Media reports from Crete on Monday afternoon maintain that prosecutors are considering the prospect of filing felony charges of establishing or participating in a criminal organization against enraged farmers who earlier in the day broke into the two biggest airports on the island clashed with riot police.
Later reports, in fact, have authorities identifying some 20 individuals who invaded the airport facilities, interrupting flights for several hours. Arrest warrants are pending, the same reports stated.
Eight police officers were injured, while a handful of police vehicles were vandalized. Reports point to perpetrators were a criminal background for offenses such as drug trafficking, weapons and explosives possession, extortion and animal theft.
Clashes were seen in several locations on the large island, with protesting farmers and stockbreeders, as well as fishermen, throwing rocks and other objects at police, others using clubs, while police responded with tear gas and stun grenades.
A general assembly-type of gathering on Tuesday is expected to determine whether producers on the large island will continue with protests and mobilizations.
Agricultural producers in many regions of Greece have taken to the roadways to demand bigger subsidies for electricity and fuel, guaranteed prices for products and even 100% coverage for losses. The protests come amid a massive farm subsidy scandal that has seen hundreds of millions of euros in fraudulently doled out by a now defunct state agency, the so-called OPEKEPE case.
