Massive riots cripple Greek cities for 3rd day

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-9  |     ONLINE EDITION

HUNDREDS of youths smashed, burned and looted their way through Greek cities in a third day of mayhem yesterday after the fatal police shooting of a teenager sparked the worst riots the country has seen in decades.

Dozens of shops, banks and even luxury hotels were damaged and cars torched as youths fought running battles with riot police through the night. Black smoke rose above central Athens, mingling with clouds of tear gas. Broken glass littered the streets.

"Cops! Pigs! Murderers!" protesters screamed at riot police.

Police said rioting was abating in the early hours of today, although some clashes continued in central Athens. Dozens of masked youths were holed up in a university building. Under Greek law, police are barred from entering universities.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, whose increasingly unpopular conservative government has already faced a growing number of sometimes violent demonstrations against economic and education reforms, called for calm.

"All the dangerous and unacceptable events that occurred because of the emotions that followed the tragic incident cannot and will not be tolerated," he said in a live televised address.

But his appeal went unheeded.

In an outpouring of rage over the Saturday night shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, high school and university students joined self-styled anarchists in attacking police stations, smashing stores and burning buildings. Police said some rioters were armed with crossbows, knives and swords.

Rioting erupted in about dozen cities, from Thessaloniki in the north to cities in Crete and the holiday island of Corfu. In Athens, rioters torched the capital's massive Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square. Protesters posed for photos in front of the blaze as others sang "Oh Christmas Tree."