Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris negatively commented on inmate Nikos Romanos’ hunger strike as a means of placing pressure on the government to give him educational furlough so as to attend studies at the Technical Education Institute. “It is not reasonable,” said Mr. Boutaris. “He wants to go out freely and study and then what? To get a Kalashnikov? Things don’t add up.”

He expressed disappointment for the damage caused in the city of Thessaloniki during Saturday’s protest rallies and said that it is particularly sorrowful that the death of a young person is linked to such episodes of catastrophe.

“It’s Saturday and we are in the spirit of festivities and the center is destroyed,” he said. “The police are obliged to take measures. What is happening is extremely unacceptable. This is not the way to honor the memory of a person.”

Mr. Boutaris said that an event at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki could be hosted to commemorate the death of teen Alexis Grigoropoulos who had been shot by a policeman in 2008 as well as to support Mr. Romanos’ claim to study.