Live feed of riots happening now in Greece

[kytwell 179]

Video feed

[kytwell 179]

(Reuters) - Black-clad demonstrators hurled stones and fire bombs at police in front of the Greek parliament on Wednesday as tens of thousands rallied for a nationwide general strike to coincide with a vote on painful new austerity measures.

For the first time since the outbreak of the crisis two years ago, protesters pushed up to the steps of the parliament building itself, setting fire to a sentry box occupied by the ceremonial guards who stand watch over the main symbols of the Greek state.

Prime Minister George Papandreou, trailing badly in opinion polls, has appealed for support from Greeks before parliament votes on the latest measures which include tax hikes, wage cuts and public sector layoffs.

The mood was furious among demonstrators, fed up after repeated doses of austerity and increasingly hostile to both their own political leaders and international lenders demanding ever tougher measures to cut Greece's towering public debt.

"Who are they trying to fool? They won't save us. With these measures the poor become poorer and the rich richer. Well I say: 'No, thank you. I don't want your rescue'," said 50-year public sector worker Akis Papadopoulos.

The boom of tear gas canisters fired by police rang out, and black clouds of smoke from petrol bombs hung over Syntagma Square, scene of violent clashes between police and demonstrators at anti-austerity protests in June.

The clashes overshadowed the start of a 48-hour strike which shut down government departments, businesses and public services, as well as shops and bakeries. Flights were canceled.

Several injuries were reported, mainly from minor burns and cuts to the head. There were also serious clashes away from the scene of the main rally, which attracted more than 100,000 people, according to police estimates.

Inside parliament, there was a bitter tang of tear gas in the air as deputies debated the bill ahead of a vote later on Wednesday.

More than 7,000 police had been assigned to Athens to deal with anticipated trouble with hundreds in riot gear near parliament. They mostly stood their ground, without launching major charges on demonstrators.

Most of the violence appeared to be the work of a hard core group of younger demonstrators and as the violence continued, older members of the crowd moved away from the area directly in front of the parliament.

RECESSION

Wednesday's action comes as European Union leaders scramble to outline a new rescue package in time for a summit on Sunday that hopes to agree measures to protect the region's financial system from a potential Greek debt default.

"We are in an agonizing but necessary struggle to avoid the final and harshest point of the crisis," Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told parliament. "From now and until Sunday were are fighting the battle of all battles."

Trapped in the third year of deep recession and strangled by a public debt amounting to 162 percent of gross domestic product which few now believe can be paid back, Greece has sunk ever deeper into crisis.

Papandreou's narrow four-seat majority is expected to be enough to ensure the austerity bill goes through, especially given possible support from a smaller opposition group.

But his ruling Socialist party's discipline is increasingly strained with one deputy resigning his seat in protest and at least two others threatening to vote against part of the package dealing with collective wage bargaining agreements.

After repeated rounds of austerity measures, protesters said new cuts would only drive the country deeper into the ground. Unions urged deputies not to pass the law.

"If they have any humanity, decency, sense of pride and Greek soul left, they must reject the bill," Nikos Kioutsoukis, a top official in private sector union GSEE which is leading the strike with its public sector counterpart ADEDY.

"DEBT MONSTER"

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Dimitris Reppas, minister for Administrative Reform, reflected the increasing sense of isolation among many in the ruling party, complaining he felt as though he had been thrown to the lions.

"In government, we often feel like ... we are in the Colosseum, fighting the debt monster while everybody else is just sitting in the stands, watching and commenting," he said.

A first vote takes place late on Wednesday on the overall bill, which mixes deep cuts to public sector pay and pensions, tax hikes, a suspension of sectoral pay accords and an end to the constitutional taboo against laying off civil servants.

A second vote on specific articles is expected some time on Thursday and only after that the bill becomes law.

International lenders, who are providing the funds Athens needs to stay afloat after it was shut out of bond markets last year, have expressed impatience at the slow pace of reform as Greece has slipped behind on its budget targets.

There has been growing talk that Athens should be placed under tighter supervision by EU authorities to ensure it meets its reform obligations.

(Additional reporting by Renee Maltezou, Harry Papachristou and John Kolesidis; Writing by James Mackenzie)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/19/us-greece-idUSTRE79H1FI20111019

[^_^ 5,021]

woot, riots! riots are awesome except when they happen here. when they happen here its like ####### is wrong with you, poor people? get a job!!!

[mawilson 2,133]

Take a good look at the future that awaits us if we head down the path of European-style socialism and wealth redistribution via state welfare and taxation.

[Ban Hammer 13,746]

woot, riots! riots are awesome except when they happen here. when they happen here its like ####### is wrong with you, poor people? get a job!!!

better stock up on ammo, hippie.

[kytwell 179]

My link

More today, click this one then hit live in top left corner. There protesters are prepared today wearing gas masks or motorcycle helmets.

[sly_wolf 199]

Take a good look at the future that awaits us if we head down the path of European-style socialism and wealth redistribution via state welfare and taxation.

Yes, wealth redistribution has been going on in the US for quite a while too. The accompishments of all the politicians who have become corrupted.

[slim 1,533]

better stock up on ammo, hippie.

Aim Surplus is about the best you can do.

There protesters are prepared today wearing gas masks or motorcycle helmets.

I'm planning on one upping them with Kevlar!

[scandal 951]

Greece needs to suck it up and take one for the team.

It sucks to be Greek right now but if they unravel, Europe unravels and that affects us. Unacceptable.

They can riot all they want but it's time for them to take the bitter medicine so the rest of us don't have to.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Europe is full of advanced White Christian people who are smarter than other kinds of people and model rationality and innovation for the rest of the world. I'm sure they'll figure things out soon. If not, Pat and Danno will drop by and save their a$$es

[dalegg 143]

It sucks to be Greek right now but if they unravel, Europe unravels and that affects us. Unacceptable.

They probably weren't too happy when we unraveled and it affected them.

[scandal 951]

They probably weren't too happy when we unraveled and it affected them.

That's not my problem. That's their problem. Besides, they're living way beyond their means and totally irresponsibly. We don't do that here.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Europe is full of advanced White Christian people who are smarter than other kinds of people and model rationality and innovation for the rest of the world. I'm sure they'll figure things out soon. If not, Pat and Danno will drop by and save their a$es

Did I miss the part where it was explained why the admins think this kind of racist drivel is ok?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Did I miss the part where it was explained why the admins think this kind of racist drivel is ok?

I think you missed the joke You should come by more often, eh?

[Dan and Judy 614]

Greece needs a good war