Greek President Karolos Papoulias yesterday called for respect for the law while honoring the death of Alexis Grigoropoulos, a 15-year-old boy who was shot dead by police Saturday.

"We must persist with respect for the institutions and the law. As a member of the generation that lived difficult years in our history, I call on everyone to honor Alexis' memory peacefully," said Papoulias in a statement.

"Today, the day of Alexis Grigoropoulos' funeral, is a day of mourning. His murder deeply wounded our democracy. The preceding days brought to everyone's mind a big 'why.' If our society does not give a convincing answer, giving solutions, the wounds will remain open," the president said.

Grigoropoulos was fatally shot by a policeman Saturday night in Exarhia district of the capital Athens, which sparked three nights of rioting and unprecedented violence in Athens and other cities around the country.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has appealed for national unity and pledged to restore order.

But Greek socialist opposition leader George Papandreou on Tuesday urged the government to resign and seek a "public verdict" on the crisis.

According to the Athens News Agency, 176 people were questioned by police Monday night, of whom 87 were arrested and charged. They are accused of damaging property, looting shops and attacking police.