The mayor of Greece’s second-largest city Thessaloniki has beaten up by about a dozen people and now he is getting treatment in hospital.
Seventy-five years old Yiannis Boutaris kicked in the head and legs. He has also beaten with bottles by a group of nationalists. They were angry over his appearance at a remembrance event.
The mayor is known for his anti-nationalist views. He was attending a ceremony to mark the killing of ethnic Greeks by Turks during World War One. Politicians have also strongly condemned the attack.
How it occurred?
Thessaloniki city council president Calypso Goula said that a dozen people move toward Mr. Boutaris demanding he leaves a flag-lowering ceremony in Thessaloniki. The ceremony held on Saturday to mark what is known in Greece as Pontic Genocide.
Ms. Goula was also attending the event. She described that several men throw bottles at Mr. Boutaris and also kicked the mayor in head and legs after he had fallen down.
Mr. Boutaris quoted: “It was a nightmare”. “There were several people that attacked me. They were hitting me everywhere.”
The mayor’s assistants further helped to get him away from the attackers. They take him to the hospital where he reportedly kept in overnight.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras also called the attackers “far-right bullies who have to face the consequences of their actions”.
The main opposition party ‘New Democracy’ also condemned the attack and requested to arrest perpetrators immediately.
