February 13, 2012
The acrid stench of tear gas permeated central Athens on Monday and the husks of burnt-out buildings still smoldered after a night of rioting following the Greek Parliament’s vote to approve austerity measures in exchange for more rescue financing.
In the aftermath, municipal workers were sweeping up broken glass while Greek political leaders were surveying the damage to their parties following the expulsion of dozens of lawmakers from their parties, after the legislators had broken ranks ahead of early national elections. On Monday, the government spokesman, Pantelis Kapsis, said the elections would be held in April.
About 150 stores were vandalized and looted, and about 45 buildings — including neo-Classical structures, two historic movie theaters, banks and cafes — were seriously burned, many beyond repair, according to the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The chamber estimated losses in the “tens of millions” of dollars. The public order minister, Christos Papoutsis, called the damage part of “an organized plan of arson and looting.”
More than 80,000 people came out to protest peacefully on Sunday, before scores of violent hooded protesters hijacked the demonstration. A spokesman for the Athens police said Monday that 74 people had been arrested and 92 others briefly detained, after scores of violent protesters scuffled with police and hurled gasoline bombs into buildings.
The spokesman said that 104 police officers had been injured in the riots, but gave no injury figures for demonstrators, though the ambulance service said there had been dozens.
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