Third day of violence sees Greek riots spread
Clashes between students and police spread across Greece in third day of rioting over fatal shooting of 15-year-old boy
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Monday, 08, Dec 2008 07:41
Clashes between students and police have spread across Greece in the third day of rioting over the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy.
Hundreds of students fought with police in Thessaloniki with further protests in Trikala, Piraeus, and on Corfu.
Violence has also been seen in Berlin and London, with two people reportedly arrested at an anarchist demonstration outside the Greek embassy.
Rioting broke out in Athens, the Greek capital, on Saturday as a direct response to the fatal shooting of Alexandros Andreas Grigoropoulos.
The two officers involved – both of whom have been arrested in connection with the incident – claim their car was attacked by 30 youths and the boy died when a warning shot ricocheted.
But eyewitnesses claim the officer specifically aimed at Alexandros.
In a nationally televised address on Monday, Prime Minister Karamanlis called for calm.
"Unfortunately, extreme elements have exploited this sad event for their own purposes," he said.
"The unacceptable and dangerous events cannot and will not be tolerated," he said in his first public appearance since the start of the crisis.
News of Alexandros' death sparked violent scenes in Athens with petrol bombs and rocks being thrown in the city and banks being set on fire.
Businesses and vehicles have been set alight in Thessaloniki and Athens while police stations in Piraeus and Corfu were attacked.
The clashes marked a third day of violence over Alexandros' death in the Exarchia area of Athens, considered the bases of the Greek anarchist movement.