Business News

Athens mayor: City suffered irreparable damage in riots

Feb 13, 2012, 9:18 GMT

A store building is seen burnt during clashes in central Athens, Greece, following a mass demonstration against the new austerity measures, 12 February 2012. EPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI

Athens - Violent clashes, the worst Greece has seen in decades, have caused irreparable damage in Athens after demonstrators set fire to buildings and looted their way through dozens of shops at the weekend, the mayor of Athens said Monday.

'We have tremendous damage,' said Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis, as he stood outside a historic building that once housed a pre-World War II theatre. It was scorched as hooded anarchists rampaged through the city on Sunday night.

Cleaning crews could be seen cleaning up, with the main roads of Panepistimious, Stadiou and the shopping areas of Ermou, near Syntagma Square, suffering the most damage as stores and banks were torched.

Other stores suffered heavy looting. The stench of tear gas and burned buildings still hung in the air Monday morning, choking passers-by.

'My shoe business, which has been in my family since 1978, has been burnt to the ground because rioters targeted a bank which is located next door,' an elderly man said from the ruins of his store in Athinas Street in the historic section of the city. 'They took most of my merchandise,' he added.

Violence was also reported in six other cities across the country, the worst in central Volos, where the town hall and a tax office were damaged by fire, police said.

Sunday's clashes erupted after more than 200,000 protesters marched to the parliament to rally against drastic cuts, which were passed late Sunday by lawmakers.

The cuts will slash the minimum wage by more than a fifth, cut pensions and axe one in five civil service jobs.

Sixty-eight police officers were injured and at least 70 protesters were hospitalized. Sixty-seven suspected rioters were arrested and a further 70 detained.