Greek police fires tear gas on protestors

When they were pushed back, demonstrators hurled stones at riot police who responded by firing tear gas. The police said there were no arrests or injuries, although one witnesss said police had beaten some protestors. Tear gas was also briefly used along the beach front in what appeared to be another attempt to enter the fortress-like summit venue, protected by a security force including aircraft, war ships and missile batteries.
Also about 5,000 anti-capitalist demonstrators marched through rain-swept Salonika Thursday to protest at "fortress Europe" — a reference to EU efforts to draw up a common immigration policy — as the summit began. Shops and businesses in the city, 150 kilometres (90 miles) from here along winding roads through olive groves, have erected protective metal barriers, with a major demonstration expected there to mark the final day of the summit.
"No to the EU of poverty, unemployment, repression and war," read one banner, "United Europe does not belong to the people but to the capitalists" said another, "Smash the war and capitalism."
The summit is the last major event of Greece’s six-month EU presidency but will be the first serious test of its security apparatus ahead of the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In addition to anti-aircraft batteries, the authorities have erected a three-kilometre metal fence to turn the hotel complex into an impregnable fortress while coastguards are on patrol in the Aegean.