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Greek protesters hurl gasoline bombs, rocks at riot police ahead of austerity vote
An anti-austerity demonstration by more than 80,000 people in Athens degenerated into violence on Wednesday as hundreds of protesters clashed with riot police ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote on new spending cuts.
The vote is the toughest test yet for the country’s fragile four month-old coalition government, which must pass the $17 billion package of measures to ensure Greece continues receiving vital bailout funds from its international creditors to avoid bankruptcy. (Dimitri Messinis/AP)
Clashes erupt at Greek anti-austerity protests amid general strike
ATHENS — Greek police clashed with anti-austerity protesters hurling stones and petrol bombs on the day of a general strike that brought much of the near-bankrupt country to a standstill.
In the second major walkout in three weeks on Thursday, almost 40,000 protesters marched in Athens in a bid to show EU leaders meeting in Brussels that new wage and pension cuts will only worsen their plight after five years of recession.
Tensions mounted when a small group of protesters began throwing pieces of marble, bottles and petrol bombs at police barricading part of the square in front of parliament, prompting riot police to fire several rounds of teargas to disperse them.
Tens of thousands of Greeks take to the streets in largest anti-austerity protest in a year
Greek police clashed with hooded rioters hurling petrol bombs as tens of thousands took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday in Greece’s biggest anti-austerity protest in more than a year.
Violence erupted after nearly 70,000 people marched to parliament chanting “We won’t submit to the troika (of lenders)” and “EU, IMF Out!” on the day of a general strike against a new round of cuts demanded by foreign lenders. (Photos: AP Photo; AFP/GettyImages)
Photos of Greece in turmoil: Protesters riot over EU austerity measures
While Greece’s politicians battled it out in parliament on Sunday to decide whether to accept deeply unpopular austerity measures that are required to secure an EU/IMF bailout, in Athens, crowds of protesters fought a much more violent battle for hours against the police over the same thing. (Photos: Reuters)
Greeks fight back against austerity
Greek workers went on strike against austerity measures on Friday, docking ships and halting public transport, hours after eurozone finance ministers said Athens needed to make more cuts to convince them to release a financial bailout.
Before they release more aid, Greece’s financial backers have demanded parliamentary ratification of the new austerity package this weekend, the identification of a further 325 million euros of spending reductions by next Wednesday and a strong commitment from all parties to implement the reforms.
But it may be a demand too far. Many Greeks, already suffering from five consecutive years of recession, are increasingly angry about the measures, which are unlikely to help an economy, where one in five is unemployed, shops close one after another and households are tightening their budget.
The central Athens Syntagma square, in front of parliament, echoed with loudspeaker calls to rally against the measures: “No to layoffs! No to salary cuts! No to pension cuts! Do not bow your heads! Resist!” (Photos: Reuters)
Photos of the day
A protester throws a fire bomb at police during riots in Athens’ Syntagma (Constitution) square, October 19, 2011. Greek unions begin a 48-hour general strike on Wednesday, the biggest protest in years, as parliament prepares to vote on sweeping new austerity measures. (John Kolesidis/Reuters)
Greek protesters hurl stones, fire bombs as austerity strike begins
Demonstrators clashed with police in front of the Greek parliament on Wednesday as tens of thousands rallied at the start of a general strike timed to coincide with a vote on a bitterly resented new round of austerity measures.
Protesters showered police with stones and fire bombs on the steps of the parliament building, forcing them to retreat. The boom of tear gas canisters fired by police rang out over Syntagma Square while black smoke curled into the air.
“We have no future here. All young people want to go abroad and they are right to do so,” said Anastasia Kolokotsa, 17, protesting outside parliament.
“There are no jobs, there is nothing here.” (Photo: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)
Thousands strike in Greece to protest government cuts
Police fired tear gas at stone-throwing youths in central Athens on Wednesday, where thousands of striking state sector workers marched against cuts the government says are needed to save the nation from bankruptcy.
Youths broke up marble paving slabs and hurled the chunks of rock at police in full riot gear. The police responded by firing tear gas grenades, chasing the protesters through the square into surrounding streets. (Photo: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images)
In Greece, no one can hear you whistle. A commuter walks next to immobilized taxis during a protest near the Athens International airport, July 18, 2011. Greek taxi drivers blocked roads to Athens’ airport and main harbour on Monday, holding up thousands of tourists at the start of a two-day protest against plans to liberalize their trade. John Kolesidis/REUTERS. To see more of today’s best photos, click here.
Riot policemen stand near a burning parasol during protests against austerity measures in Athens, June 28, 2011. With Greece teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, parliament is due to vote this week on a package of spending cuts, tax increases and privatisations agreed as part of a massive bailout aimed at averting the euro zone’s first default. (Yannis Behrakis/Reuters)
Greek woes may eclipse Lehman: Ackermann
Deutsche Bank’s CEO described the situation in Greece as critical and warned contagion to other eurozone members could lead to a crisis bigger than the one sparked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Governments across the single currency bloc are pushing the banks, pension funds and insurance firms that hold Greek sovereign debt to play a role in a second rescue package for the heavily indebted eurozone nation.
Josef Ackermann cautioned against any steps that could spread the crisis to other vulnerable countries in the 12-year-old currency bloc.
“If it is Greece alone, that’s already big. But if other countries are drawn in through contagion, it could be bigger than Lehman,” the Deutsche Bank chief said at a Reuters banking event on Monday.
Greeks rage against austerity while EU argues
Striking Greeks raged against a new wave of austerity on Wednesday after eurozone finance ministers failed to agree how to make private creditors contribute to a second bailout for their indebted country.
As workers staged a national strike, thousands of protesters — some chanting “Thieves, traitors! Where did the money go” — massed at parliament to try to prevent lawmakers enacting more tax hikes, spending cuts and sell-offs of state property.
Photo: Protestors fight with riot police during massive clashes at the central Athens Syntagma square on June 15, 2011. (LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Photos of the Day, May 11, 2011
Riot policemen run through a cloud of teargas to avoid fire from an exploding Molotov cocktail during clashes with youths in central Athens May 11, 2011. Police fired teargas at dozens of youths hurling stones in central Athens on Wednesday as a 24-hour general strike against an EU/IMF prescribed austerity brought much of Greece to a halt during talks on the next slice of a bailout package. (REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis)
Photos of the day: A policeman is covered in flames as he tries to escape after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at him during riots in front of the parliament in Athens on February 23, 2011. Greece was hit with another general strike against austerity as Prime Minister George Papandreou seeks to convince the cash-strapped country’s eurozone partners to extend the repayment of a massive rescue loan. (Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images)
