Athens Cabbies Arrested in Anti-Smog Campaign
Police arrested 34 taxi drivers on Monday for violating anti-pollution rules that ban half of the capital’s 15,000 taxis from the city center each day.
A spokesman for the cabbies said they intentionally entered the district to challenge the ban, which they dismiss as illegal.
The ban is part of wide-ranging restrictions limiting traffic in Athens. The measures are aimed at dispelling smog that hangs over the city in calm weather.
The taxi drivers face a one-year jail term or a $370 fine, police said. They could also lose their operating permits for a month.
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