ATHENS: Greek police said on Wednesday they detained more than 60 people for participating in riots in Athens and Thessaloniki triggered by the death of a Roma teenager from a police bullet, reported Sputnik.
The 16-year-old was shot by a policeman last week during a chase after he allegedly did not pay 20 euros (US$21) for gas and tried to escape in a truck. Kostas Fragoulis died at a Thessaloniki hospital on Tuesday, igniting a new wave of mass demonstrations and prompting the police to declare a nationwide red alert level.
Some 2,500 people attended the rally in Athens alone, the police said.
“During the demonstration, separate groups of people attacked the police officers, throwing stones and other objects, and the police were forced to use the necessary protective equipment. Twenty-six people were detained, two of whom were arrested,“ the police said in a statement.
In Thessaloniki, about 3,000 people took part in the demonstrations, the police said, adding that after the rallies ended, a group of people with covered faces threw Molotov cocktails and objects at the police officers. As a result, 35 people were detained, and one of them was arrested, the police added.-Bernama
