- Title: GREECE: Left wing party supporters hold rally against government in Athens
- Date: 18th December 2008
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (DECEMBER 17 2008) (REUTERS) ++NIGHT SHOTS++ VARIOUS OVERHEAD VIEWS OF THOUSANDS OF LEFTIST SUPPORTERS MARCHING TOWARDS PARLIAMENT PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH ANTI-GOVERNMENT BANNERS POLICE OFFICER ON MOTORCYCLE IN FRONT OF MARCH WITH A POSTER ANNOUNCING THE MARCH IN FOREGROUND MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND SHOUTING VARIOUS OVERHEAD VIEW OF LEFTIST MARCH PROTESTERS WITH BANNER READING: (Greek) "NO MORE BURDENS ON THE BACKS OF WORKERS, LET THE PLUTOCRATS PAY FOR THE CRISIS" MORE OF MARCH MAN LEADING MARCH WITH MEGA PHONE IN FRONT OF BANNER READING: (Greek) "MASSIVE BATTLE AGAINST MONOPOLIES AND IMPERIALISTS" MORE OF MARCHERS SOUNDBITE (English) WORKERS UNION MEMBER NIKOS PAPAGEORGE, SAYING: "This government like all the other governments in the past they did things a lot of things against the workers. First of all, we have no more rights, no more stable work. This is the most important thing, of course, we don't have a salary that can cover our modern needs." SOUNDBITE (Greek) FEMALE LEFTIST MEMBER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING: "We are protesting, years of terrorism in Greek society by New Democracy (party) by Pasok (party) and the rest of them." SOUNDBITE (Greek) YOUNG MALE LEFTIST PROTESTER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING: "I came here because my job and the conditions that I work under are from the middle ages." OVERHEAD VIEW OF PROTESTERS HEADING TO PARLIAMENT PROTESTERS GATHERING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH PARLIAMENT IN THE BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABJ9WVHY52X7JTT2ES01U2HKQQ
- Story Text: Leftist party supporters marched on Parliament on Wednesday (Dec 17) evening as the government began debate on the 2009 budget which foresees further austerity measures for Greeks.
Thousands of protesters marched carrying banners reading "not one job lost" and "no more burdens on the backs of workers, let the plutocrats pay for the crisis" as the marchers shouted, "citizens forward, don't bow your heads".
"This government like all the other governments in the past they did things a lot of things against the workers. First of all, we have no more rights, no more stable work. This is the most important thing, of course, we don't have a salary that can cover our modern needs," said Nikos Papageorge, a member of the protest march.
The march comes as public unrest has rocked the country for a second week over the police killing of a teenage boy.
The killing has brought to the surface public outrage over government economic reforms, as the conservative government seeks to reduce the budget deficit at a time of an encroaching global economic downturn.
"We are protesting, years of terrorism in Greek society by New Democracy (party) by Pasok (party) and the rest of them," one female member of the march said.
Public opinion polls have showed the riots that erupted from the killing of the 15-year-old student, Alex Grigoropoulos, by a policeman during a confrontation on an Athens street has turned into a social uprising by the public, angry over high unemployment, low wages, government scandals and measures to impose new taxes when unions say thousands of jobs will be lost in 2009.
"I came here because my job and the conditions that I work under are from the middle ages," a young male said.
A nation-wide work stoppage and protest is planned for Thursday (December 18) over the state of the economy and the killing of Grigoropoulos. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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