ATHENS, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- New clashes broke out on Monday between police and protesters across Greece for a third day, after the death of a 15-year-old boy shot by police on Saturday.
Fires were burnt in the center of Athens and hundreds
of people were wandering through the streets, some attacking banks, businesses
and vehicles.
A large Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square was
set on fire and windows on hotels, government buildings and departments stores
were smashed.
Schools and universities in Athens were closed for at
least two days.
Riot policemen throw stones towards protesters outside of the main Administrative building of Athens' University, December 8, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Hundreds of students rushed to the center of the major cities in Greece and threw petrol bombs and set fires to buildings and vehicles while the police used tear gas against rioters.
Meanwhile in Germany, a dozen demonstrators occupied
the Greek consulate in Berlin, replacing the Greek flag with a banner
proclaiming Greece a "murderer state." There were also protests at the Greek
Embassy in London, according to Athens News Agency.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has called an
emergency cabinet meeting Monday night and he will meet President Karolos
Papoulias on Tuesday morning to inform him of the situation prevailing in the
country.
Local media reported that it is a catastrophe and
Athens is in a big chaos.
Earlier on Monday, Karamanlis has gone on television
to appeal for calm. He said "extreme elements" were taking advantage of the
situation to engage in vandalism and pledged to compensate businesses damaged.
Unfortunately, extreme elements have exploited this sad event for their own
purposes.
Massive unrest, sparked by the death of a 15-year-old
boy Saturday in Athens, was soon expanded to major Greek cities. The two police
who were involved in the case have been arrested. A coroner's report shows the
boy was shot in the chest.
Policemen watch protesters outside of the main Administrative building of Athens' University, December 8, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
A couple runs to escape a fire from a
bus station booth during riots in Athens Dec. 7, 2008. Riots raged in
several cities after police shot dead a teenage boy in the Greek capital,
in the Mediterranean nation's worst civil disturbances in years.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
ATHENS, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Riots broke out in Athens and
other Greek cities in the early hours on Sunday after a teenager was allegedly
killed by police the previous night.
Demonstrators took to the streets in Athens,
Thessaloniki, Patra and other cities in Greece, setting fires to cars and
damaging banks and shops. Full story
ATHENS,
Dec. 7 (Xinhua) - Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Sunday sent a letter
to the parents of a 16-year-oldboy who was allegedly shot dead by police the
previous night.
The government "will do everything possible" to prevent a
repeat of the incident that has led to riots in Athens and other Greek cities,
Karamanlis said. Full story
ATHENS, Dec. 7
(Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said on Sunday that those
responsible for the death of the 15-year-old boy shot by police in Exarhia
district of Athens the night before should expect no leniency from the state.
In a letter of condolence to the parents of the slain
teenager, Karamanlis promised the state would do everything in its power to
prevent such a tragedy occurring again. Full story
