Thousands march as Greece protests turn violent.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/24/3147273.htm


Thousands march as Greece protests turn violent

Updated 4 hours 43 minutes ago


A protester kicks away a tear gas canister during clashes with riot police in central Athens (AFP: Aris Messinis)

Greek police clashed with protesters in Athens as tens of thousands of workers, pensioners and students marched to parliament to protest against austerity policies aimed at helping the country cope with a huge debt crisis.

Riot police fired rounds of teargas and flash bombs at protesters hurling petrol bombs, choking the main Syntagma Square with smoke and sending crowds of striking protesters running for cover.

The 24-hour strike by public and private sector employees grounded flights, closed schools and paralysed public transport in the first nationwide walkout against cost cuts this year.

In the biggest march since riots in December 2008 brought the country to a standstill for weeks, Greeks marched through the streets of Athens chanting "We are not paying" and "No sacrifice for plutocracy". Police officially put the figure at 32,000, but eyewitnesses said it was around 100,000.

Riot police fired teargas in several places to disperse demonstrators hurling stones and plastic bottles. Shops boarded up their windows and central Athens hotels locked their doors.

Fifteen policemen and 10 civilians were injured, including one journalist slightly hurt by a petrol bomb, police officials said, while 26 protesters were detained.

Protesters broke up marble paving stones for rocks to throw at police, set garbage cans on fire and damaged bus stops.

Others unfolded a black banner reading "We are dying" in front of parliament.

"Enough is enough! All these tax hikes are killing our businesses and we have to fire people," said bar owner Costas Loras, 42.

Despite many strikes, the Socialist government cut pay and pensions and raised taxes last year in return for a 110 billion euro ($150 billion) bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund that saved Greece from bankruptcy.

Greece's international lenders approved a new 15 billion euro tranche of the aid this month, but set a tougher target for privatisation proceeds and called for more structural reforms.

Markets are watching for any derailment of Greece's fiscal efforts. Analysts say strikes are unlikely to shake the government, which has a comfortable majority in parliament.

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