Violence in Athens

This item appears on page 20 of the March 2009 issue.

Athens continues to suffer from riots and outbursts of street violence. The government estimates that over $1.3 billion of damage has been done in the city since early December. 

On Jan. 1, an education protest march degenerated into a riot. On Jan. 5, an officer was injured when gunmen opened fire on riot police outside of the Ministry of Culture. On Jan. 23, 30 rioters who struggled with the police disrupted a march in support of a migrant worker injured in an acid attack.

Although there have been several peaceful protest marches by students, farmers, peace activists against the war in Gaza and a group supporting victims of the violence in Greece, a few of the marches have been marred by continuing riots, leading to property damage, injuries, attacks on the police and arrests.