Greeks clash on second strike day
October 21, 2011, Friday
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TENS of thousands of Greek protesters rallied in Athens yesterday in a general strike marked by clashes between rival groups demonstrating ahead of a vote in parliament on a painful new round of austerity measures.
The rally, which drew some 70,000 people, was interrupted by fighting between groups of black-clad youths and rivals from PAME, a communist-affiliated labor group traditionally opposed to disruptive violence at demonstrations.
Police initially stood by but eventually confronted rioters, firing teargas at groups of protesters throwing stones and masonry chipped from buildings. At least 16 people were taken to hospital with injuries.
The clashes in front of parliament followed violence on Wednesday when groups of youths fought police at the start of the 48-hour general strike against the package of cuts and tax rises demanded by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Deputies were expected to pass the plan later yesterday after the bill secured a first vote on Wednesday.
As Prime Minister George Papandreou prepared to fly to Brussels, where a meeting of European leaders on Sunday will try to agree measures to stem the debt crisis, ministers made a final plea to pass the bill and prove Greece's credibility.
"You have to approve the law, with all its clauses," Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told lawmakers. "This is not a game. If anybody thinks they can test how much wiggle-room we have, they are mistaken."
Outside parliament, volunteer first aid workers treated a number of injured, some with cuts to the head, while occasional bangs from smoke and flash bombs rang out.
Health ministry officials said one man died of a heart attack on the fringes of the rally.
The head of the Greek Communist Party, Aleka Papariga condemned the violence, which she said had been deliberately provoked by groups of "hood-wearers."
She said: "This was a pre-meditated attack," adding that rioters served the interests of what she termed "specific mechanisms."
She went on: "No matter what happens, we are not leaving. There is no other way out. People have to take the situation into their own hands."
One rebel deputy was still holding out but two others bowed to pressure from majority party leaders who said agreement was needed to persuade lenders to release badly needed new funds.
The bill was expected to pass with the government's majority of 154 seats in the 300-member parliament.
"I will vote in favour, but this is the last time - I am struggling with my conscience," said Vasso Papandreou, a member of the majority party. "Enough is enough, society is despairing, the country is collapsing," she said to applause from colleagues.
The rally, which drew some 70,000 people, was interrupted by fighting between groups of black-clad youths and rivals from PAME, a communist-affiliated labor group traditionally opposed to disruptive violence at demonstrations.
Police initially stood by but eventually confronted rioters, firing teargas at groups of protesters throwing stones and masonry chipped from buildings. At least 16 people were taken to hospital with injuries.
The clashes in front of parliament followed violence on Wednesday when groups of youths fought police at the start of the 48-hour general strike against the package of cuts and tax rises demanded by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Deputies were expected to pass the plan later yesterday after the bill secured a first vote on Wednesday.
As Prime Minister George Papandreou prepared to fly to Brussels, where a meeting of European leaders on Sunday will try to agree measures to stem the debt crisis, ministers made a final plea to pass the bill and prove Greece's credibility.
"You have to approve the law, with all its clauses," Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told lawmakers. "This is not a game. If anybody thinks they can test how much wiggle-room we have, they are mistaken."
Outside parliament, volunteer first aid workers treated a number of injured, some with cuts to the head, while occasional bangs from smoke and flash bombs rang out.
Health ministry officials said one man died of a heart attack on the fringes of the rally.
The head of the Greek Communist Party, Aleka Papariga condemned the violence, which she said had been deliberately provoked by groups of "hood-wearers."
She said: "This was a pre-meditated attack," adding that rioters served the interests of what she termed "specific mechanisms."
She went on: "No matter what happens, we are not leaving. There is no other way out. People have to take the situation into their own hands."
One rebel deputy was still holding out but two others bowed to pressure from majority party leaders who said agreement was needed to persuade lenders to release badly needed new funds.
The bill was expected to pass with the government's majority of 154 seats in the 300-member parliament.
"I will vote in favour, but this is the last time - I am struggling with my conscience," said Vasso Papandreou, a member of the majority party. "Enough is enough, society is despairing, the country is collapsing," she said to applause from colleagues.
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