For three days, youths angered by the police killing of a 15-year-old boy have continued to riot in Greece, throwing gasoline bombs at officers and lighting cars and shops ablaze, the International Herald Tribune reports.
On Sunday, the rioting spread from Athens to Salonika, Greece’s second largest city. ‚ Teens took to the streets, fighting with police and throwing stones through windows.‚
Monday was also scattered with violence, teenagers began throwing gasoline bombs at police officers clad in riot gear during the day and through the night. ‚ The rioters also lit an‚ enormous Christmas tree, that sits outside Greek Parliament, on fire, creating a‚ swirling‚ inferno outside the country’s government headquarters.‚
Unfortunately, the violence is not confined to just the two cities. ‚ In the northern town of Thessaloniki, nearly 300 student fought police on Monday, flipping over garbage cans and setting them aflame.
In Veroia, a town about 40 miles from Thessaloniki, nearly 400 students tossed stones at police, who fought back with tear gas, IHT reports. ‚
The situation is, however, much worse in the nation’s capital. ‚ Approximately 15,000 police officers roam the streets throughout the day, trying to contain violence.
Schools were shut in Athens after security officials put all 45,000 members of the country’s police officers on alert, IHT reports. ‚
The rioting teens take refuge on the campus of two Athens universities. ‚ Due to an incident in 1973, when police and military forces broke into an Athens university and caused the deaths of 22‚ civilians, police are now hesitant to break down the barricades that surround the schools.
The death of the 15-year-old male is still being investigated. ‚ Police claim that the officer who killed him,‚ Epaminondas Korkoneas, fired three warning shots at the teen, who was a part of a group of 30 aggressive youths that confronted two officers in a Greek town. ‚
One of the shots struck the boy and killed him. ‚ Many witnesses claim that Korkoneas was aiming directly at the 15-year-old. ‚
Korkoneas has been charged with premeditated‚ manslaughter, while his partner has been charged as his accomplice.
An autopsy is currently being conducted to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed the boy. ‚ From that, authorities will be able to determine whether the gun was aimed directly at the teen.
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