Greece grinds to a halt...again
Protesters clash with riot police in central Athens today
Photo: ANP
Another day, another strike. Although the outside world may be growing weary of hearing about Greece's economic traumas, today's protest was the largest and most violent yet, indicating that the Greeks are not planning on accepting their government's harsh spending cuts without a fight.
An estimated 1 million Greeks are taking part in today's walkouts. According to Euranet's Athens correspondent Malcom Brabant, the exact figures are a little hazy as all the Greek journalists are on strike too. They have downed mics and laptops to join the air traffic controllers, port staff, teachers, police, tax inspectors and other public servants on the streets.
Around 25,000 people gathered for a protest march through central Athens, the largest since the government announced sweeping wage cuts, tax rises and other tough economic measures last month in order to tackle the country's spiralling debt. Violence erupted as masked youths hurled firebombs and smashed store windows. Riot police retaliated by firing tear gas.
In some cases, the protesters' anger turned on the European Union, which - concerned about the impact of a collapsed economy on the eurozone - has been pushing Athens to take even tougher measures. A number of anti-EU banners were on display and at one demonstration in the capital strikers shouted: "Europe must change or it will sink".
Unions and ordinary workers are angry that they are being asked to bear the brunt of the economic pain, when - they argue - Greece's woes have been caused by poor government, corrupt officials and currency speculators.
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by Charles Smyth
12.03.2010
United Kingdom