Athens police suspect law school occupiers in church vandalism, robbery

An Athens prosecutor on Monday filed charges against persons unknown for stealing from and vandalizing a small church near Athens Law School, which has been the site of a sit-in protest since Friday.

Vandals broke into Aghioi Anargyroi on Saturday night, smashing pews and an icon, as well as stealing valuable votive offerings and money from the collection box.

?Everything was in disarray and all the church?s silver and gold was stolen,? Aghioi Anargyroi?s caretaker, who discovered the break-in on Sunday, told an ecclesiastical news website.

Authorities are looking into whether there may be a connection between the break-in and a group of protesters who have been occupying the Athens Law School building since Friday to demand the release of convicted November 17 terrorist Savvas Xeros and the abolition of C-type maximum-security prisons.