GREECE: Greek Banks call strike over riot deaths; workers and public flock to site to pay respects

Record ID: 339227

  • Title: GREECE: Greek Banks call strike over riot deaths; workers and public flock to site to pay respects
  • Date: 7th May 2010
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MAY 6, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FLOWERS LAID OUTSIDE BURNED OUT BANK CRYING WOMEN COMFORTING EACH-OTHER BOUQUET OF FLOWERS LAID OUTSIDE BANK VARIOUS OF STRIKING BANK WORKERS OUTSIDE BANK WOMAN CRYING VARIOUS OF BANK WORKERS AND PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE BANK ANOTHER WOMAN CRYING VARIOUS OF BANK WORKERS AND PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE BANK FLOWERS LAID
  • Embargoed: 22nd May 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABG12VYM6H2OIZBE5GATKOYU4F
  • Story Text: Greek bank employees called a 24-hour strike on Thursday (May 6), a day after three were killed during anti-austerity unrest in a bank in the Greek capital.
    Protesters -- denouncing the government's latest economic reforms -- threw molotov cocktails at a Marfin bank branch in Athens on Wednesday (May 5), killing three employees who were trapped inside the building, including one pregnant woman.
    The morning after violence engulfed the centre of Athens, dozens of bank's employees, colleagues of the victims -- gathered outside what remained of the charred building. Some laid flowers, while others wiped tears from their faces and comforted each other, mourning their loss.
    Hundreds of Athens residents flocked to the site to also pay their respects. One Athens resident -- angered by the violence that ensued the rallies -- said that those responsible for the deaths are unconcerned over the tragedy.
    "Everybody who knows anything about anarchists or leftists knows what type of people they are. They are the very people -- who after throwing the petrol bombs -- were then standing outside the bank saying "they deserve it." Then I'm sure they went to their comfortable homes to sleep. That's the kind of people they are. These people don't even work. They didn't even check to see if there were employees inside the bank, and nor did they care," said Yannis.
    Anarchist groups usually instigate the violence during street protests, and attack shops, businesses and police with molotov cocktails. The phenomenon has been taking place for several years but few are arrested. Their constant rampages and vandalism angers many Athens residents who see properties being destroyed.
    "It is impossible that they don't know who these people are. We must be really stupid to say we don't know who this group of people were. They've been around for so many years. Can't they catch them?" said resident Vangellis.
    Another Greek said: "The bank managers are at fault, who made people work on the day, who couldn't go to the strikes. The government is also at fault, which drove 300,000 angry people to take to the streets of Athens and partake in a war scenario full of tear gas. It was inevitable that this was going to happen."
    The strike on Thursday was called by workers belonging to the Bank Employees Union of Greece, following the worst violence the country has seen since riots in 2008.
    The deaths of the two women and one man -- aged between 30 and 40 years old -- came as tens of thousands rallied through the streets of Athens on Wednesday to protest reforms imposed to release a multi-billion euro rescue package for the debt-laden country.
    Hundreds of black-hooded anarchists roamed the streets, smashing store windows and hacking chunks of marble off buildings to throw at police. Although they were behind the worst of the violence, other protesters joined them.
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