A man was stabbed to death by robbers at dawn Tuesday in central Athens, apparently to steal his camera, police said.

The 44-year-old man was attacked as he was taking out his car to take his pregnant wife to hospital to give birth to their second child.

Police said the man was heading for a parking lot near his home in the Patissia district when he was attacked by three assailants and suffered at least three stab wounds in the back, hands and neck as he tried to escape.

The attackers grabbed his camera and fled.

About 200 people held a protest rally, at five in the afternoon, at the location where a 44-year-old was killed on Tuesday morning while preparing to take his car to transfer his wife to a maternity clinic to give birth.

Due to the rally, 3rd September street was closed from Marni street onwards and Ipirou street from Aristotelous street.

According to information reaching the police, there was tension in the region and attacks against foreigners have taken place. Police forces are on standby in the event incidents take place.

Citizens' Protection Minister on policing central Athens

Citizens' Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis on Tuesday called for the "activation and coordination" of all competent agencies in order to "do what was humanly possible to fight crime in central Athens" while speaking in Parliament.

Stressing his horror at the dawn stabbing of a father-to-be by robbers in downtown Athens earlier the same morning, Papoutsis said that the police were making every possible effort to protect the public "in the framework of the fiscal difficulties".

Papoutsis said that the state and local government have to cooperate on the initiatives for protection and security in the centre of the capital.

The minister said that the evidence showed that crime in the centre was falling but increasing in regions.

"We are determined to encourage the Athens Mayor and other competent bodies in order to secure the greatest possible security of Athenians," he said.

Political figures on downtown Athens stabbing

The spot where the 44-year-old father-to-be was attacked on 3rd Septemvriou street in downtown Athens

Government spokesman Yiorgos Petalotis on Tuesday said described the stabbing of a 44-year-old father-to-be in central Athens as a "hair-raising incident". The victim was attacked by thieves who were after his video camera at dawn, as he was preparing to take his pregnant wife to hospital to deliver their baby.

He pointed out that coordinated efforts are being made by the prime minister to upgrade the city centre and stressed that it is "unfair and one-sided" to blame inadequate policing for the situation. "The issue is cultural, residential and social," he concluded.

Athens Mayor George Kaminis said "this murder is not just another delinquent act. It is a kind of crime that cannot be tolerated," adding that "the Greek Police will have to make a lot of effort to put the situation under control."

Kaminis repeated that the City of Athens is ready to cooperate with police on a daily basis to jointly patrol the streets and squares even during the night.

Opposition Popular Orthodox Rally (Laos) president George Karatzaferis commenting on the tragic death, indirectly urged the government to proceed with the deportation of all illegal immigrants and stressed that living in certain parts of Athens is an "act of heroism".