Greek strike to prompt more civil unrest

By Dina Kyriakidou

ATHENS (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters mobilized to shut down businesses, transport and public services in a general strike across Greece on Wednesday as unrest ignited by a police shooting gripped the nation.

Opposition socialists called for the conservative government to quit as riot police battled protesters outside Greece's parliament and in Athens suburbs on Tuesday.

Youths clashed with police outside a cemetery where more than 5,000 black-dressed mourners attended the funeral of shooting victim Alexandros Grigoropoulos.

"We believe this is a much deeper crisis, a social crisis, a moral crisis. We have a government that lacks the ability to implement the law," socialist party leader George Papandreou said at a candlelight vigil for the dead teenager.

Greece's worst civil unrest since the aftermath of military rule in 1974 started when police shot Grigoropoulos on Saturday.

It has fanned nationwide discontent over government scandals and economic policies as the world crisis bites.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, clinging to a thin majority in parliament, met political leaders to try to build a common front against the violence and asked labor unions to cancel a central Athens rally on Wednesday.

"We must all have a united stand against illegal actions, to clearly condemn violence, looting and vandalism," he said.

Unions rejected the call and the rally across parliament at 0900 GMT could lead to more violence. The strike will shut down public services and business and halt transport.

The damage from torched shops, banks and cars is estimated to be millions of euros. The government, which has seen its popularity fall sharply behind the socialists, has promised to compensate.

Karamanlis won elections in 2004 shortly before the Athens Olympics that left Greeks beaming with pride.

But a series of scandals involving ministers and misfired economic measures amid the world financial crisis have dramatically reversed the mood four years later.

The riots have quickly spread to at least 10 cities across the European Union member state of 11 million people, including the tourist islands of Crete and Corfu. Greeks also protested in Paris, Berlin, London and The Hague.

One policeman has been charged with murder over the shooting of Grigoropoulos. Police said the officer fired three warning shots after their car was attacked by 30 youths on Saturday but witnesses said he took aim.

Greece has a tradition of violence at student rallies and fire bomb attacks by anarchist groups, which have heightened tensions with police.