Greek police clash with demonstrators protesting concert by U.S. military cadets



Police in Greece clashed late Wednesday with Communist-backed demonstrators who tried to prevent a concert by U.S. military cadets.

The violent protest occurred in the central Greek city of Larissa ahead of a concert by members of the West Point Glee Club, a musical group of the U.S. Military Academy which is currently on tour in Greece.

Videos and photos shared on social media show police firing tear gas to hold back the demonstrators outside a municipal theater, while officers also clashed with a smaller number of protesters as they entered the building.

It was not immediately clear if the concert took place. Authorities and the venue couldn’t be reached for comment.

Protest organizers from the Greek Communist Party oppose the presence of U.S. troops in Greece as well as Greek military support for Ukraine and involvement in international maritime security missions in the Red Sea.

There were no reports of arrests or injuries.



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Greek authorities seize 3.75 million capsules of contraband nerve pain drug pregabalin


ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities said Saturday they seized more than three tons of the prescription nerve pain drug pregabalin and impounded a yacht registered in the United Kingdom.

The operation took place Thursday night at the port of Lavrio, 70 kilometers (43 miles) southeast of Athens, the coast guard said.

On the yacht, the coast guard found 3.75 million capsules of Nervigesic, a brand name used by Indian pharmaceuticals firm HAB Pharma for pregabalin. The capsules were packaged in 500 cardboard boxes weighing nearly 3.15 tons, the statement said.

Pregabalin is used to treat nerve pain caused by a variety of conditions, such as diabetes and shingles, and also to treat a type of seizure called partial seizure because it has its origin at a single location in the brain.

The raid was ordered based on information from Greece’s “National Intelligence Agency about the activity of networks of Egyptian nationals in Greek territory,” the statement said.

The yacht and its contents remain at the Lavrio port while local authorities conduct an investigation, the coast guard said.



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