Mayor orders busts in central Athens to be moved for protection

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis has asked staff to remove dozens of bronze busts from the garden surrounding the City of Athens Cultural Center following a series of thefts and acts of vandalism.

There are a total of 49 busts in gardens around the center that Kaminis identified as being in “unsafe” positions. He said that some of these would be put on display in the Municipal Art Gallery, while others could be moved to public spaces that will be guarded. Kaminis said that there are 201 sculptures, 120 made from bronze and 81 from marble, around the city.

Over the last six decades, 11 have been were stolen while another 12 have been taken off display by authorities. Kaminis said that he has asked for a greater police presence in downtown Athens but has yet to see a satisfactory response from authorities.