Athens - More than 4,000 students blocked a busy avenue across from Athens' main police headquarters Monday in a second week of anti- government protests, sparked by the police shooting of a teenager.

The students gathered in a peaceful demonstration, yelling "You have got old, fat and have forgotten." Students have occupied nearly 600 school buildings across the country in protest.

On the other side of town, protesters hurled eggs at police outside the main court house where hearings went ahead involving dozens of people arrested during the country's worst riots in decades.

While the police shooting sparked the outbreak of violence on December 6, students have gone on to protest the fate of young Greeks reeling under economic hardship and the impact of a global recession on Greece's 240 billion-euro economy.

Widespread anger has grown over the economic polices of the conservative government, which have caused a widening social gap and rising unemployment.

The official unemployment figure is near 9 per cent and rising, leaving many young people disillusioned. Students have expressed anger over investing a lot in their education, but with few prospects.

"I have a masters and PhD in philosophy but the only thing that I have been able to do is freelance translations," said 30-year-old Christos Papadopoulos, summing up the predicament of so many.

Riots which have spread to all corners of the country have been the worst in decades, destroying hundreds of shops, banks, buildings and cars in eight cities including Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras. Damage in Athens alone has been estimated at more than 200 million euros.

Masses of hooded youths and self-styled anarchists have been smashing windows, looting shops and setting up flaming barricades in streets across the country. More than 500 people have been arrested.

The intensity of the protests and riots died down over the weekend, and Athens was peaceful on Sunday. But students, unions and leftists groups have called demonstrations on Wednesday and Thursday against education and pension reforms, privatisations and rising taxes.

Further protest were planned for Monday outside parliament, while an anarchist group has called a march to parliament at 1800 (1600 GMT).

Amid the intensity of the protests, public criticism of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and the perceived aloofness of his ruling conservative government to the civil unrest has been increasing.

An opinion poll published on Sunday by Kathimerini newspaper said public disapproval at the government reached 68 per cent, with 60 per cent of those polled saying the riots were a social uprising rather than an outburst by an isolated fringe of violent protesters.

The two policemen charged with killing the teenager have been jailed pending trial. One claimed he fired warning shots after being attacked by youths in Exarchia, a neighbourhood frequented by leftists and self- styled anarchists. (dpa)