BRITISH SUPPORT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21580, 6 December 1944, Page 3

BRITISH SUPPORT

GREEK GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATORS WARNED ATHENS CENTRE QUIET LONDON, Dec. 4. The centre of Athens was quiet today, but there were shooting outbreaks at intervals in tiie suburbs. All public utilities except the watersupply are at a standstill, as a result of tiie general strike. All shops are closed and shuttered, and there are no newspapers. The strike has spread to Government offices, banks and business offices.. British troops are guarding public buildings. Reuter’s Athens correspondent reports that E.L.A.S. troops in the Piraeus area last night captured two police stations and took prisoner some pblice officers. The E.L.A.S. forces at present are parading the streets of the Piraeus, where rifle-fire was frequent last night. General Scobie, Allied G.O.C. in Greece, has announced that from 4 p.m. to-day such acts ak disarming tiie Greek police will be considered hostile. General Scobie also ordered all E.L.A.S. police and troops' to leave a large area around Athens and the Piraeus, including Marathon. E.A.M. and E.L.A.S. forces found in this area after midnight on Wednesday will be treated as enemies. E.L.A.S. troops outside' this area are to remain where' they are.'. Any movement wili be regarded as hostile. General Catsotas is acting as military governor with British support. Reuter’s Athen’s correspondent, in a further message, says many thousands of Athenians followed the coffins of the 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.- Some knelt in the streets and cried “Revenge!” when they rose to their feet.

Use of British Forces Describing the events of the demonstration yesterday, the Associated Press correspondent says: “After tiie unsuccessful attempts of the civil police to enforce M. Papandreou’s ban against demonstrations, British Sherman tanks, armed paratroopers and armoured cars tempted to disperse the crowds peacefully. This attempt was largely unsuccessful, apa gave rise to mutterings comparing the British behaviour with that of the Germans. The British, however, were not acth'ely engaged in the incidents. The demonstrators paraded past the British Embassy, carrying placards reading “British soldiers! Let us choose our own Government!" The E.A.M. announced that the Greek Under-secretary for ‘War, General Sariyiannia, has resigned following yesterday’s incidents. General Scobie to-night ordered E.L.A.S. troops who had occupied two police barracks to evacuate them immediately, warning them that if the order was disobeyed they would be forcibly ejected, stated Reuter’s Athens correspondent. E.L.A.S. t roo P s in - the , Thcssium district of Athens are reported to be gaining the upper hand in, a fight which has been progressing for 24 hours against, the Leftists and a small body of former army • officers and cadets. .

The British United Press correspondent at Athens T says: “Civil , war will break out in Greece unless a new Government is formed. This is the general belief in Athens.” .