Firebombs hit French center in Greek riots

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-20  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

MASKED youths attacked the French Institute in Athens with firebombs yesterday, while Greek union members and university professors geared up for new anti-government rallies outside Parliament.

Some windows of the French Institute, a cultural and educational center, were smashed but the interior was not seriously damaged in the attack by about 20 people, police said. A nearby bank ATM was also damaged, but nobody was injured.

"Spark in Athens. Fire in Paris. Insurrection is coming," read one slogan spray-painted onto the building's walls in French. Another, written in Greek, read "France, Greece, uprising everywhere."

The French Ambassador Christophe Farnaud, who visited the institute, said French cultural institutions in Greece would be closed temporarily "as a precaution."

Athens has seen near daily hit-and-run attacks by youths throwing firebombs in the past two weeks, after the fatal police shooting of a 15-year-old boy sparked the worst riots Greece has seen in decades.

The rage unleashed by the December 6 shooting has lifted the lid on years of dissatisfaction over social inequality, poor employment prospects for young people and increasing anger with the conservative government's economic policies.

In western Athens, some 1,500 people held a peaceful protest against a separate shooting in which police say an unknown gunman shot a 16-year-old boy in the wrist late on Wednesday.

"This is an answer to state repression," said one demonstrator, university student Dimitris Andriotis. "We will not stop coming out into the streets until our demands are met."

In contrast to Thursday's riots, downtown Athens was calm yesterday, with crowds of Christmas shoppers out and men in Santa Claus suits holding ponies for children to be photographed on.

On Thursday, a demonstration in central Athens against police brutality by 7,000 students and teachers turned violent, sending Christmas shoppers and panicked families fleeing to safety.

Around 200 youths wearing masks hurled firebombs and chunks of marble at riot police, who responded with stun grenades and acrid tear gas.

Mothers snatched children from the main square. Waiters stumbled from cafes, choking on the tear gas. Rioters tried to burn the city's latest Christmas tree just days after it was replaced.