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Protest Erupts In Greece Over ‘Mafia-Style Attack’ On Archaeologist

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Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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Archaeologists employed by the Greek government and state entities launched a strike Tuesday over an assault on one of their peers.

Archaeologist Manolis Psarros, 53, was beaten by a currently unidentified individual in Athens in early March, and was left unconscious and bleeding in the middle of the road, according to Fox News. His peers launched their strike following the attack, believing it was linked to a commercial tourism development.

Those employed by the Culture Ministry for Greece held a five-hour work strike in protest to what they described as a “mafia-style attack,” Fox News reported. They were joined by other ministry employees and members of the Association of Archaeological Conservators.

The Culture Ministry condemned the assault upon Psarros. He was taken to a hospital in the capital after the attack, and is currently at home recovering, ABC News reported.

“Our colleague’s … personal life does not justify any such criminal attack and we directly relate it to the cases that he handled on the island of Mykonos,” head of the protestor’s association Despina Koutsoumba said in a conference on Monday. “In the course of his duties he had dealt with serious cases of violations of archaeological and environmental legislation and of the legislation to (protect) coastal areas.”

Local archaeological services in Greece often have the power to veto planning permissions in order to protect the nation’s heritage, Fox noted. “There are problems caused by the high level of tourism development on many islands, but Mykonos is by far the worst,” Koutsoumba continued, ABC noted. (RELATED: Archeologists Call Fun Police On Netflix Doc In Hilariously Hypocritical Letter)

Mykonos Mayor Constantinos Koukas called the beating a “criminal and brazen attack that has shocked us all.” The attack comes in the wake of a number of notable archaeologists in the U.S. suddenly losing their jobs, with no reason provided by their employers.