ATHENS – Greek police under siege from anarchist groups and the major opposition New Democracy joined in accusing Prime Minister and Radical Left SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras of condoning spiraling violence in Athens as well as the second-largest city of Thessaloniki.

That came after a series of attacks against embassies and other targets and with riot police increasingly being put in the crosshairs of conflicts that has seen them assaulted with objects and Molotov Cocktails, most recently while trying to guard the Turkish Consulate in Thessaloniki during tensions between the countries.

In a statement, the conservatives said the government was “downplaying – or, even worse, fomenting – the activity of groups in universities and all sorts of no-go areas,” and that it holds Tsipras personally responsible.

That came after an anti-establishment group claimed responsibility for the firebomb attack in Thessaloniki, putting a posting on an anarchist website calling themselves insurgents and warning that,  “cops are a first obstacle, they are the armed guard of the establishment. And they are not indestructible.”

The the union of police officers (POASY)called on Citizens’ Protection Minister Nikos Toskas and the leadership of the Greek Police (ELAS) to attend a meeting to discuss the escalation of firebomb attacks, said Kathimerini.

“In recent months we have all witnessed the escalation of organized attacks with Molotov cocktails against police in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities,” the union said in a statement, adding that “the fact that we have no victims in no way means that we should be complacent and inactive,” it said.

POASY said it has extended the same invitation to Attica Regional Governor Rena Dourou and Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis but it wasn’t reported if anyone accepted.

Tsipras has also been accused of looking the other way to re-establish Leftist credentials after surrendering to banks and Capitalist lenders to get a bailout that came with more harsh austerity measures he swore to reject but imposed.