From late afternoon hundreds of cyclists congregated in the centre of the northern port city of Thessaloniki to strip down and get painted up in prepration for the city's fourth annual Naked Bike Ride. However, following clashes with the authorities on previous occasions over the issue of public nudity the vast majority of those taking place choose to avoid causing possible embarassment by donning beach wear and copius body paint.

The Naked Bike Ride, which has now become a landmark on Thessaloniki's cultural agenda, is part of an ongoing effort by local Green groups to promote alternatives to the internal combustion engine in Greece's polluted cities.

After parading through the city the participants ended the evening with a massive street party which lastd into the small hours of the morning,

www.demotix.com/news/714574/greek-cyclists-nearly-bare-al...

2010 Thessaloniki (Not Quite) Naked Bike Ride

2010 Thessaloniki Naked Bike Ride, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

For the third year running hundreds of cyclist, roller skaters and wheelchair users rode through the streets of Greece's second largest city as part of the World Naked Bike Ride which aims to draw attention to the role of bicycles as ecologically friendly alternatives to motor cars in urban areas.

Although billed as a naked bike ride participants dressed upin beach wear and body paint in order to avoid clashes with the authorities who arrested people taking part for "unseemingly behaviour'. Despite the firendly atmosphere more than 30 members of the police rapid response motorcycle unit and riot police squads followed at a discreet distance.

According to organisers more than 800 people took in this year's event, more than double last year's figure and the 150 who participated in the first ride in 2008.

Demotix.com

Thessaloniki's (not quite) naked bike ride

Thessaloniki's (not quite) naked bike ride, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Thessaloniki's (not quite) naked bike ride 2009

Thessaloniki's (not quite) naked bike ride 2009, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Billed as a protest against excessive car use, cyclists, wheel chair users and even skateboarders with their dogs rode through the centre of Greece's second city, Thessaloniki drawing amused glances and cheers from local residents. Although called the naked bike ride, most of those taking part choose a more demur approach, using body paint and swim wear to avoid antagonising the local authorities who last year used riot police units in an attempt to stop the parade.

The event, which was designed to raise awareness of the environmental and social effects of excessive car use in urban areas was a mix of serious activism and party aesthetics. The impact of cars is particularly acute in Greece' major cities leading to some of he highest levels of air pollution in Europe.

Since the first Naked Bike Ride in 2004 the event has grown to include 50 cities worldwide with tens of thousands of people taking part every year.

Last year's event proved more eventful when riot police units clashed with participants following the arrest by officers in plain clothes of a British cyclist who they claimed had been fully naked. The local public prosecutor had announced that nudity would not be tolerated and backed up his warning by setting up police blockades just outside Thessaloniki's city limits. Despite tense scenes the cyclists were eventually allowed to continue their ride.

Ποδήλατα παντού στη Θεσσαλονίκη

Περισσότεροι από 200 γυμνοί και ημίγυμνοι ποδηλάτες έβγαλαν από τους ρυθμούς της τη βασανισμένη - και από τα έργα του μετρό - πόλη και για λίγο έκλεψαν τη «δόξα» από τα αυτοκίνητα, που με το καθημερινό μποτιλιάρισμα έχουν οδηγήσει τη Θεσσαλονίκη στις πρώτες θέσεις των πιο ρυπογόνων πόλεων της Ευρώπης.

Χρωματιστά ποδήλατα, πατίνια, skateboards, ακόμα και αναπηρικά αμαξίδια, στολισμένα όλα με λουλούδια, μετέφεραν το μήνυμα ότι μπορεί να υπάρξει ένα καλύτερο μέλλον με περισσότερα ποδήλατα και λιγότερη μόλυνση.

Η πορεία ξεκίνησε από την περιοχή του Βαρδάρη, διέσχισε την Εγνατία, πέρασε από την πλατεία Σιντριβανίου και την πλατεία Αριστοτέλους και κορυφώθηκε μπροστά στο Λευκό Πύργο, χωρίς εντάσεις ή συλλήψεις, όπως στο περυσινό πρώτο βήμα.

tvxs,gr

I Fought the Law

Semi - naked bike ride Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Following the example of other cities green activist organised a naked bike ride to highlight the problems caused by excessive car use in Thessaloniki. However, the public prosecutor threatened to arrest anyone who demonstrated undressed.

The riders complied with his request but that didn't stop the riot police turning up in force and arresting a English Cypriot protester for allegedly being naked.

www.nowpublic.com/world/naked-bike-ride-runs-foul-police

Naked bike ride runs foul of police

Green activists in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki clashed with riot police during their attempt to hold a naked bike ride in order to protest excessive car use. Senior police officials, however, had warned that anyone not wearing clothes would be arrested and so the ride went ahead with the protesters clothed in beach wear and body paint.

According to protest spokesperson, Kostas Terzopoulos Thessaloniki is the dirtiest city in Europe especially in term of pollution and that excessive car use leads to massive problems with air quality and noise pollution.

Problems began when riot police closed the main road leading into the city and forcibly arrested an English protester who they claimed was naked. Amidst tense scenes the hundred or so cyclists eventually persuaded the riot police to let the bike ride continue.

Later cyclists closed the main Tsimiski St with a sit down protest in order to demonstrate against the detainment of their fellow protester who was, according to police authorities set free. They condemned the police handling of the ride as heavy handed and out of all proportion.

The Greek police force has a chequered history as far as the handling of public demonstrations and has often been the target of complaints and law suits over excessive use of force. Last September English teacher and NowPublic contributer, Craig Wherlock was hopitalised by riot police for taking pictures during a peaceful march.Whilst in November 2006 Cypriot student, Augustinos Dimitrios was savagely beaten by plain clothes officers. Despite the fact that the incident was captured by TV cameras and shown on national TV no officer has been charged with a criminal offense.

According to the national daily Eleutherotypia newspaper one person per week died in custody in Greece in 2007. Whilst the country has been convicted seven times by the European Court of Human Rights for police abuse.

Story from NowPublic.com

Bike protest stopped by riot police

Following the example of other cities green activist organised a naked bike ride to highlight the problems caused by excessive car use in Thessaloniki. However, the public prosecutor threatened to arrest anyone who demonstrated without clothes.

The riders complied with his request but that didn't stop the riot police turning up in force and arresting a English Cypriot protester for allegedly being naked.

See here for the story in Greek.

See here for the story in English.

Video from Thess.gr