Two people have been arrested over an attack that left the mayor of Thessaloniki injured.

About a dozen people set upon Mayor Yiannis Boutaris at a ceremony honouring Greek victims of purges by the Turks during the First World War and the subsequent Greek-Turkish war.

He was thrown to the ground and kicked all over his body.

Ippokratio General Hospital director Vana Papachristodoulou said the 75-year-old was admitted with a leg injury and bruises and in a state of shock, and discharged early on Sunday.

Police said one of the suspects is 36 and the other is 20. They are looking for more suspects.

The Greek government blamed the beating on "extreme-right thugs". Mr Boutaris is reviled by extreme nationalists.

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