Shots and hand-grenade fired at Greek police

Athens - Unknown attackers fired multiple shots and a hand- grenade at a police watch post in Athens early Monday morning, leaving one police officer with life threatening injuries, local radio reported. The incident occurred outside a culture ministry building in central Athens. Witnesses reported hearing a burst of gunfire followed by screams.

Greek Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said on state television that "this was an attack on our democracy and on normality. The perpetrators will be swiftly apprehended, to secure our democracy."

Police have cordoned off the area and taken several suspects into custody.

Since the deadly shooting of a 15-year-old by police on December 6, Greece has been beset by violent protests. On December 23, unknown attackers opened fire on a police bus. No one was injured in that attack.

~ The Earth Times ~