Running battles broke out between Greek police and mourners this afternoon in a fourth day of rioting sparked by the death of a 15-year-old boy who was shot dead by police.

Around 6,000 people attended today’s funeral of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, which ended with police firing teargas into the crowd. A policeman is thought to have killed the boy on Saturday night after he was part of a group of young people throwing stones at a squad car.

News of the teenager’s death has prompted the worst wave of civil unrest in Greece for more than three decades. Swaths of historic Athens were no-go zones today as pressure increased on Greece’s beleaguered conservative government.

The opposition leader responded to the chaos by calling for an immediate election and claiming that the government had failed to protect its citizens.

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“This country does not have a government,” said George Papandreou, leader of the socialist PASOK party. “We claim power. . . The only thing this government can offer is to resign and turn to the people for its verdict.”

After another night of violence, clashes broke out today outside the parliament building in central Athens before spreading to Paleo Faliro, the suburb where the boy was buried.

No injuries have been reported from the latest round of fighting, which began outside the cemetery and spread through the neighbouring residential area.

Dozens of local residents have gathered on the streets, shouting at police to stop firing tear gas in the suburban, coastal district.

The Government, which has a parliamentary majority of just one seat, was holding emergency meetings today after the worst night of violence yet that saw youths attack police with rocks and Molotov cocktails.

Police said some protesters attacked officers with swords and slingshots stolen from a weapons shop. Twelve more officers were injured in the latest clashes in Athens and at least 10 people were hospitalised with respiratory problems from tear gas fired by the security forces. Emergency services said fires were put out at 49 office buildings, 47 shops, 14 banks, 20 cars and three ministries.

The violence has spread across the country, with the northern city of Salonika experiencing some of the worst riots last night, leaving around 70 shops and seven banks on fire. Violence was also reported in Patras in the Peloponnese, Larissa in the centre, Canee in Crete and Ioannina in the northwest.

The widely-televised scenes of destruction are likely to further undermine a government already rocked by financial scandals.

The conservative broadsheet Kathimerini outlined the depth of the government’s problems. “Athens was at the mercy of flames and the uncontrolled action of hooded youths for a third consecutive night . . . displaying a power vacuum and the inability of the state to ensure order,” it said on its front page this morning.

Costas Karamanlis, the Prime Minister, called a crisis Cabinet meeting last night and held new meetings with President Karolos Papoulias and leaders of allied and opposition political parties today.

"We will tolerate no leniency in the attribution of responsibility," Mr Karamanlis said after talks with the president. "Nobody has the right to use this tragic incident as an alibi for acts of raw violence.

"In these critical hours, the political world must unanimously condemn and isolate the perpetrators of this violence."

As shopkeepers swept up glass and took stock of their looted premises today, criticism mounted of the police response during the riots and their inability to stop the wanton destruction of businesses, hotels, banks and cars.

Universities and schools have been closed, students planned their own protest rally today and unions have said that a general strike, which was called before the killing, will go ahead.

Greece’s largest union, the GSEE, confirmed that the strike would take place as planned tomorrow. It is expected to ground most flights at Athens International Airport and disrupt transport services across Greece.

The industrial action was intended as a protest against welfare reforms and economic policy but it is expected to become the focus of more anti-government demonstrations.

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