 14, the US, the UK and France launched rocket attacks on Syrian government facilities which they believe are used to produce chemical weapons. From 3:42 a.m. to 5:10 a.m. Moscow time they released over 100 missiles on Syria, most of which were shot down by Syrian air defenses.</s>ATHENS (Reuters) - A group of Greek communist party supporters tried to take down a statue of former U.S. president Harry Truman in central Athens on Monday during a protest against air strikes on Syria by the United States, Britain and France on Saturday.

Protesters clashed with police who used tear gas to disperse the crowd, a Reuters witness said. At least three protesters were injured, with blood visible on their heads.
Police clash with KKE protestors in Athens, Greece, firing tear gas as the crowd uses angle grinders in an attempt to topple a statue of former U.S. President Harry Truman in response to the United States' airstrikes in Syria. Three protestors are injured.