Riots in Thessaloniki following death of Nigerian migrant

Athens - Rioting broke out overnight in the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki as Nigerians and mainly young demonstrators confronted police after the death of a Nigerian immigrant. Greek television showed footage of dozens of smashed windows and several damaged cars.

Police said the victim, who had been selling CDs and DVDs illegally, jumped from the first floor of a cafeteria to escape a police inspection. His injuries were fatal and he died at the scene.

Afterwards, several dozen Nigerians and Greeks gathered there and started hurling abuse at police and throwing stones and wooden pickets at them.

Immigrants told reporters at the scene that police in Thessaloniki "systematically" abused migrants. A few days earlier, police had beaten the victim, they said.

Greek and Nigerian rioters then tore about the streets of Kalamaria, the suburb where the rioting broke out, "making smithereens out of everything in their path", reports said.

The situation only calmed down early Sunday morning. Around one million migrants presently reside in Greece and account for about 10 per cent of the population, official sources said.

Around 30,000 of those living in Greece are illegal.