BRIEF: Muslims mark Eid with outdoor prayers in central Athens

Nov. 16--ATHENS -- Thousands of Muslim immigrants gathered for outdoor prayer services across Athens on Tuesday to mark the festival of Eid-al-Adha.

Dozens of riot police were deployed in the city centre to protect the immigrants from attacks by extreme right-wing demonstrators who tried to disrupt the prayers.

Reports said a handful of protesters threw eggs at the group of faithful in central Athens before police intervened early on Tuesday.

In recent municipal elections on November 14 the head of extreme right-wing party Golden Dawn, Nikos Mihaloliakos, won more than 5 per cent of the vote in Athens, winning a seat in seat on the local council.

Mihaloliakos based his campaign on anti-immigrant issues and government plans to build a mosque in the Greek capital.

Tens of thousands of immigrants make their way into the European Union via Greece each year, mainly from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.