Greece hit by new riots after teenager’s death

Greece has been hit by a third day of unrest, as anger continues to boil over at the police killing of a teenage boy on Saturday. Rioting erupted again in the Athens suburb of Exarchia, where 15-year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot dead, and also in the northern city of Salonika. The Greek Communist Party called a popular demonstration in Athens and a 24-hour strike against the police’s action.

This morning papers carried dramatic pictures of the weekend’s rioting, with blazing headlines like ‘Athens under siege’ and ’48 hours of horror.’ “The trouble, for me, simply highlights the lack of education in this country,” said lawyer Haralambos Samaras. “It is the most important thing we lack, both here in Greece and across Europe.” Dozens of people were hurt in the worst rioting in years in Greece, as gangs rampaged through the streets, goading police and destroying shops and businesses.

Despite the arrest of two officers connected with the teenager’s death, general unrest is simmering beneath the surface. There is widespread youth resentment at the widening gap between rich and poor, a situation only made worse by the global financial crisis.

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tags: Demonstration, Greece