75-Year-Old Greek Mayor Beaten by Nationalist Mob

The mayor of Greece’s second-largest city has been attacked by a mob of nationalist extremists, leaving him hospitalized with head, back, and leg injuries. The incident occurred while Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris, who is known for his anti-nationalist stance, was attending a ceremony on Saturday to honor the victims of the “Pontic Genocide,” the killing of ethnic Greeks by Turks during World War I. At least a dozen nationalists angry over his presence at the event reportedly approached him and demanded he leave before attacking him with bottles. Thessaloniki City Council President Calypso Goula, who witnessed the incident, said 75-year-old Boutaris was kicked in the head and legs after he’d already fallen to the ground. The attack has been condemned by Greek leaders, with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras calling the assailants “far-right bullies who have to face the consequences of their actions.”