Greece: Athens uprising anniversary demonstration descends into violence

 

Running battles between police and protesters marred a march to commemorate the date of a student uprising in the country in 1973, which saw 50,000 people take to the streets of Athens.

10:57PM GMT 17 Nov 2011

Left wing groups, unions and students marched in honour of the 38th anniversary of the uprising at the Athens Polytechnic University in 1973 against the dictatorship then ruling Greece, which saw many students die but which eventually helped lead to the fall of the military regime.

After beginning peacefully, Greek riot police fired tear gas against demonstrators taking part in the march in Athens and fought pitched battles with the protesters who used the anniversary to voice their anger over recently agreed austerity measures.

The trouble came just a day after a national unity government led by technocrat Lucas Papademos took office, charged with implementing the tax increases and public spending cuts designed to prevent Greece from crashing into default.

More than 50,000 people marched through the capital, banging drums and chanting "EU, IMF out" in a challenge to Mr Papademos's fractious coalition, which is made up of three parties.

Masked youths threw petrol bombs and stones at police, in what has become a familiar pattern of confrontation in the Greek capital over the past two years.

Unions claim that a wide-ranging package of cuts designed to cut the country's 370 billion euro debt, which amounts to 160 per cent of GDP, is sending Greece into a "death spiral".

Many Greeks say the new government lacks legitimacy because it was not elected. "This government is unconstitutional, we have not voted for it," said Vassilis Papadopoulos, 49, a bank employee. "It does not represent us."

Video: Greece: Athens uprising anniversary demonstration descends into violence - Telegraph