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Greece on foot against the reforms

11 March 2010 / 17:03:57  GRReporter
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Massive protest marches were held today in Athens and Thessaloniki against the restrictive fiscal measures undertaken to help Greece out of the economic crisis. The measures, which outside the country are regarded as necessary and urgent for the return of investor confidence, inside the country are subject to severe social unrest. 

Molotov cocktails, tear gas, 16 arrested and two wounded policemen are the results of today's protest action in Athens against the new economic measures of the government of Georgios Papandreou. Earlier a protestant was injured. The victim was taken to a hospital, without danger to his life. Broken windows, cars set on fire, a rain of stones and tear gas is the outcome of yet another strike in Greece. The capital is blocked for 24 hours, all buses, trolleys, trams, metros are stopped. Only the urban train operates from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon to serve the protesters, who want to reach the center of the city in order to take part in the strike. 

As expected the two announced for today protests, part of the general strike, turned into riots between the representatives of the anarchistic left-wing political factions in Greece and special forces police. Streams of people flooded the center of Athens with slogans in their hands and shouting protests. The two separate protests organized by a group of union of the Greek Communist Party PAME and the two largest labor unions (General Confederation of Workers and the Union of Public EMployees) merged into one protest. The procession of the Communist Party PAME started at noon from Omonia Square and went towards Patision Boulevard where it merged with the second protest march of the labor unions. Blocked were the streets around Syntagma and Omonia squares and circuses Stadiou, Panepistimiou and Akademias. People of all ages took part to express their anger against the recent increase in taxes and reduction of wages in the public sector.  

The protests were peaceful. Around them were moving in separate cores anarchists who are an integral part of Greek tradition strike. Clashes started between them and the police. Youths threw Molotov cocktails and stones at the SWAT teams and a trash can and a even a car on fire. The melee at many points was head to head. During the “battle” the police managed to drive the protesters to the legendary neighborhood Exarhia, which is considered to be the cradle and home of the Greek anarchists. 

There was serious unrest during the mass protest marches in Thessaloniki. Police patiently watched the atrocities of the anarchists in Egnatia Avenue, and then intervened.

Photo: zougla.gr

Tags: Greece Economy Strikes Riot
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