Three people died in central Athens bank that was set ablaze Greek protesters in on Wednesday during a protest march against government austerity measures, the fire brigade said.
At least two buildings were on fire, while hundreds of people were involved in the clashes.
Masked youths threw Molotov cocktails at police and buildings, and shouted âMurderersâ and âBurn the parliament," as the public anger overflowed at the governmentâs plans for painful wage and pension cutbacks.
The demonstrations in Athens were some of the largest in recent years, with some estimates putting the crowd at about 100,000 people. Government officials put the number at above 25,000. Violence also broke out in the northern city of Thessaloniki, where another 20,000 people marched through the city centre, with youths smashing windows of stores and fast food restaurants.
The marches came amid a 24-hour nationwide general strike that grounded all flights to and from Greece, shut down ports, schools and government services and left hospitals working with emergency medical staff. The Acropolis and all other ancient sites were closed, while journalists also walked off the job, suspending television and radio news broadcasts.
Prime Minister George Papandreou on Sunday announced draconian austerity measures, including cuts in salaries and pensions for civil servants, and another round of consumer tax increases, to pull his heavily indebted country away from the brink of default.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...-protesters-clash-with-police/article1557222/
At least two buildings were on fire, while hundreds of people were involved in the clashes.
Masked youths threw Molotov cocktails at police and buildings, and shouted âMurderersâ and âBurn the parliament," as the public anger overflowed at the governmentâs plans for painful wage and pension cutbacks.
The demonstrations in Athens were some of the largest in recent years, with some estimates putting the crowd at about 100,000 people. Government officials put the number at above 25,000. Violence also broke out in the northern city of Thessaloniki, where another 20,000 people marched through the city centre, with youths smashing windows of stores and fast food restaurants.
The marches came amid a 24-hour nationwide general strike that grounded all flights to and from Greece, shut down ports, schools and government services and left hospitals working with emergency medical staff. The Acropolis and all other ancient sites were closed, while journalists also walked off the job, suspending television and radio news broadcasts.
Prime Minister George Papandreou on Sunday announced draconian austerity measures, including cuts in salaries and pensions for civil servants, and another round of consumer tax increases, to pull his heavily indebted country away from the brink of default.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...-protesters-clash-with-police/article1557222/
