The funeral on Tuesday of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a teenager shot dead by police was expected to provoke more riots in Greece following three days of the country's worst unrest in decades. The 15-year-old boy's killing on Saturday night has fanned public anger at unpopular economic policies and scandals as the global financial crisis reaches Greece.
Thousands of protesters burnt and looted shops in central Athens and tear gas choked Syntagma Square outside the parliament as police clashed with left-wing demonstrators. More than 50 people have been hurt and scores of shops, banks and cars damaged. Police arrested about 150 people.
Greece's conservative government. "Today's picture is unacceptable for the level of our democracy," Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos told after a government meeting. The government denied reports it was planning to declare a state of emergency but Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis was due to meet the president and party political leaders to discuss the crisis. Protests have erupted in more than 10 cities across the nation of 11 million people, including northern Thessaloniki and the tourist islands of Crete and Corfu. Greeks overseas protested in London and Berlin.
Five men have been arrested in Britain. The Metropolitan Police said the men were being held in custody for a variety of public order offences. They were detained after taking part in a 40-strong protest outside the Greek Embassy in Holland Park, west London. The London protest began at 10am and had dispersed by 3pm, a Met spokesman said. He could not confirm the nationality of those arrested and he said nobody was thought to be injured.
On Monday night, rioting youths took control of central Athens and set fire to the huge Christmas tree. More than 130 shops have already been destroyed in the capital, dashing retailers' hopes that Christmas would compensate for Greece's darkening economic outlook. The shooting of Grigoropoulos kindled smouldering anger among Greek youths, resentful at a widening gap between rich and poor.
Two police officers have been charged over the shooting, one with murder and the other as an accomplice. Police said one officer fired three shots after their car was attacked by 30 youths The officer described firing warning shots but witnesses have said he took aim at the boy. A coroner's report on Monday said it was not possible to be sure.
Greece's conservative government. "Today's picture is unacceptable for the level of our democracy," Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos told after a government meeting. The government denied reports it was planning to declare a state of emergency but Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis was due to meet the president and party political leaders to discuss the crisis. Protests have erupted in more than 10 cities across the nation of 11 million people, including northern Thessaloniki and the tourist islands of Crete and Corfu. Greeks overseas protested in London and Berlin.Five men have been arrested in Britain. The Metropolitan Police said the men were being held in custody for a variety of public order offences. They were detained after taking part in a 40-strong protest outside the Greek Embassy in Holland Park, west London. The London protest began at 10am and had dispersed by 3pm, a Met spokesman said. He could not confirm the nationality of those arrested and he said nobody was thought to be injured.
On Monday night, rioting youths took control of central Athens and set fire to the huge Christmas tree. More than 130 shops have already been destroyed in the capital, dashing retailers' hopes that Christmas would compensate for Greece's darkening economic outlook. The shooting of Grigoropoulos kindled smouldering anger among Greek youths, resentful at a widening gap between rich and poor.
Two police officers have been charged over the shooting, one with murder and the other as an accomplice. Police said one officer fired three shots after their car was attacked by 30 youths The officer described firing warning shots but witnesses have said he took aim at the boy. A coroner's report on Monday said it was not possible to be sure.
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