The Greek government on Saturday condemned a shooting incident targeting the Alter television station building in the west Athens district of Peristeri earlier in the morning, the second attack against the channel.

According to a police officer, two people were in the car at the time and one of them fired four shots with a handgun as they were passing by the building. The incident occurred just before 11: 30 on Saturday morning.

The shots were fired into the air and caused no damage to the building or injuries. Four shells were found nearby and have been taken to the police forensics lab to be examined.

Attica Security police have launched an inquiry.

Government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros offered the government 's unstinting support for journalists, technicians and other people working at Alter, promising that the authorities would investigate the incident in depth and stressing that "society's condemnation for such cowardly actions and those hiding behind them is express and universal."

"Some people consider that by resorting to blind violence and intimidation that they will succeed in harming freedom of expression and freedom of the press and, by extension, our democracy," Antonaros said.

Referring to the staff at Alter, he expressed conviction that " as they have already proven, such actions further steel their commitment to serve and inform the public."

Local media reported that Saturday's incident further increased concerns about the government's policy on security, given that this was the second attack on the station and that authorities had failed to take even rudimentary security measures after the first attack, except during Alter's evening news program.