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Three victims during arson in Marfin bank

05 May 2010 / 13:05:16  GRReporter
4945 reads

Marina Nikolova

Three people, one man and two women died after anarchists set on fire with cocktails Molotov a branch of Marfin Bank on 23 Stadiou Street in the center of Athens. The information has not yet been confirmed by an official source. All three of the victims were on the third floor when the building burst into flames. All three died from choking on clouds of black smoke caused by the fire. From the Fire-fighting Service confirmed that they have evacuated 4 people from the building - two women and two men, who escaped to the balcony to be able to breathe. All four are without danger to their lives. Demonstrators set a car on fire, which belonged to the Turkish television and was located in front of Marfin bank. protesters also entered into disputes with other television teams, which were reporting the tragic incident. 

The incident happened during the protest of the trade unions outside the parliament building with a request to cancel the strict financial constraints measures, which the Greek government was forced to accept under the pressure of the IMF and the EC. Right now burning are the buildings of the Regional Administration of Attica on Singrou Boulevard and the tax office on Amaliyas Street. Two fire-fighting truck are also burning after Molotov cocktails were thrown at them. The vehicles are parked on the same street.

During the demonstration a group of youths threw few Molotov bombs in a Marfin Bank on 23 Stadio Street, which is now covered in flames. According to unconfirmed data, two people have died. Fire-fighter services confirmed that they have evacuated 4 people from the building. The bank branch is covered by clouds of black smoke.

Unions speak of the biggest protest in Athens for months. Public and private employees, unemployed, seniors, flooded the center of Athens and chanted: "Set the assembly on fire!", "Fire in the house of every banker". The demonstration organized by the union the Communist Party of Greece PAME began at 11:00AM from Omonia Square and the protesters had filled Stadiou Boulevard to Syntagma Square.

People are so many that the whole procession passed through parliament at 01:30PM. "Work for all", "Fight, change!", "History is written with a class struggle", "They took your vote, but not out your head down" were just some of the slogans, the demonstrators brought with them. "I never came to a demonstration before because I have children and around this time I have to take them from school but we can no longer tolerate this situation. This is the end of PASOK," tells me a woman walking next to me. 

"Thieves! Liars!" shouted the people. Small bombs are heard and the chanting stops. Around 01:20PM a group of youngsters tried to enter the parliament building from the entrances on Vassilis Sofiyas and Amaliyas Streets, but special forces unit spread them with tear gas. At the moment when the demonstrations of the largest Greek unions GSEE and ADEDY started, a group of youngsters tried to enter the Ministry of Finances but police managed to spread them with tear gas. Currently, the union rally is split in two. Tension prevails in the center of the city and tear gas smell “roams” around. In middle of Syntagma Square and at several places along Stadiou there are burning trash bins.

Currently the city center is blocked and police allow people in only after check-up. Expected is the address of PM George Papandreou.

 

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