Vandals smash Holocaust memorial in northern Greece

A memorial commemorating 1,484 Jews from Kavala who perished in Nazi death camps in World War II, was targeted by vandals on Wednesday night, local media reported.

The vandals appear to have used hammers to smash the marble coating on the memorial, which was erected about a year ago in the northern Greek town.

"Every act of vandalism on a monument opens a new wound in regards to the history and culture of Kavala, a community that has always been open, always tolerant and respectful of other cultures and religions," the municipal authority said in an announcement.

Kavala Mayor Dimitra Tsanaka visited the site early on Thursday to inspect the damage, before speaking on the telephone with the president of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, David Saltiel, expressing her condemnation of the incident.