The protest was reportedly met with a heavy-handed police response including the use of batons, firing tear gas at protesters and into cars and vans carrying protesters. Police also reportedly cut down trees in an attempt to prevent demonstrators reaching the sites of mining facilities, and started a fire in the woods.
The protest was aimed primarily at Hellenic Gold, a subsidiary of Canadian firm Eldorado Gold, which has begun mining activity with locals appealing against them for environmental reasons. Hellenic Gold has been awarded an area of 26,400 hectares, of which 410 is forest land. Almost all the trees in the forest will be cut down as part of the mining firmâs plan to extract gold. The company says it will replant trees when it finishes its work. Opponents of the mine argue it would lead to the destruction of the of the local forest and irreversible damage to the ecosystem.
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