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Anastasia Balezdrova

The participation in the Greek meeting held within the context of the Europe-wide protest against austerity measures was weak.

The major trade unions of workers in the private and public sector, GSEE and ADEDY, announced a three-hour stoppage of work between 12 o’clock and 3 pm in order to attract more participants. However, no more than five thousand people, most of whom were public workers, gathered at Klafthmonos Square.

The protesters led by the union leaders set off to Syntagma Square. They shouted slogans against the austerity measures, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the government. Shortly after 2 o'clock, the procession reached the Greek Parliament.

The flags of trade unions of employees in various ministries, the Greek flag and the flags of other European countries were raised among the protesters.

Large-size flags of the countries of southern Europe, in which the austerity measures had been introduced - Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece, were spread out along the avenue.

Members of left non-parliamentary parties and organizations shouted slogans against the memorandum of economic aid and its compilers and called for holding an "indefinite strike".

At the same time, many participants murmured against the decision of trade union leaders "to announce only a three-hour break instead of a 24-hour strike."

Shortly before 3 pm, the protesters began withdrawing and individual participants shouted offensive phrases at the parliament employees, who were watching through the windows. In recent days, they have become universal "enemies", after it turned out that the austerity measures have not affected them at all.

A theatre group attracted the attention of protesters by performing a five-minute play. The actors were controlling a huge human figure representing the Europeans pressed with the austerity measures.

In its attempts to take a step forward, left and right, it encountered obstacles, which were arranged around it like prison bars. They gradually bent and pressed the figure to the ground.

Gradually, the figure began to rise, and finally managed to get rid of the burdens. Suddenly, birds started flying around it and the man was able to move forward boldly.

The scene raised great applause and then, the protest was over. Only a group of people remained there, commenting that while the protests in Madrid and Lisbon were violent, "we wait for the couches to come and protest" in Athens.