Athens: A protest that followed a memorial service for a retired pharmacist who committed suicide has turned violent, with some demonstrators badly beating a policeman in Athens and stealing his bulletproof vest and other equipment.
Dimitris Christoulas, 77, shot himself on Wednesday in the Greek capital`s Syntagma Square. He left a note blaming politicians for his financial woes and calling on "young people" to kill their elected leaders.
Greece is in economic crisis, and the government has pursued austerity measures that have angered the public. Hundreds attended Christoulas` memorial service on Saturday.
A police official said the policeman attacked afterward suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The official did not give his name in line with agency rules.
Bureau Report
