GREECE: Hooded youths clash with police, throwing petrol bombs, setting a tent on fire in a main square disrupting workers protest

Record ID: 340895

  • Title: GREECE: Hooded youths clash with police, throwing petrol bombs, setting a tent on fire in a main square disrupting workers protest
  • Date: 27th September 2012
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 26, 2012) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS MARCHING IN FRONT OF THE PARLIAMENT PROTESTER THROWING ROCKS AT POLICE PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF DESTROYED KIOSK PROTESTERS THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAIL (PETROL BOMB) AT RIOT POLICE/ POLICE CHARGING MOLOTOV GOING OFF IN FRONT FO RIOT POLICE MOLOTOV GOING OFF AT FEET OF POLICE VARIOUS OF MOLOTOV COCKTAILS FLYING AND
  • Embargoed: 12th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEI7TFL28FRWWOYSEIKXOKQGIO
  • Story Text: Groups of hooded youths threw petrol bombs at police officers during an otherwise peaceful workers protest march in Athens on Wednesday (September 26).
    The protesters also set fire to a kiosk in the central square in front of the parliament and in front of the finance ministry.
    Greek workers had marched onto the parliament in Athens calling on the government to halt its plan to cut more jobs and salaries as part of austerity measures. Police put their numbers at 60,000.
    Most of the protesters marched on the side of the parliament, avoiding the clashes but some got caught by flying Molotov cocktails that landed in their midst.
    The majority of the country's unions are taking part in the first general 24 hour strike since Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his coalition government took office in June.
    ADEDY and GSEE, Greece's two biggest unions representing 2.5 million workers, called the strike that has grounded flights, disrupted local transport and shut public service offices.
    The government said on Wednesday it had finished drafting the austerity cuts worth 11.5 billion euros to appease international lenders. This will move Athens a step forward in concluding lengthy negotiations on the package.
    Athens' initial proposals for the cuts were partially rejected earlier this month by the troika of European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund lenders, forcing the government back to the drawing board.
    Samaras and his finance minister agreed on the latest list of measures at a late-night meeting Tuesday, and will now seek the blessing of coalition party leaders and troika officials, government officials said.
    Greece has asked for an extra two years to spread the austerity pain more thinly and European leaders appear to agree. The finance minister, told Reuters on Tuesday such an extension would cost an additional 13-15 billion euros, which could be covered without further pain for European taxpayers.
    The general strike on Wednesday is a major test for the Samaras coalition government. Violent demonstrations during previous rallies against past austerity measures contributed to the fall of a Socialist government which negotiated Greece's first bailout in May 2010.
    About 3,000 police were deployed to protect the city from rioters.
    Much of the union anger is directed at spending cuts that are expected to come from slashing wages, pensions and welfare benefits, heaping a new wave of misery on Greeks who say repeated rounds of austerity have pushed them to the brink and failed to transform the country for the better.
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