Boy shot by Greek police dies

A 16-year-old boy shot in the head by Greek police has died of his injuries, the hospital where he was being treated said Tuesday.

The shooting on December 5 of the Roma teen sparked clashes between the police and protesters in Greece’s second city Thessaloniki. 

It came a year after another Roma youth was killed by officers near the port of Piraeus and on the eve of nationwide protests commemorating the police killing of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, whose death in 2008 shocked the nation.

“Today… despite the enormous efforts of staff in the intensive care unit, the patient died,” Ippokratio Hospital said in a statement.

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Despite calls for calm from Roma community leaders, incidents continued in Thessaloniki for several days after the latest shooting with roads blocked by burning tyres.

The teenager was shot by a police motorcyclist after reportedly driving away from a service station without paying for 20 euros ($21) of petrol.

Police said that the youth had “tried to ram police motorbikes” and made other “dangerous manoeuvres” as he fled. 

An officer has since been charged with attempted manslaughter.

Greek police have come in for growing criticism over their alleged heavy-handedness from the country’s ombudsman and a special investigative committee, which reported alarmingly high levels of police “impunity”.

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The head of Greece’s Roma community condemned the “racism” with which they were treated and the “inertia” of the authorities in dealing with it.

Seven police are on trial for murder over last year’s killing of the Roma teenager in Piraeus and the attempted murder of his passenger.