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(c) Bronze Leaved – Leaves of Green or Golden/Green with a heavy bronze or chestnut coloured centre zone which is known as a medallion. For exhibition purposes, when exhibited in specific ‘Bronze’ Leaf class – Must have over 50% of leaf surface bronze coloured. The dwarf plant ‘Overchurch’ which has a heavy bronze medallion. (d) Gold Leaved – Leaves coloured golden/yellow or green/yellow but not showing a tendency to green. For exhibition purposes, when exhibited in specific ‘Gold’ Leaf class – Must have over 50% of leaf surface gold coloured. (e) Black Leaved – Leaves coloured black, purple-black or with distinct large dark zones or centre markings on green. |
(f) Butterfly Leaved – Leaves with a butterfly marking of distinct tone or hue in centre of leaf. This can be encompassed in many of the coloured leaf varieties. Zonal pelargoniums have many flower types, as follows: (a) Single flowered (S) – each flower pip normally having no more than five petals. This is the standard flower set for all Pelargoniums. (b) Semi-double flowered (SD) – each flower pip normally having between six and nine petals. (c) Double flowered (D)– each flower pip composed of more than nine petals (i.e. double the standard flower set) but not ‘hearted’ like the bud of a rose, e.g. |
the dwarf ‘Dovepoint’ which has full double blooms. (d) Rosebud (or noisette) flowered – each bloom fully double and ‘hearted’. The middle petals are so numerous that they remain unopened like the bud of a rose. (e) Tulip flowered – having semi-double blooms that never fully open. The large cup shaped petals open just sufficiently to resemble a miniature tulip. (f) Bird's-egg group – having blooms with petals that have spots in a darker shade than the base colour, like many birds eggs. (g) Speckled flowered group – having petals that are marked with splashes and flecks of another colour, e.g. |
‘Vectis Embers’. (h) Quilled (or cactus-flowered group, or poinsettia in USA) – having petals twisted and furled like a quill. “Zonquil” pelargoniums result from a cross between Zonal pelargonium cultivars and P. quinquelobatum. B. Ivy-leaved pelargoniums (derived from Pelargonium peltatum) Also known as "ivy geraniums".Usually of lax growth (trailing), mainly due to the long thin stems, with thick, waxy ivy-shaped stiff fleshy evergreen leaves developed by the species P. peltatum to retain moisture during periods of drought. Much used for hanging pots, tubs and basket cultivation. In the UK the bulbous double-headed types are preferred whilst on the European continent the balcon single types for large-scale hanging floral displays are favoured. |
Ivy-leaved pelargoniums embrace all such growth size types including small-leaved varieties and genetic hybrid crosses, which display little or no zonal characteristics. May have bicolour leaves and may have flowers that are single, double or rosette. Ivy pelargoniums are often sold as series such as 'Great Balls of Fire', in a variety of colours such as 'Great Balls of Fire Burgundy'. Additional descriptive terms include; Hybrid Ivy — the result of ivy × zonal crosses, but still more closely resemble ivy-leaved pelargoniums. Fancy leaf — leaves with marked colur variation, together with or other than green. Miniature — miniature leaves and flowers, stems with short nodes, and compact growth. |
e.g. 'Sugar Baby' listed as Dwarf Ivy (DwI) by RHS. C. Regal pelargoniums (Pelargonium × domesticum Bailey) These are large bush-type floriferous evergreen pelargoniums. In addition to "Regals" they are also known as “Show Pelargoniums”. In the United States they are often known as the "Martha Washington" or ‘"Lady Washington" pelargoniums. They are grown primarily for the beauty and richness of their flower heads, which are large. Most of those cultivars grown currently are the result of hybridization over the last 50 years. They are very short-jointed and compact, which results in their requiring very little work in order to create a floriforous and well-rounded plant. |
Flowers are single, rarely double, in mauve, pink, purple or white. They have rounded, sometimes lobed or partially toothed (serrated) leaves, unlike the Zonal groups, without any type of zoning. Additional descriptive terms include; Fancy Leaf —leaves with marked variations in colour Decorative Pelargoniums (Decoratives) — descendants of older, less compact, smaller-flowered varieties that are more suited to outdoor conditions. These have smaller flowers than Regal, but are otherwise similar. e.g. ‘Royal Ascot’ Miniature — flowers and leaves similar to Regal, but miniature in form, with compact growth. Other terms include “Pansy Geraniums” or “Pansy Pelargoniums”. e.g. ‘Lara Susan’ Oriental pelargoniums — the result of crosses between Regals and members of the Angel group (see below). |
Some have bicolour foliage. D. Angel pelargoniums (derived from Pelargonium crispum) Angel pelargoniums are similar to Regal pelargoniums but more closely resemble P. crispum in leaf shape and growth habit. The majority of Angel cultivars originate from a cross between P. crispum and a Regal variety in the early part of the 20th century. Angels have grown in popularity in the last 30 years or so due mainly to an explosion of new varieties being released by specialist nurseries resulting from the work done by dedicated amateur hybridisers. These hybrisers have managed to obtain many new flower colour breaks and tighter growth habits resulting in plants suitable for all sorts of situations. |
Angels basically have the appearance of a small Regal with small serrated leaves and much smaller flowers and are more compact and bushy. The group extends to include similar small-leaved and -flowered types but usually with P. crispum in their parentage. They are mostly upright bush-type plants but there are some lax varieties that can be used for basket or hanging pot cultivation. Often called "pansy-faced" in the US. Some varieties have bicolour foliage. Other terms include ‘Langley-Smith Hybrids’. E. Unique pelargoniums (derived from Pelargonium fulgidum) Unique in sense of not fitting into any of the above categories. The parentage of Unique pelargoniums is confused and obscure. |
One theory being a derivation from P. fulgidum, but a derivation from an older cultivar 'Old Unique’, also known as or ‘Rollinson’s Crimson’, in the mid-19th century is also claimed. Unique pelargoniums resemble upright Scented Leaf pelargoniums in being shrubby and woody evergreens. They have distinctly scented leaves, and small flowers with blotched and feathered petals. They may have bicolour foliage. Some types, popularly known in the hobby as hybrid Uniques, have been crossed with Regal pelargoniums and, as a result of this cross, are much more floriferous. Cultivar Fiery-flowered Stork's-bill, Scarlet Unique Scented Geranium (P. × ignescens) - a P. fulgidum hybrid F. Scented-leaved pelargoniums Shrubby evergreen perennials grown chiefly for their fragrance, may be species or cultivars but all must have a clear and distinct scented foliage. |
Scent is emitted when the leaves are touched or bruised with some scents aromatic, others pungent and in a few cases, quite unpleasant. Several of the scented leaved pelargoniums are grown for the oil geraniol, which is extracted from the leaves and is an essential oil much used commercially in perfumery. The scent of some species growing in their natural habitat, acts as a deterrent to grazing animals who appear to dislike the emitted scent. Conversely, it also attracts other insect life to visit the bloom and pollinate the plant. The scented leaves can be used for potpourri and they also have a use as flavourings in cooking. |
Occasionally scented types can be found in some of the other groups mentioned; for example, the Angels, having P. crispum in their genetic makeup, can often have a strong citrus scent. Leaves are lobed, toothed, incised or variegated. Growth habit is very variable, but the flowers are less prominent than other groups, and most closely resemble the species they originated from. |
These include: Almond - Pelargonium quercifolium Apple - Pelargonium odoratissimum Apple - Pelargonium cordifolium Apple/Mint - Pelargonium album Apricot/Lemon - Pelargonium scabrum Balsam - Pelargonium panduriforme Camphor - Pelargonium betulinum Celery - Pelargonium ionidiflorum Cinnamon - Pelargonium 'Ardwyck Cinnamon Coconut - Pelargonium grossalarioides (Pelargonium parriflorum) Eau de Cologne - Pelargonium 'Brilliantine''' Eucalyptus - Pelargonium 'Secret Love Grapefruit - Pelargonium 'Poquita Ginger - Pelargonium 'Torrento or 'Cola Bottles' which is a variety of Pelargonium x nervosum Hazelnut - Pelargonium 'Odorata Hazelnut Lavender - Pelargonium 'Lavender Lindy''' Lemon - Pelargonium crispum Lemon - Pelargonium citronellum (Synonym - Pelargonium 'Mabel Grey') Lemon Balm - Pelargonium x melissinum Lime - Pelargonium x nervosum Myrrh - Pelargonium myrrhifolium Nutmeg - Pelargonium x fragrans Old Spice - Variety of Pelargonium x fragrans Orange - Pelargonium x citriodorum (Synonym - Pelargonium 'Prince of Orange') Peach - Pelargonium 'Peaches and Cream Peppermint - Pelargonium tomentosum Pine - Pelargonium denticulatum Pineapple - Pelargonium 'Brilliant Raspberry - Pelargonium 'Red Raspberry''' Rose - Pelargonium graveolens (Synonym - Pelargonium roseum) Rose - Pelargonium capitatum Rose - Pelargonium radens Southernwood - Pelargonium abrotanifolium Spicy - Pelargonium exstipulatum Strawberry - Pelargonium x scarboroviae Cultivars 'Attar of Roses' - a cultivar of P. capitatum 'Crowfoot Rose' - a cultivar of P. radens 'Dr. |
Livingston' - a cultivar of P. radens 'Grey Lady Plymouth' - a cultivar of P. graveolens 'Prince Rupert' - a cultivar of P. crispum G. Species pelargoniums The species are the forefathers of all the cultivar groups listed above. In general, the definition of a species is that it breeds true, and is to be found doing this in the "wild". Species pelargoniums have a large diversity of characteristics in habit, shape, size and colour, which probably accounts for them having retained their popularity for more than 300 years. H. Primary hybrids A primary hybrid is recognised as being the resultant plant from a first-time cross between two different known species. |
Examples are P. × ardens – from P. lobatum × P. fulgidum (1810). P. × glauciifolium – from P. gibbosum × P. lobatum (1822). Usually, but not always, primary hybrids are sterile. |
List of AGM pelargoniums The following is a selection of pelargoniums which have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: 'Attar of Roses' (rose scented leaves, pink flowers) 'Citriodorum' (lemon scented leaves, rose pink flowers) 'Dolly Varden' (variegated leaves, scarlet flowers) 'Frank Headley' (cream vareigated leaves, salmon pink flowers) 'Fringed Aztec' (regal group - white & purple fringed flowers) 'Gemstone' (scented leaves, pink flowers) 'Grace Thomas' (lemon scented leaves, pale pink flowers) 'Joy' (pink & white frilled flowers) 'Lady Plymouth' (P. graveolens variegata - small mauve flowers) 'Lara Candy Dancer' (scented leaves, pale mauve flowers) 'Lara Starshine' (aromatic leaves, lilac flowers) 'L'Élégante' (ivy-leaved, trailing, white and purple flowers) 'Mabel Grey' (lemon-scented leaves, mauve flowers) 'Mrs Quilter' (bronze leaves, salmon pink flowers) 'Radula' (lemon & rose scented leaves, pink & purple flowers) 'Royal Oak' (balsam scented leaves, mauve flowers) 'Spanish Angel' (lilac & magenta flowers) 'Sweet Mimosa' (balsam-scented leaves, pale pink flowers) 'Tip Top Duet' (pink & wine-red flowers) 'Voodoo' (crimson & black flowers)P. tomentosum (peppermint-scented leaves, small white flowers) Usage Ornamental plants Pelargoniums rank as one of the highest number of potted flowering plants sold and also in terms of wholesale value. |
Scented leaf pelargoniums Other than being grown for their beauty, species such as P. graveolens are important in the perfume industry and are cultivated and distilled for their scents. Although scented pelargoniums exist which have smells of citrus, mint, pine, spices or various fruits, the varieties with rose scents are most commercially important. Pelargonium distillates and absolutes, commonly known as "scented geranium oil" are sometimes used to supplement or adulterate expensive rose oils. The oils of the scented pelargoniums contain citronellol, geraniol, eugenol, alpha pinene and many other compounds. The edible leaves and flowers are also used as a flavouring in desserts, cakes, jellies and teas. |
Scented-leafed pelargoniums can be used to flavor jellies, cakes, butters, ice cream, iced tea and other dishes, The rose-, lemon- and peppermint-scents are most commonly used. Also used are those with hints of peach, cinnamon and orange. Commonly used lemon-scented culinary species include P. crispum and P. citronellum. Rose-scenteds include P. graveolens and members of the P. graveolens cultivar group. Other species and cultivars with culinary use include the lime-scented P. ‘Lime’, the lemon balm-scented P. ‘Lemon Balm’, the strawberry-lemon-scented P. ‘Lady Scarborough’ and the peppermint-scented P. tomentosum. Herbal medicine In herbal medicine, Pelargonium has been used for intestinal problems, wounds and respiratory ailments, but Pelargonium species have also been used for fevers, kidney complaints and other conditions. |
Geranium (Pelargonium) oil is considered a relaxant in aromatherapy, and in recent years, respiratory/cold remedies made from P. sidoides and P. reniforme have been sold in Europe and the United States. P. sidoides along with Echinacea is used for bronchitis. P. odoratissimum is used for its astringent, tonic and antiseptic effects. It is used internally for debility, gastroenteritis, and hemorrhage and externally for skin complaints, injuries, and neuralgia and throat infections. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Chemistry Pelargonin (pelargonidin 3,5-O-diglucoside) is a petal pigment of the scarlet pelargonium. Culture The chemist, John Dalton, first realized that he was color blind in 1794 when he heard others describe the color of the flowers of the pink Pelargonium zonale'' as pink or red, when to him it looked either pink or blue, having no relationship to red at all. |
Notes References Bibliography Books Historical Hortus Elthamensis on Gallica Articles and theses Societies Pelargoniums. An Herb Society of America Guide. 2006 External links The Pelargonium Page: descriptions of botanical species with plant and habitat photos, illustrations and literature Pacific Bulb Society: Pelargonium (tuberous species) Category:Geraniales genera Category:Garden plants Category:Medicinal plants Category:Taxa named by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle |
Chandrakant Lahariya is an Indian medical doctor, writer and social innovator. His work centers around improving health status and educational attainment of the marginalized and under-served communities through public policy interventions and the development of innovative workable models. Background and career Lahariya was trained as physician at University of Delhi, followed by the advanced trainings in Public Health and Policy and Planning. he has worked with Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi [1] and G.R. Medical College, Gwalior in faculty positions. Lahariya has provided consultancy to a number of national and international agencies including the Government of India, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). |
He has written a book and more than 60 highly cited articles for reputed bio-science journals [2-3]. Lahariya has more than 16 years of experience as practitioner of social inclusion and sustainable development through his work, both in personal and professional capacities. Lahariya is credited with introduction of proven health interventions from the decision making to operational planning to implementation to evaluation and then use of the learning for next cycle. Awards and recognition Chandrakant Lahariya is credited with a series of 'the youngest' including as the awardee of The Government of India - Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Prof B.C. |
Shrivastava Foundation Award 2012 and 'Bharat Jyoti Award', amongst other. Lahariya has been referred as one of the most influential Indians under 35 years of age. His opinion is regularly sought on the health issues of international importance [4]. Lahariya has been compared with leading and successful Indians including Dr Maharaj Kishan Bhan and Dr Pukhraj Bafna. A former President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics wrote about him that "I am impressed with Dr Chandrakant Lahariya for his work and vision to improve child survival in India. Dr Lahariya is a young, immensely talented and highly respected public health professional in India, who has significantly contributed to many activities of IAP including vaccinology courses, Mission Uday and has been a regular contributor to all major activities of IAP for last few years." |
[5] Early life Lahariya was born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh and reportedly spent first 15 years of life in a village. References 1. http://www.lhmc.in 2. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716214353/http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.bme/767633/Chandrakant_Lahariya 3. http://de.scientificcommons.org/chandrakant_lahariya 4. http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0000275 5. http://www.indianpediatrics.net/dec2013/dec-1085-1086.htm Category:Indian columnists Category:Indian male journalists Category:Living people Category:Journalists from Madhya Pradesh Category:Year of birth missing (living people) |
The Bakerloo line () is a London Underground line that runs between in suburban north-west London and in south London, via the West End. Coloured brown on the Tube map, it serves 25 stations, of which 15 are below ground, over . It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level. The line was so named because it serves Baker Street and Waterloo. North of (the section above ground), the line shares tracks with the London Overground Watford DC Line and runs parallel to the West Coast Main Line. There are, however, tunnels on either side of . |
Opened between 1906 and 1915, many of its stations retain elements of their design to a common standard, the stations below ground using Art Nouveau decorative tiling by Leslie Green and the above-ground stations built in red brick with stone detailing in an Arts & Crafts style. It is the ninth busiest line on the network, carrying over 111 million passengers annually. History The route had its origins in the failed projects of the pneumatic 1865 Waterloo and Whitehall Railway and the 1882 Charing Cross and Waterloo Electric Railway. Originally called the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway, the line was constructed by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) and opened between Baker Street and Lambeth North (then called Kennington Road) on 10 March 1906. |
It was extended to Elephant & Castle five months later, on 5 August. The contraction of the name to "Bakerloo" rapidly caught on, and the official name was changed to match in July 1906. When work on the line started in June 1898, it had been financed by the mining entrepreneur and company promoter Whitaker Wright, who fell foul of the law over the financial proceedings involved and dramatically committed suicide at the Royal Courts of Justice, after being convicted in 1904. As a result, work on the line was stopped for a few months and did not resume until Charles Yerkes and UERL stepped in and took over the project. |
By 1913, the line had been extended from its original northern terminus at Baker Street to the west with interchange stations with the Great Central Railway at Marylebone and the Great Western Railway at Paddington, and a new station at Edgware Road. Watford branch In 1915 the line was extended to Queen's Park, where it joined the LNWR's Euston-Watford DC line (now part of London Overground) to Watford Junction. Bakerloo services to Watford Junction were reduced in the 1960s and cut back in 1982 to Stonebridge Park. Services as far as Harrow & Wealdstone were gradually restored from 1984, and in 1989 the present all-day service was instituted. |
Stanmore branch By the mid-1930s, the Metropolitan line was suffering from congestion caused by the limited capacity of its tracks between Baker Street and Finchley Road stations. To relieve this pressure, the network-wide New Works Programme, 1935-1940 included the construction of new sections of tunnel between the Bakerloo line's platforms at Baker Street and Finchley Road and the replacement of three Metropolitan line stations (Lord's, Marlborough Road and Swiss Cottage) between those points with two new Bakerloo stations (St. John's Wood and Swiss Cottage). The Bakerloo line took over the Metropolitan line's service to Stanmore on 20 November 1939. |
The branch remained part of the Bakerloo line until 1 May 1979, when similar congestion problems for the Bakerloo line caused by two branches converging at Baker Street led to the opening of the Jubilee line, initially created by connecting the Stanmore branch to new tunnels bored between Baker Street and Charing Cross. When the Bakerloo line was extended to Watford in 1915, it acquired an interchange at Harrow & Wealdstone with another route to Stanmore, the Stanmore branch line. This branch line was operated by the LNWR and terminated at a separate Stanmore station (later renamed ). It was closed in 1964, partly due to the success of the rival Metropolitan/Bakerloo Underground line to Stanmore. |
Camberwell extension An extension at the southern end of the line to Camberwell and Denmark Hill was proposed and approved in 1931 as part of the London Electric Metropolitan District and Central London Railway Companies (Works) Act, 1931. In April 1937, the estimated cost of the proposed extension was £5,000,000 (approximately £ today) and the London Passenger Transport Board announced that, due to rising materials prices, the extension had been postponed until the Board's finances improved. Apart from the extension of the sidings south of Elephant & Castle, no work on the extension took place before the Second World War, but the powers were renewed by the government in 1947 under the Special Enactments (Extension of Time) Act, 1940. |
A projected extension as far as Camberwell was shown on a 1949 edition of the Underground map but no further work was done. The train describers at Warwick Avenue station showed Camberwell as a destination until the 1990s. Electricity supply One oddity is that, almost from its opening until 1917, the Bakerloo operated with the polarity of the conductor rails reversed, the outside rail negative and the centre rail positive. This came about because the Bakerloo shared a power source with the District Railway. On the Bakerloo, the outside conductor rail tended to leak to the tunnel wall, whereas on the District Railway, the centre rail shared a similar problem. |
The solution was to reverse the polarity on the Bakerloo line, so that the negative rail leaked on both systems. In 1917, the two lines were separated when the LNWR began its 'New Line' service between Euston and Watford Junction, which the Bakerloo would share north of Queens Park. As a result, normal operation was restored. Centenary The line celebrated its centenary on 10 March 2006, when various events were organised on the line. Future developments Re-extension to Watford Junction Over the next few years the northern section of the line may again see changes following the decision in February 2006 to transfer responsibility for Euston-Watford suburban services (on the Watford DC Line) from the Department for Transport (DfT) to Transport for London (TfL). |
This was in conjunction with the reorganisation of a number of north London railways under London Overground. Under a former London Plan it was projected that by 2026 the Bakerloo line would be re-extended from Harrow & Wealdstone to Watford Junction, restoring the pre-1982 service. The railway line from Queens Park to Watford Junction, currently shared with London Overground, would be shared with the Bakerloo line. The Best And Final Bid documentation for the Croxley Rail Link project indicates that this Bakerloo line extension is now "unlikely" because "TfL's plans to extend the Bakerloo line to Watford Junction are on hold indefinitely due to funding and business case constraints". |
Camberwell proposals The 1949 extension to Camberwell proposal was resurrected in 2006 when the then London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, suggested that an extension was being considered within 20 years. However, there are no firm commitments to this extension and it remains at the proposal stage. TfL's "Transport T2025 - Transport Vision for a growing world city" investment programme identifies the ambition to separate the present Northern line into two self-contained lines by 2025. In this plan, trains on the Northern line's Charing Cross branch would terminate at Kennington, and it has been mooted that an extension of the line to the south-east may be built, including to Camberwell. |
In this scenario, an extension to the Bakerloo line would no longer be required. However, recent plans are instead to extend this Northern line branch towards Battersea via two new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station, so that it is once again the Bakerloo line that would provide any extension to Camberwell. Possible extension to Lewisham and Hayes In its July 2011 London & South East Route Utilisation Strategy, Network Rail recommended extending the Bakerloo line from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham and then taking over the Hayes Line. This would release capacity on National Rail lines into Charing Cross. |
Lewisham Council in its August 2010 transport study recommended that the extension of the Bakerloo via Peckham to Lewisham and on to the Hayes branch be pursued as a long-term ambition. A route along the Old Kent Road route has become favoured due to redevelopment along that corridor. A date of 2040 is given for the extension, with initial frequencies of 27tph to with 15tph continuing to and 6tph continuing to (via the existing chord). It would cost between £2.2bn and £2.6bn. The branch is also proposed to be extended through to via Bromley town centre. In December 2015, Transport for London reported on its assessment of the various options, and said that a route to Lewisham via the Old Kent Road, rather than via Camberwell, had the strongest case, and that this extension could be open by 2030. |
Any further extension beyond Lewisham to Hayes and Bromley would be a decision for a later phase. Meanwhile, Camberwell could be served instead by a new Thameslink station on National Rail. In February 2017, TfL published its preferred option of an initial four stop extension, with two stations intended for the Old Kent Road (initially designated as Old Kent Road 1 and Old Kent Road 2), and new underground stations at and Lewisham. The tunnels would be extended beyond Lewisham to provide overrun facilities for the trains, as well as allowing for any potential extension of the route further south in the future. |
In October 2019, TfL opened further consultation. It invited names for stations and stated that suggestions had been received for "Old Kent Road" or "Asylum" for Old Kent Road 2. Rolling stock Former rolling stock When opened in 1906, the Bakerloo line was operated by Gate Stock trains, built at Trafford Park, Manchester. To cope with the extension to Queen's Park, 12 extra motor cars of the London Underground 1914 Stock were ordered, ten from Brush of Loughborough and two from the Leeds Forge Company. To operate services north of Queen's Park, 72 additional cars were built by the Metropolitan Carriage, Waggon and Finance Company of Birmingham. |
These trains, known as the Watford Joint Stock, were partly owned by the Underground and partly by the London and North Western Railway (later London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS)). They were initially painted in LNWR livery. They were not equipped with air-operated doors and proved slow and unreliable, so they were replaced by new trains of Standard Stock in 1930 (although a few were retained by the LMS). For some years in the 1930s Watford trains had a distinctive blue stripe at window level. In 1932, some carriages built for the Piccadilly line by Cammell Laird in Nottingham in 1919 were transferred to the Bakerloo line. |
When built, these had been the first Tube trains to have air-operated doors. These were later replaced by more trains of Standard Stock, in turn being replaced by 1938 stock and 1949 stock. Until the opening of the Jubilee line in 1979, the Bakerloo line was worked by both 1938 stock and 1972 stock. The 1972 stock was intended for the Jubilee line, so from 1979 the Bakerloo line (now minus the Stanmore branch) was again entirely operated by 1938 stock. From 1983 the 1938 stock began to be replaced by trains of 1959 stock, but this was a temporary measure until 1972 stock became available. |
The last 1938 stock train was withdrawn on 20 November 1985. From 1986, the 1959 stock was transferred to the Northern line. Current and future infrastructure The Bakerloo line is operated entirely by Mark 2 1972 stock, displaced from the Jubilee line by 1983 stock. The trains are maintained at Stonebridge Park depot. All Bakerloo line trains are painted in the London Underground livery of red, grey and blue, and are the smaller size of the two sizes used on the network, since the line goes deep underground in small tunnels. In the early 2000s the interiors of the trains were 'deep-cleaned' and the upholstery replaced using a blue moquette. |
The seating layouts are both longitudinal and transverse; some cars have longitudinal seating only. A TfL Finance and Policy Committee Paper dated 11 March 2015 revealed that the repair programme for the 1972 Stock would cost more than planned, due to the worse-than-expected condition of the fleet. In early 2016, a four-year refurbishment programme began with the first of the new-look cars operating on the line in March. Each car's interior is being cleaned, the seating moquette replaced with a variation of the Barman type seen on other lines, and handrails and lighting renewed. Each car is being assessed and repair work carried out to ensure the stock can operate safely until its replacement with the New Tube for London stock by the early 2030s. |
Transport for London proposes to upgrade the line eventually, but not until other deep-level lines have been dealt with. This will include new signalling and new trains, enabling a maximum frequency of 27 trains per hour. TfL currently expects these to be in place by 2033. LUL has invited Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens to develop a new concept of lightweight, low-energy, semi-articulated train for the deep-level lines, provisionally called "Evo" (for 'evolution'). So far only Siemens has publicised an outline design, which would feature air-conditioning and would also have battery power enabling the train to run on to the next station if third and fourth rail power were lost. |
It would have a lower floor and 11% higher passenger capacity than the present tube stock. There would be a weight saving of 30 tonnes, and the trains would be 17% more energy-efficient with air-conditioning included, or 30% more energy-efficient without it. The intention is that these new trains would eventually operate on the Bakerloo, Central, Piccadilly and Waterloo & City lines. Map Services Off-peak services on Bakerloo line are: 6 tph (trains per hour) from Harrow & Wealdstone to Elephant & Castle 3 tph from Stonebridge Park to Elephant & Castle 11 tph from Queen's Park to Elephant & Castle This forms a 20tph service (or a train every 3 minutes) between Queen's Park and Elephant & Castle. |
Stations Note: For the former Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo line, see the Jubilee line article. Former stations Watford branch Between 1917 and 1982, Bakerloo line trains continued along the DC line past Harrow & Wealdstone to Watford Junction. These stations continue to be served by London Overground. Proposals have surfaced to re-extend the Bakerloo line to Watford Junction and service the following stations: Stanmore branch The Stanmore branch was originally constructed by the Metropolitan Railway and was designated as the Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo line in 1939. It was transferred to the Jubilee line on 1 May 1979. |
It connected to the main Bakerloo line at Baker Street. Stanmore Canons Park Queensbury Kingsbury Wembley Park Neasden Dollis Hill Willesden Green Kilburn West Hampstead Finchley Road Swiss Cottage St. John's Wood Baker Street Depots The Bakerloo line is currently served by three depots; a main depot at Stonebridge Park, opened on 9 April 1978 on the site of a former British Rail power station which contains the fleet's maintenance facilities, the original depot at London Road (between Elephant and Castle and Lambeth North, though connected to the line between Lambeth North and Waterloo), and a small depot immediately north of Queens Park, built in 1915. |
The Queens Park depot is unique on the London Underground network in that trains in passenger service run through it. When Bakerloo line services ran to Watford, there was also an additional depot, Croxley Green Light Maintenance Depot at Croxley Green; this depot closed in November 1985 following the withdrawal of services. When the Bakerloo had two branches at its northern end, to Queens Park (as currently) and to Stanmore (now taken over by the Jubilee line), the depot at Neasden on the Stanmore branch was the principal one on the line. The Jubilee taking over this branch from 1979 was the reason behind building the new Stonebridge Park depot. |
The London Road depot is unusual in that, although the depot is on the surface, the line passes nearby in tunnel, connected by a short and sharply graded branch tunnel. |
See also Leslie Green, architect of the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway's early stations Stanley Heaps, architect of the extension stations from Warwick Avenue to Kilburn Park List of crossings of the River Thames Tunnels underneath the River Thames Maps Harrow & Wealdstone - Kenton - South Kenton - North Wembley - Wembley Central - Stonebridge Park - Harlesden - Willesden Junction - Kensal Green - Queen's Park - Kilburn Park - Maida Vale - Warwick Avenue - Paddington (Bakerloo line) - Edgware Road (Bakerloo line) - Marylebone - Baker Street - Regent's Park - Oxford Circus - Piccadilly Circus - Charing Cross - Embankment - Waterloo - Lambeth North - Elephant & Castle - Stonebridge Park Depot - London Road Depot - Queens Park Depot - References External links Category:London Underground lines Category:Railway lines opened in 1906 Category:Transport in the London Borough of Southwark Category:Transport in the London Borough of Lambeth Category:Transport in the City of Westminster Category:Transport in the London Borough of Brent Category:Transport in the London Borough of Harrow Category:Tunnels underneath the River Thames Category:Standard gauge railways in London |
Trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate, methylglycinediacetic acid trisodium salt (MGDA-Na3) or trisodium α-DL-alanine diacetate (α-ADA), is the trisodium anion of N-(1-carboxyethyl)iminodiacetic acid and a tetradentate complexing agent. It forms stable 1:1 chelate complexes with cations having a charge number of at least +2, e.g. the "hard water forming" cations Ca2+ or Mg2+. α-ADA is distinguished from the isomeric β-alaninediacetic acid by better biodegradability and therefore improved environmental compatibility. Production The patent literature on the industrial synthesis of trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate describes the approaches for solving the key requirements of a manufacturing process that can be implemented on an industrial scale, characterized by Achieving the highest possible space-time yields Simple reaction control at relatively low pressures and temperatures Realization of continuous process options Achieving the lowest possible levels of impurities, particularly nitrilotriacetic acid, which is suspected of being carcinogenic Use of inexpensive raw materials, e.g. |
instead of pure L-alanine the raw mixture of Strecker synthesis from methanal, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia Avoidance of complex and yield-reducing isolation steps; instead, direct further use of the crude reaction solutions or precipitates in the following process step. An obvious synthesis route to α-alaninediacetic acid is from racemic α-DL-alanine, which provides racemic α-ADA by double cyanomethylation with methanal and hydrogen cyanide, hydrolysis of the intermediately formed diacetonitrile to the trisodium salt and subsequent acidification with mineral acids in a 97.4% overall yield. In a later patent specification, however, only an overall yield of 77% and an NTA content of 0.1% is achieved with practically the same quantities of substances and under practically identical reaction conditions. |
This later patent specification also indicates a process route via alaninonitrile, which is obtained by Strecker synthesis from hydrogen cyanide, ammonia and methanal and converted to methylglycinonitrile-N,N-diacetonitrile by double cyanomethylation (step 1). The three nitrile groups are then hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide to α-ADA (step 2). The total yield is given as 72%, the NTA content as 0.07%. One variant of the reaction involves iminodiacetonitrile or iminodiacetic acid (step 1'), which reacts in a weakly acidic medium (pH 6) with hydrogen cyanide and ethanal to form methylglycinonitrile-N,N-diacetic acid, the nitrile group of which is hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide to trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate (step 2'). |
The reactant iminodiacetic acid is accessible at low cost by dehydrogenation of diethanolamine. Again, the total yield is given as 72%, the NTA content as 0.07%. A further variant is suitable for continuous production, in which ammonia, methanal and hydrogen cyanide react at pH 6 to form iminodiacetonitrile, which in a strongly acidic medium (pH 1.5) reacts with ethanal to produce trinitrile methylglycinonitrile-N,N-diacetonitrile in a very good yield of 92%. (step 1). Alkaline hydrolysis (step 2) results in a total yield of 85% trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate with an NTA content of 0.08%. This process variant seems to fulfil the above-mentioned criteria best. |
A low by-product synthesis route for trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate has recently been described, in which alanine is ethoxylated with ethylene oxide in an autoclave to form bis-hydroxyethylaminoalanine and then oxidized to α-ADA at 190 °C with Raney copper under pressure. The yields are over 90% d.Th., the NTA contents below 1%. The process conditions make this variant rather less attractive. Properties The commercially available trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate (84% by weight) is a colourless, water-soluble solid whose aqueous solutions are rapidly and completely degraded even by non-adapted bacteria. Aquatic toxicity to fish, daphnia and algae is low. Trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate is described as readily biodegradable (OECD 301C) and is eliminated to >90 % in wastewater treatment plants. |
Trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate has not yet been detected in the discharge of municipal and industrial sewage treatment plants. In addition to their very good biodegradability, trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate solutions are characterized by high chemical stability even at temperatures above 200 °C (under pressure) in a wide pH range between 2 and 14 as well as high complex stability compared to other complexing agents of the aminopolycarboxylate type. The following table shows the complexing constants log K of α-ADA compared to tetrasodium iminodisuccinate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) versus polyvalent metal ions: The complex formation constants of the biodegradable chelators α-ADA and IDS are in a range suitable for industrial use, but clearly below those of the previous standard EDTA. |
In solid preparations, trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate is stable against oxidizing agents such as perborates and percarbonates, but not against oxidizing acids or sodium hypochlorite. Use Like other complexing agents in the aminopolycarboxylic acid class, trisodium N-(1-carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate (α-ADA) finds due to its ability to form stable chelate complexes with polyvalent ions (in particular the water hardening agents Ca2+ and Mg2+, as well as transition and heavy metal ions such as Fe3+, Mn2+, Cu2+, etc.) use in water softening, in detergents and cleaning agents, in electroplating, cosmetics, paper and textile production. Due to its stability at high temperatures and pH values, α-ADA should be particularly suitable as a substitute for the phosphates banned in the EU from 2017, such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) in tabs for dishwashers. |
BASF SE is the most important manufacturer of α-ADA under the brand name Trilon M, has large-scale plants in Ludwigshafen and Lima, Ohio, and is currently expanding its existing capacities with another large-scale plant at Evonik's site in Theodore, Alabama. References Category:Amino acids Category:Organic sodium salts |
North American telephone area code 276 was established September 1, 2001, as a split from area code 540. It covers the southwest corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia, including most of the New River Valley and the Virginia side of the Tri-Cities. Within its service area are the following independent cities: Bristol Galax Martinsville Norton The following counties are also located in the 276 service area: Bland Buchanan Carroll Dickenson Grayson Henry Lee Patrick Russell Scott Smyth Tazewell Washington Wise Wythe See also List of Virginia area codes List of NANP area codes North American Numbering Plan External links List of exchanges from AreaCodeDownload.com, 276 Area Code Category:Telecommunications-related introductions in 2001 276 276 |
Ocriplasmin (trade name Jetrea) is a recombinant protease with activity against fibronectin and laminin, components of the vitreoretinal interface. It is used for treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion, for which it received FDA approval on 17 October 2012. It works by dissolving the proteins that link the vitreous to the macula, resulting in posterior detachment of the vitreous from the retina. Structure and mechanism of action Structure Ocriplasmin is an injectable drug that is "a truncated form of the human serine protease plasmin." The protease plasmin still retains its enzymatic properties. Ocriplasmin consists of two polypeptide chains that are linked by disulfide bonds. |
Additionally, the longer peptide chain has four disulfide bonds. Ocriplasmin is only moderately stable when injected, and this is due to autolytic degradation. Mechanism Ocriplasmin can degrade various structural proteins, including laminin and fibronectin, which are localized in the vitreoretinal surface. Here, these two proteins are involved in vitreoretinal attachment. Ocriplasmin induces posterior vitreous detachment. FDA regulation ThromboGenics, the manufacturer of ocriplasmin, encountered several problems when trying to get approval for the drug. In 2012, the FDA brought up the problem of adverse side effects associated with the drug. The FDA stated that the adverse effects may not cause long-term harm, but that conclusion could not be definitively made. |
Several days later, the FDA endorsed ocriplasmin, which was still an experimental drug. The advisory committee brought up several safety issues, but the committee ended up voting that no additional studies were needed. This may be controversial, considering the drug underwent only two studies. Sales As part of a deal with Alcon, ThromboGenics received $98.4 million for the ex-US rights to ocriplasmin. This is part of a $500 million-plus deal. ThromboGenics received a $123 million-plus payment, when ocriplasmin gained approved in the Europe Union; this occurred in March 2013. 60% of the market of ocriplasmin is in the United States, with more than a quarter of a million patients. |
References Category:Enzymes used as drugs |
The 2008 Greek riots started on 6 December 2008, when Alexandros Grigoropoulos (), a 15-year-old Greek student, was killed by a special officer in Exarcheia district of central Athens. The killing of a young student by police resulted in large protests and demonstrations, which escalated to widespread rioting, with numerous rioters damaging property and engaging riot police with Molotov cocktails, stones and other objects. Demonstrations and rioting soon spread to several other cities, including Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city. Outside Greece, solidarity demonstrations, riots and, in some cases, clashes with local police also took place in more than 70 cities around the world, in Europe including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brussels, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, the Hague, London, Madrid, Nicosia, Paphos, Paris, Rome and Seville and globally from São Paulo, San Francisco and Wellington to Buenos Aires and Siberia. |
Newspaper Kathimerini called the rioting "the worst Greece has seen since the restoration of democracy in 1974". While the unrest was triggered by the shooting incident, commentators described the reactions as expressing deeper causes as well, especially a widespread feeling of frustration in the younger generation about specific economic problems of the country (partly as a result of the global economic crisis), a rising unemployment rate among the young generation and a perception of general inefficiency and corruption in Greek state institutions. The shooting incident The fatal shooting that triggered the riots and protests took place in the evening of 6 December 2008, shortly after 9 pm, in the Exarcheia district of central Athens. |
According to press reports, two Special Guards (Ειδικοί Φρουροί) (a special category of the Greek police personnel, originally meant for guard duties on public property) had been engaged in a minor verbal clash with a small group of teenagers in a main street of Exarcheia, outside a shop. On driving away in their police car, they were then confronted by another small group at a nearby street crossing. The two guards were ordered by the Greek police center of operations to disengage immediately and withdraw from the confrontation site. However, the two guards did not comply and were later accused of insubordination. |
Instead, the two special guards chose to station their police vehicle outside the PASOK headquarters, left the car and went to Tzavella Street on foot, in order to confront the youngsters. Following some exchange of verbal abuse that, according to several witnesses, was initiated by the guards, one of them, Epaminondas Korkoneas, fired his gun. The initial police's report on the incident claims that the special guard shot in response to a renewed attack by the youths, that involved throwing stones and bottles. Eyewitnesses who spoke to Greek media, however, reported that the special guards were not attacked by the youths, nor was their physical safety put in danger at any time. |
Instead, the special guards approached the group and verbally assaulted them in order to provoke them. The special guard said he fired three rounds, two warning shots in the air and a third aimed on the ground. Several eyewitnesses said they believed the policeman had directly targeted the youngsters. The victim, Alexandros – Andreas Grigoropoulos () was a 15-year-old student, who lived in the affluent northern Athens suburb of Palaio Psychiko and attended a private school (the Moraitis School). Immediately following the shooting, he was transported to the nearby Evangelismos Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigation of the shooting A criminal investigation was initiated against the police officer who fired the shot, on a charge of murder ("intentional homicide" according to Greek law), while his partner was charged as an accomplice. |
Both were suspended from duty and were kept in detention. The defense counsel that was initially hired resigned shortly after accepting the case, citing personal reasons. On 10 December, Alexis Kougias, counsel for the defendants, said that preliminary results of the ballistic tests apparently show that it was indeed a ricochet and that the two policemen will only appear before the public prosecutor after the forensic, toxicological, and ballistic examinations had been completed. However, the results of forensic tests indicated that the bullet that killed Grigoropoulos had entered the youth's body directly. This cast doubt on claims, by the 37-year-old policeman charged with the boy's murder, that the bullet had been fired as a warning and ricocheted. |
On the morning of 11 December, Dimitris Tsovolas, former MP and economic minister under the previous government, formed by PASOK agreed to serve as the counsel for Grigoropoulos' family. On the same day, counsel for the two policemen involved in the shooting released an explanatory statement, that described the deceased as demonstrating "deviant behaviour." According to the memorandum, Grigoropoulos was a teenager from a wealthy family, he frequented the Exarcheia district, had allegedly taken part in riotous activities that took place following the end of a basketball game two hours before he was shot, and that, in general, "the victim did not show the expected behaviour and personality of a 15-year-old adolescent." |
Grigoropoulos' family, friends, schoolmates and high school teachers immediately condemned those statements and declared in public that the allegations in the defendants' memorandum are "completely inaccurate" and "insulting"; the private school Grigoropoulos attended also issued a public statement that denies all the allegations. Kougias' stance, as well as his comments in the explanatory memorandum, forced the Athens bar association to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him. On 15 December, Kougias appealed for the two defendants to be released from custody, on the grounds that neither of them ever had any previous criminal convictions, that their names and addresses were known, that they had considerable ties with their community, and that the charges were based on the testimony of witnesses that the defendants objected to. |
Specifically, the defendants' counsel took issue with the testimony of four eyewitnesses who had testified for the public prosecutor, and appeared to refute almost all the claims made by the defendants and their counsel. On 17 December, Dimitris Tsovolas, counsel for Grigoropoulos' family, publicly requested that the defendants and defendants' counsel stop provoking the Greek people and the victim's family by making degrading comments, unsubstantiated accusations, and smearing the memory of Alexandros. The ballistics report was also released on 17 December and stated that the bullet that killed Grigoropoulos had in fact ricocheted. However, forensic reports conducted on 21 December concluded that the bullet was not fired in the air, but rather towards the group of teenagers, though there may have been no intention to kill the boy. |
Court decision On 11 October 2010, the Mixed Jury Court of Amfissa (consisting of 3 judges and 4 jurors) found the two special guards guilty. Epaminondas Korkoneas was found guilty of "homicide with direct intention to cause harm" and Vasilis Saraliotis was found guilty as an accomplice. Korkoneas was sentenced to lifetime and an additional 15 months of imprisonment (votes 4–3) while Saraliotis was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment (votes 6–1). In July 2019, the life sentence against Korkoneas was overturned on appeal and reduced to 13 years imprisonment, and Korkoneas was subsequently released from prison. The riots and political crisis First 2 days Within the hour following the shooting of Grigoropoulοs, angry demonstrators took to the streets in and around Exarcheia, and violent confrontations with the police erupted. |
Meanwhile, similar demonstrations were reported in other Greek cities as well, including Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Komotini, Kastoria, Patras, Tripoli, Volos, Chios, Trikala, Mytilene, Agrinio, Kavala, Corfu, Piraeus, Chania, Heraklion, Rhodes, Karditsa, Lamia, Stylida, Drama, Xanthi, Lagkadas, Kozani, Alexandroupoli, Larisa and Corinth. After midnight, the demonstrations in Athens turned into violent rioting in some central streets of the city. By dawn on Sunday, 24 police officers had been injured, one seriously (with facial burns and his little finger mutilated) and 31 shops (particularly across Ermou Street), 9 banks, and 25 cars had been either seriously damaged, burned, or destroyed within the downtown area. |
First week By Sunday 7 December 2008 38 vehicles were damaged, 13 police officers were injured, and 22 rioters were arrested. Monday 8 December 2008 saw police assess damage as daily schedules resumed and rioting subsided. However, all was not quiet, as all over Greece, several thousands of high school students walked out of their schools and marched on local police stations, throwing eggs, paint bombs, and water bottles. Protesters continued to occupy university campuses around the nation, while organizations such as the Communist Party of Greece announced plans for protests later that day. The massive demonstrations of that evening were confronted by police using tear gas; during the demonstrations, some 11 public buildings around the central plaza of Athens, Syntagma Square, were set on fire. |
Students around Greece proceeded to occupy their school buildings, in protest, including in Serres, Imathia, Chalkidiki, Pieria, and Thessaloniki. The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the National Technical University of Athens, as well as the Athens University of Economics and Business remained under student occupation. Rioters also set fire to the Kostis Palamas building that led to the total destruction of the European Law Library situated at the corner of Akadimias and Sina street. After the fire, the rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Christos Kittas, resigned, but some days later withdrew his resignation. A police report released Tuesday, 9 December 2008 in the morning put the numbers of injured police officers at 12, arrested rioters at 87, and persons who had been brought before a public prosecutor at 176. |
In Thessaloniki, 16 rioters were arrested for theft, 3 of whom were under 18 years old. After four days of rioting, some citizens began to act against the rioters, and some rioters fired on police officers. Citizens attacked people that were found looting and were seen throwing stones to protect their belongings. In the city of Patras, according to the city's mayor, members of far-left organisations took part in the violence. In Athens, seven police officers were injured, four rioters were arrested for violence against the police, 12 were arrested for theft and 55 were arrested for rioting with another 25 people of non-Greek nationality arrested for the same reason. |
In a report on Tuesday, Amnesty International accused the Greek Police of brutality in handling the riots. The Greek department of Amnesty International canceled the scheduled celebrations on 10 December for the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in response to the police violence in Greece. The crisis deepened on Wednesday 10 December 2008 when the General Confederation of Greek Workers (ΓΣΕΕ) and the Civil Servants' Confederation (ΑΔΕΔΥ), representing 2.5 million workers or roughly half of the total Greek workforce, called a one-day general strike in protest against the government's economic policies. Rioting continued in Athens as thousands of workers gathered for anti-government protests at Syntagma Square. |
On Thursday, 11 December 2008 4,000 students marched against the police, with many protesters throwing firebombs at the officers. On Friday, 12 December 2008 students attacked police outside the parliament building. Riot police fired tear gas in response. Heavy rain helped curtail demonstrations compared to previous days. The protests inspired small protests in some European cities, sowing fears of copycat riots elsewhere. On the same day, Greek police issued an appeal for more tear gas after supplies ran low, since more than 4,600 capsules of it were released against the protestors by that time. On Saturday, 13 December 2008 large groups of demonstrators gathered in front of the Greek Parliament in central Athens. |
Despite the fact that the protest in front of the Greek parliament was relatively peaceful, the riot police attempted to dissolve it at 1:30 (local time) by using tear gas and violence. On the same day, about 100 protesters firebombed a police station near the Exarcheia district where was killed. On Sunday, 14 December 2008 students joined residents of the Exarcheia district to demand the renaming of that street in honour of the dead teenager. Also, at least four radio stations based in Athens were occupied by protesters. In Thessaloniki, students demonstrated in solidarity with all the people who were arrested as a result of rioting over the past week. |
Second week On Monday, 15 December 2008 students gathered outside the Attica General Police Directorate in central Athens. The riot police chose to dissolve the protest through violence after some of the demonstrators threw eggs against one riot police squad. Many of the demonstrators were of school-age. Several newspapers report that the protesters were provoked by policemen. In Piraeus, approximately 300 students rallied outside the local Korydallos Prison and taunted the police who fired tear gas to disperse them. According to teachers' unions, some 600 schools were under occupation, while 150 university facilities across the country had been taken over according to the Greek Ministry of Education. |
In Ioannina, the local public radio station was occupied by students and far-leftist groups. Rallies and demonstrations have also taken place in Chania, Heraklion, Larissa and Thessaloniki. On Tuesday, 16 December 2008 rallies and protests took place outside many police stations in Athens and Piraeus. Early in the afternoon, masked youths emerged from the university complex in Zografou and firebombed nearby Athens' riot police headquarters. Six police officers were injured and ten vehicles were burnt. Meanwhile, a group of around 30 protesters infiltrated the studios of public broadcaster ERT and interrupted a news broadcast featuring Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. For about a minute, the protesters stood in front of the camera holding banners reading "Stop watching, get out into the streets." |
ERT Chairman Christos Panagopoulos tendered his resignation over the incident but it was rejected by the government. "It is unacceptable for unidentified individuals to deprive others of their right to information," he said. On Wednesday, 17 December 2008 a rally was held outside the capital's main courthouses, where youths threw eggs and fruit at the police. There was also one demonstration organised by the All-Workers Militant Front (ΠΑΜΕ) in central Athens from Omonoia Square to the Greek Parliament, drawing around 5000 people. Student protesters evaded security guards at the Acropolis of Athens and unfurled two giant pink banners over a wall near the Parthenon to rally support for continued demonstrations. |
"Thursday 18/12 demonstrations in all Europe," one banner read, while the other simply bore the message, "Resistance," in Greek, English, Spanish and German. "We chose this monument to democracy, this global monument, to proclaim our resistance to state violence and demand rights in education and work," "(We did it) to send a message globally and to all Europe." said the protestors. Government spokesman, Evangelos Antonaros, said this protest was "inexcusable" and accused the protesters of tarnishing Greece's image abroad. In Kaisariani, near the riot police headquarters that were targeted by youths on Tuesday, a group of anarchists torched a police bus. |
The only person in the bus, the driver, managed to escape unhurt. In another protest, about 40 people – including workers, immigrants and unemployed citizens – occupied the offices of the country's main labor union, the General Confederation of Greek Workers (ΓΣΕΕ). The union's president, Giannis Panagopoulos, said the protest was mistargeted: "The GSEE does not govern this country". A protest was also held outside the Prefecture of Thessaloniki offices and the Ministry for Macedonia–Thrace which is also based in Thessaloniki. Late that night, a homemade explosive device planted outside a branch of Eurobank in the Thessaloniki district of Kalamaria damaged the building's facade when it detonated. |
A similar device smashed the windows of a local Citizens' Information and Service Center (ΚΕΠ). In Ioannina, the town hall was occupied, while in Chania, a local television station remained under occupation by protesters for about 1 hour. On Thursday, 18 December 2008 demonstrations took place in central Athens, more than 12,000 protesters crowded the streets near the Greek parliament in a peaceful demonstration in central Athens which turned violent when a group of protesters broke away from the rally and threw rocks and firebombs at police and buildings near Parliament, overturned a car and set fire to trash cans, splashed the police with red paint and tried to burn down the city's main Christmas tree which had just been replaced after being torched during the previous week's riots. |
The police responded with tear gas and flash grenades, and drove the rioters back toward the administrative headquarters of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the university's School of Law, Economics and Political Sciences. After another round of pitched battles between masked rioters and the police, several hundred protesters entered the School of Law, Economics and Political Sciences. Christmas shoppers fled the streets and retailers rolled down their shutters as protesters smashed store fronts and burned at least four cars. Demonstrations also took place in Thessaloniki where protesters gathered outside the Ministry for Macedonia–Thrace. Rallies and protests also took place in Patras, Tripoli, Chania and Trikala. |
Some labour unions stopped work in solidarity with the demonstrators. The work stoppage by the air traffic controllers forced Olympic Airlines to cancel 28 flights and postpone 14. Hospitals were also operating with very limited staff. On Friday, 19 December 2008 a protest took place outside the Greek parliament, and a solidarity concert outside the administrative building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. More than 1500 people demonstrated peacefully in the western suburb of Athens, Peristeri following another shooting of a 16-year-old on Wednesday, 17 December, night. The teenager was struck in the hand by a bullet fired by an unidentified assailant while sitting in a park, outside a local high school with friends. |
The police admitted that they had made a mistake in their initial statement that the boy was hit by an air-gun pellet. Tests revealed it was either a .38 Special or .357 Magnum bullet. Officers are investigating the incident, anxious to disprove rumors that an off-duty or undercover policeman fired the shot. A police spokesman said that no officers were in the area at the time of the shooting and an investigation was under way. Masked youths attacked the French Institute in Athens with firebombs, "Spark in Athens. Fire in Paris. Insurrection is coming," read one graffiti spray-painted onto the building's walls in French. |
Another, written in Greek, read "France, Greece, uprising everywhere". Later on Friday, about 50 protesters interrupted the official premiere of the Greek National Theater, holding up banners urging people to join the demonstrations. On Saturday, 20 December 2008 about 150 youth attacked the Christmas tree at Syntagma Square in central Athens, at around 16.00, hanging trash bags from its branches before clashing with riot police. The square was cleared within two hours. At least three news photographers were injured by police batons. The Christmas tree protest had been advertised as part of a day of events in Greece and around the world to commemorate Grigoropoulos' shooting. |
On Saturday evening, masked men broke into the building housing the offices of Tiresias SA, a company that keeps records of delinquent debtors and cardholders, and firebombed the company's offices. The fire was extinguished but the company's offices were destroyed. Rioters, using the National Technical University of Athens as a base, launched attacks against police, throwing rocks and petrol bombs and erecting roadblocks. In Thessaloniki a group of anarchists briefly occupied a radio station and a theater before disrupting and threw cakes and candy at Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos and one of his deputies during an open-air charity event near the theater. |
Later, a group emerged from the same theater and attacked a Nativity scene, throwing away Christ's figure. On Sunday, 21 December 2008 in the early hours of the morning, unidentified hood-wearing assailants threw petrol bombs at the police academy in the west Athens district of Nea Philadelphia six police vehicles were torched, without causing any casualties. The vehicles that were parked outside the building of the police accounting department at Patriarchou Constantinou street, also suffered damage in the attack. At around the same time, rioting and clashes with riot police continued in the area around the National Technical University of Athens and the University of Thessaloniki, with protesters again lobbing petrol bombs at police. |
Third week On Tuesday, 23 December 2008 more than 3,000 chanting protesters marched through Athens. During the demonstration, one police car was damaged. At 05:50 local time, shots were fired at a riot police bus in Athens near the riot police headquarters in Zografou. None of the 19 officers on board were injured, authorities said, but the attack raised concern that violence against police could escalate. The shots were fired from the grounds of the National Technical University of Athens's facilities in Zografou, known as Polytechnioupolis. One bullet blew out two tires on the bus, while another struck the engine. |
The police found 7.62 mm caliber bullet casings at the scene of the shooting. After ballistic examinations, it was announced that there were at least two shooters who used Kalashnikov type rifles and that the particular weapons used in the attack had not been used in any other attack, robbery, or other criminal incident in Greece. On Wednesday, 24 December 2008, hundreds of anarchists marched through Athens streets in a peaceful protest. On Thursday, 25 December 2008, in central Athens and the suburb of Palaio Faliron there was a string of arson attacks against banks and car dealerships, causing widespread damage but no injuries. |
There was also an attack against the offices of the Ministry for Development in the city center. Arsonists also targeted the car of Deputy Environment and Public Works Minister, Stavros Kaloyiannis, outside his home in the northwestern town of Ioannina, destroying the vehicle. The assailants doused the wheels of the parked car with flammable liquid before setting it alight, according to the fire service. Aftermath By Wednesday 31 December 2008 the occupation of Greek universities in Athens and Thessaloniki had ended and the administrative officials had begun assessing the cost of damage done during the occupation. On Thursday, 1 January 2009 arsonists attacked 10 banks and two car dealerships around Athens and Piraeus amidst the New Year celebrations. |
No injuries or arrests were reported by the police. The attacks caused minor damage. At least five arson attacks were also reported by police in Thessaloniki; earlier that day police also briefly clashed with protesters, and fired tear gas at rock throwing demonstrators. In the early morning of Monday, 5 January 2009 at least two masked gunmen fired over 20 rounds at a riot police unit guarding the Greek Ministry of Culture in central Athens, hitting a 21-year-old officer in the chest and groin. The officer had apparently spotted the gunmen and warned his colleagues shortly before he was hit. |
An automatic Kalashnikov rifle and an MP5 submachine gun were used in the attack, also a fragmentation grenade was used as a diversion as the perpetrators escaped. The wounded policeman, identified as Diamandis Matzounis, was in a critical, but stable, condition in hospital after six hours of surgery. Authorities said they had cordoned off the region around the site of the attack to collect evidence for forensic examination. At least 72 people were detained during the initial search for suspects. Police said ballistics tests showed the MP5 matched one used in a 30 April 2007, attack on a police station in Athens suburb Nea Ionia. |
That attack caused no injuries but was claimed by the far-left Revolutionary Struggle group. Police also said ballistics tests showed that a second weapon used on Monday, a Kalashnikov rifle, was used in the more recent attack on police, on 23 December 2008. On Wednesday 14 January 2009 Revolutionary Struggle sent a statement to the weekly satirical newspaper, To Pontiki. The statement said the group carried out 23 December shooting attack and the separate 5 January shooting at the police officers. By Monday, 19 January 2009 Diamantis Matzounis The 21-year-old police officer seriously injured in the attack of 5 January 2009 was removed from intensive care following an improvement in his condition. |
Doctors said Diamantis Mantzounis had to undergo two operations to staunch a stomach hemorrhage caused by a bullet wound, but he has managed to recuperate. On Friday, 9 January 2009 a long-planned education protest march took place in Athens. The rally was organized to coincide with the anniversary of the 1991 murder of high school teacher Nikos Temponeras by the secretary of the Patras youth organization of the, back then, ruling New Democracy (Greece) party, participants said they protest against police repression, corrupt politicians, the education reform and a social system that offers little hope, it was one of two held in the capital but it was the only one that turned violent. |
The trouble began after the rally by several thousand schoolchildren, teachers and students had almost reached its end, near the entrance to University of Athens where it had started. When hooded youths broke away from the student march and threw stones and flares at riot police, who fired tear gas and flash grenades. The youths then turned on police, hurling rocks and flares. At one point a group of protesters tried to force their way into the rector's office and to occupy the central offices of the University of Athens. The occupation of the University's offices was obstructed by groups of students and academics. |
Subsets and Splits