MORE OUTBREAKS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1944, Page 5

MORE OUTBREAKS

SHOOTING IN ATHENS

THE STRIKE SPREADS (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 10.20 a.m. v LONDON, Dec. 4. The centre of Athens was quiet today, but there were outbreaks o£ shooting: at intervals in the suburbs. AH public utilities except the water supply were brought to a standstill by the general strike, and all shops were closed and shuttered. There were no newspapers. The strike has spread to Government offices, banks, and business offices. British troops are guarding public buildings.

British troops last night surrounded and disarmed a party of the ELAS who entered the Athens-Piraeus area. The ELAS are the armed forces of the EAM. General Scobie's communique on the " incident says: - "During the night an . armed, body of approximately 800 ELAS troops from the Thebes * district entered the Athens-Piraeus area. This act was contrary to the orders issued by the Greek Government and -by General Scobie forbidding the carrying of arms in this .area, and also the curfew regulations. ' British troops surrounded the party and disarmed them.. No shots were fired by either side."

Reuters Athens correspondent reports that ELAS troops in the Piraeus area last night captured two police stations and took prisoner some officers. ELAS forces are at present parading the streets of Piraeus, where rifle fire was frequent last night. ACTS OF HOSTILITY. General Scobie announced that from 4 p.m. today such acts as disarming of Greek police will be considered hostile. He has also ordered all ELAS police and troops fo leave a large area around Athens and Piraeus, including Marathon. Forces of the EAM and the ELAS found in this area after midnight on December 6 will be treated as enemies. ELAS troops outside this area are to-remain where they are, and any movement will be regarded- as hostile.

In proclaiming martial law in Athens and Piraeus, General Scobie said: "Certain minority elements have indicated their intention to sacrifice the interests of Greece as a whole and provoke internal strife if this is.possible. The Greek Government has in consequence been compelled to put in force martial law in Athens and Piraeus in accordance with the' Hel-lenic-Constitution. I reiterate that with the vast majority of Greeks I stand firmly behind the constitutional Government and shall aid them to the limit of my resources until the Greek State can be established with lawful armed force behind it and until free elections can be held."

The first court martial was established today to deal with offences against martial law. General Catsotas is.acting as Military Governor, with British support.

Reuters Athens "correspondent says that many thousands of Athenians followed the coffins of victims of yesterday morning's shooting to the cathedral for a funeral service. Crowds packed the streets for a quarter of a mile around: the cathedral, and some people knelt in the streets and cried ','Revenge" when they rose to their feet. - - SUNDAY'S DEMONSTRATION, Describing events in the demonstration yesterday, the correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that after the unsuccessful attempts of the civil police to enforce M. Papandreou's ban against demonstrations, British Sherman tanks, armed paratroopers, and armoured cars attempted to disperse the crowds peacefully. This attempt was largely unsuccessful and gave rise to mutterings in which the British behaviour was compared with that of the Germans. The, British, however, were .not actively engaged in incidents., Demonstrators paraded past the British Embassy carrying placards reading "British soldiers, let us choose our own Government."

The EAM announced that* the Under-Secretary for War, General Sariyiannis, has resigned, following yesterday's incidents. Tonight General Scobie ordered the EL AS troops who occupied the two police barracks to evacuate them immediately, . warning them that if the order was disobeyed they would be forcibly ejected, states Reuters Athens correspondent..

ELAS troops in the Thessium district of Athens are reported to be gaining the upper hand in a fight which has been; in progress for 24 hours against Leftists and a small body of former army officers and cadets.

The British' United Press correspondent in Athens says "Civil war will break out in Greece unless a new Government is formed. This is the general belief in Athens tonight."