[guide.chat] greece protesters today

From: "vanessa" <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:53:28 -0000
Riot police in Athens fired tear gas against masked youths during a march by 
tens of thousands of Greeks protesting austerity measures demanded by the new 
unity government, as similar protests hit Italy and Spain.
Police said 27,000 people in Athens and 15,000 in the second city of 
Thessalonika joined demonstrations marking a 1973 student uprising seen as a 
key moment in the restoration of democracy in Greece nearly four decades ago.
"We will throw all of them out," promised a banner held aloft by students in 
the capital while another carried by anarchists read: "In the face of tyranny, 
one must choose between chains and arms."
The march, the first test of the scale of public defiance against the coalition 
set up to deal with Greek's crippling debt crisis, was a sombre, largely 
peaceful affair although violence flared briefly during the afternoon.
A group of protesters threw stones and two firebombs at police outside 
parliament, while a dozen masked youths set two large dustbins alight near the 
US embassy, said police, who had deployed 7,000 officers in anticipation of 
trouble.
Riot officers wearing body armour and wielding batons and shields responded 
with tear gas, protecting themselves with gas masks as the crowds ran away.
A police source said 11 people were arrested and four police officers hurt.
An empty guard box outside European Union offices was also set on fire during 
the demonstration, which dwarfed the 20,000 who gathered in Athens last year.
Thousands of students took to the streets in Italian cities ahead of a speech 
by Prime Minister Mario Monti who laid out radical economic reforms aimed at 
cutting Rome's huge debt mountain, boosting growth and preventing Italy from 
dragging down the eurozone.
In Milan they threw flares at riot police during protests against a 
technocratic government they fear will act in favour of fat cats and bankers.
Meanwhile, thousands of students and teachers marched in Madrid and Barcelona 
to protest public spending cuts that are set to deepen under the conservative 
party expected to win Sunday's general election.
Greece is slogging through a third year of recession exacerbated by wage cuts 
and tax hikes imposed by the previous socialist government of George Papandreou.
The measures are set to continue under the coalition set up last week under 
former European Central Bank deputy chief Lucas Papademos, as he seeks to 
implement reforms demanded by EU and International Monetary Fund creditors in 
exchange for a 130-billion-euro bailout.
"We have no money, no jobs, no future," said Sotiris Kirbas, a 52-year-old 
unemployed man on the protest in Athens. "The crisis is not only about numbers, 
it's about people."
The annual march of November 17 commemorates a student uprising at the Athens 
Polytechnic in 1973 which was violently repressed. At least 44 people died but 
it helped topple a US-backed army dictatorship and brought back the republic.
The bloodstained Greek flag that flew over the university that night is carried 
at the head of the demonstration each year.
Papademos said the anniversary was "an opportunity to emphasise that with 
determination and unity, we can achieve our national goals to resolve the 
crisis and guarantee the country's return to growth and jobs".
But the inclusion of far-right politicians in his cabinet, the first time they 
have been in power since democracy was restored in 1974, added to the outrage 
of the protesters.
"Down with the government of socialists, conservatives and fascists," a 
protester banner said.
Other demonstrators condemned the appointment of an unelected prime minister at 
the demand of EU leaders.
"We have a government that did not emerge from elections, nobody asked us. What 
is this, if not a junta?" asked Marita, a 23-year-old civil engineering student.
The socialist, conservative and far-right nationalist parties formed a 
coalition last week to save Greece from looming bankruptcy, and they must now 
approve a crucial eurozone debt bailout before holding early elections.
In rare good news, holders of Greek sovereign debt said Thursday they hope to 
reach a deal "within weeks" on the planned reduction in the value of their 
holdings, which is expected to see about 100 billion euros of debt cancelled.
The new Greek government was officially confirmed in parliament on Wednesday, 
with 255 out of 300 lawmakers showing their support in a vote of confidence.
But Greece's third largest party, the Communists, and the smaller leftist 
Syriza party have pledged to fight to bring down the government to prevent 
further belt-tightening after two years of austerity.


from
Vanessa The Google Girl.
my skype name is rainbowstar123
[guide.chat] greece protesters today

Other related posts:
