Fiery Riots Erupt in Greece Over New Tax Hikes, Pension Cuts
- Posted on October 19, 2011 at 2:03pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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A fire bomb explodes next to riot police during clashes outside the Greek Parliament on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)
ATHENS, Greece (The Blaze/AP) — Hundreds of youths smashed and looted stores in central Athens and clashed with riot police during a massive anti-government rally against painful new austerity measures that won initial parliamentary approval in a vote Wednesay night.
The rioting came on the first day of a 48-hour nationwide general strike that brought services in much of Greece to a standstill, grounding flights for hours, leaving ferries tied up in port and shutting down customs offices, stores and banks.
More than 100,000 people took to the streets of the Greek capital to demonstrate against the austerity bill, which includes new tax hikes, further pension and salary cuts, the suspension on reduced pay of 30,000 public servants and the suspension of collective labor contracts.
Creditors have demanded the measures before they give Greece more funds from a euro110 billion ($152.11 billion) package of bailout loans from other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund. Greece says it will run out of money in mid-November without the euro8 billion ($11 billion) installment.
But Greek citizens said they already are reeling from more than one-and-a-half years of austerity measures.
“We just can’t take it any more. There is desperation, anger and bitterness,” said Nikos Anastasopoulos, head of a workers’ union for an Athens municipality, as he joined the demonstration early in the day.
The bill won initial approval in the 300-member Parliament late Wednesday, with 154 deputies voting in favor on principle and 141 against. A second vote, on the bill’s articles, is due Thursday. Only after that procedure will the bill have passed. A communist party-backed union has vowed to encircle Parliament Thursday in an attempt to prevent deputies from entering the building for the procedure.
The new measures have even prompted some lawmakers from the governing Socialists to threaten not vote for at least some of the articles in the bill. But Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos insisted there was no choice but to accept the hardship.
“We have to explain to all these indignant people who see their lives changing that what the country is experiencing is not the worst stage of the crisis,” he said in Parliament. “It is an anguished and necessary effort to avoid the ultimate, deepest and harshest level of the crisis. The difference between a difficult situation and a catastrophe is immense.”
Hours before Wednesday’s vote, one of Athens’ largest demonstrations in years degenerated into violence as masked and hooded youths pelted riot police outside Parliament with gasoline bombs and chunks of marble smashed from buildings, metro stops and sidewalks.
Police responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Authorities said 50 police were injured in the clashes, along with at least three demonstrators, while 33 people were detained for questioning or arrested for alleged involvement in the rioting. At least three journalists covering the riots were also slightly hurt.
Long after Wednesday’s demonstration was over, violence continued, with police fighting running street battles with youths setting up burning barricades along the back streets near Athens’ main Syntagma Square and near the tourist area of Monastiraki.
Thick black smoke billowed from burning trash and bus-stops, and debris lay strewn along the capital’s broad avenues. A hurled gasoline bomb set fire to a sentry post used by the ceremonial presidential guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside Parliament.
In Greece’s second city of Thessaloniki, protesters smashed the facades of about 10 shops that defied the strike and remained open, as well as five banks and cash machines. Police fired tear gas and threw stun grenades.
The general strike is set to continue Thursday, with all sectors – from dentists, hospital doctors and lawyers to tax office workers, taxi drivers, prison guards, teachers and dock workers – staying off the job.
Air traffic controllers scaled back their strike from 48 hours to 12, allowing flights to take off and land after noon on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, European countries are trying to work out a broad solution to the continent’s deepening debt crisis, before a weekend summit in Brussels. It became clear earlier this year that the initial bailout for Greece was not working as well as had been hoped, and European leaders agreed on a second, euro109 billion ($151 billion) bailout. But key details of that rescue fund, including the participation of the private sector, remain to be worked out.
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Comments (42)
dirtydog1776
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 8:42amGreece has contributed much to Western Civilization over thousands of years, now they have turned into whiny little mooches, always looking for a handout. Hey, that kind of sounds like American over the last 250 years.
Report Post »buc99
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 8:31am“The lessons of history … show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit.”Who said it….. Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his 1935 State of the Union address
Report Post »jihadazzkicker
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 8:01amWaaa waaa I am owed a job, I am owed a vacation, I am owed EVERYTHING … the twisted liberal mind of a cray progressive. It’s coming folks, make no mistake they will not take, “ we have NO money” They are idiots who think only about themselves.
Report Post »markthespark
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 7:36amAh, the inevitable results of socialism and the OWS fools are falling for the sales pitch of utopia when all is made equal and the government takes care of you, cradle to soylet green.
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 7:06amOWS protests will soon look like this. Good job Obama! Is this what you call “Hope & Change”?
Report Post »tarbush
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 5:23amComing to an occupy occupation near you.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 7:02amit is unfortunate that the people of greece think that you can get paid for producing nothing. they have been spending other peoples money for so long they forget where wealth comes from. the u.s. is going to have the same problems. the u.s. is at a tipping point. there are far too many people being paid by taxpayer dollars and borrowed dollars, it can’t go on much longer.
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 10:58pmIf you think things are bad in Greece now, just wait until Thursday when the government votes to implement more stringent austerity measures! Boy, what happened to the images of those virile athletes on Greek URNS? They all look like a bunch of spoiled whiny children!
Report Post »lucyloo
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 11:40amthe Greeks spending other peoples money?……what about the US….us!….we’re worse….we make the Greeks look like pikers….
Report Post »EFFINSICKOFIT
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 9:55pmHere is where we are headed…..it is frustrating that people do not understand this.
Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813), a Scottish-born British lawyer once wrote:
Report Post »“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.”
Chutz
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 8:19pmFunny when socialism fails this is what you get. Entitlements bankrupt the countries, economically and morally.
Report Post »RabbiDRJerkins
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:57pmPreview of coming attractions for the US. The left may talk a great deal about peace and tolerance, but somehow they always seem to forget when they do not get what they want…
Report Post »OklahomaBound
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:53pmYou see that picture of the fire bomb going off right next to the police near the top of the page? As far as I’m concerned that is attempted murder, it is certainly assault on a police officer. These cops need to put down the night sticks and pick up their guns and start shooting. Any person arrested in these protests needs to have their name checked against the countries pension lists and if they are found on the list they need to have their pension, which none of them earn anyway, taken away. If that doesn’t put an end to this BS then go back to Plan-A, start shooting.
Report Post »FaithfulFriend
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:48pmWhy doesn’t Zeus just fix this for them with a lighting bolt or something?
Report Post »betsp
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:34pmMaybe Greece needs to run out of money. More bailouts accomplish nothing. Young people have been handed a big fat check, but they’ve enjoyed the ride and demanded the perks. Now, it’s time to pay the bill. Wisconsin is battling against the union bosses right now. They want their hands in the government cookie jar and get ugly when voters say no. It is time to stop paying off the takers, now.
Report Post »aftos11
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:52pmJust another example of failed big Government policies. Another failed socialist experiment. I hope these animals act up in Chicago during G8. I cant wait to watch CPD beat down some leech anarchist, communist, and idiots that still live in their parents basement.
Report Post »king jack rabbit
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 6:34amamen
Report Post »Ordie69
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:52pmI can’t help but think this is in our future. I feel sorry for the poor sap that tries to harm my family or take my property that was earned through my hard work. I will give them a personal lesson on the 2nd Amendment.
Report Post »FANGS
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:38pmMarshal Law, Are You Kidding? That declaration would only confirm one thing . The start of America’s Revolution. Why is everyone so petrified of Marshal law? that would only mean that Democrats jump to the top of our lists. It’s inevidable America must wipe out, Terminate all socialist entities. You all know who they are.The Federal Government is so out of Control, America has No laws left. Every law in existance has been broken by Democrats, even Murder. So, exactally what laws should Republicans follow, NONE. America No longer has any laws, And none of us plan on following any. Including shooting someone.
Report Post »jlong522
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:01pmConsidering the protesters in Greece and New York have the same mind set (it is mine and if you don’t give it to me I will take it) It is only a matter of time, and I fear it will be very little time before this starts in America. I pray for all those who live, work or own a business in New York. I pray that people will wake up and stand for God and country. The only answer to out situation is faith in God and believing in the princibles set forth by God.
God be with us all.
Report Post »smallstuff7
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:58pmWe need undercover operatives to infiltrate OWS and assist the NYPD.
Report Post »Khthulhu
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:45pmI agree with POPP40. I think that‘s the whole idea and why he doesn’t condemn it or at least try to get a handle on it. Wall Street is the deep breath before the plunge into darkness, I fear. Once he declares martial law he can disband congress, disallow the constitution, anything he wants. Then he’s officially a dictator. He has to disarm us first. That was the purpose of Fast and Furious, I think. To grow misinformation and disfavor about our 2nd amendment rights, disarm America, and once that’s done, the take down is easy.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 8:38pmI think if he does any of this, the 2nd amendment will cure it from 1500 yards.
Report Post »DTOM_Jericho (Creator vindicator)
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 2:52amIt actually needs to come to some martial law bs. The founders were quite clear what it takes from time to time for the preservation of liberty. This country is still asleep. People actually still want to vote for Herman Cain the fed reserve chairman. That’s like voting for Hjalmar Schach to replace Hitler.
Report Post »codersmurf
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:42pmGreece needs to just declare bankruptcy already. Why should the Greeks pay in austerity and higher taxes to pay off bondholders and banks. The banks and bondholders are the ones who gambled, they need to take the hit. I don’t condone the riots at all, but their government and the EU are completely clueless. The EU experiment is a complete failure and the longer they try to hold it together the more suffering, riots, and utter chaos that will be seen coming out of Europe.
Report Post »PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 10:34pm@CODERSMURF. Please understand that this is not personal,In this case you are off base.This is not a Banker- Bondholder issue. Please read AVENGERKS post . He brought out a lot of valid and true points. So I will just add a few and save a lot of time. # 1. The problem is simple Greeks just plain ran out of money. # 2 They are all responsible,every one of them, the rich the poor, everyone. # 3. I believe the Greeks can retire at 52. # 4 Free education. # 5 Free health care. # 5 30 days minimum vacation days # 6 .Free expances paid trips to foreign clinics for rehab and relexation. Guarented government job for life.WTF, all this in a country that basicly produces nothing . Its 90+% dependent on Tourist trade. This is not only relevent to Greece but to all of Europe. I believe that Germany is a little diferent in some of the entitlements. You must understand that the fu–en Unions control Europe. All of the poititians are nothing but political whores that promise everything to the fu-en Unions so that they can get elected. These morons (the people) have been so conditioned to this life style that they just can’t understand the fact that there is no more money.I know , I was born there.(Poland).The bail out will not work The PIS are next to go belly up. The problem for us the USA is that the F—en Tax Cheat Geitner and BERNENKE are going to send billions ot your /my money to help. God help us all
Report Post »shogun459
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:39pmhmm.
Greece is the word, testbed.
What was the date the Protests started there? How long between that date and the first Molotov?
When did OWS start?
Look at your future America, according to the OWS websites.
Report Post »WAKE UP and smell the bacon, it’s burning!
Bowmaster
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:33pmMake a law that anyone wearing a mask during a protest will be shot.
Report Post »Why give these people the cloak of invisibility if they are getting violent?
When the .0015% in the OWS protests turn violent, they should get the same treatment.
99%… what a joke!
hidden_lion
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:24pmMaybe they could save some money by not destroying stuff? To bad there are no patriotic greeks
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:48pmUnfortunately Greece’s communist party KKE is very vocal and influencial there, it was never fully defeated after the war. The country is center left anyway so it doesn’t take much to tip it over towards the left. Cradle-to-the-grave entitlements, a recent amendment to their constitution affords a government job for life to whoever has one. The government is corrupt and the population abuses the system…a system Obama wants to emulate. It’s not unusual for a Greek to be getting four pensions. Greece’s debt is over 150% of it’s GDP. And what does Greece produce? A little agriculture, a little shipping, it’s biggest industry is tourism. The EU aristocrats are two steps behind the problem there. They keep pumping money into Greece and Greece keeps guzzling it up. Greece should go back to the drachma, pull out of the EU but likely then it will join with a Russian union along with countries like Serbia and Romania because they share the christian orthodox culture and Russia is seen as a bullwark against the encroachment of Islam (another unfortunate product of the open border, EU policy). Greece has seen a rise in violent crime and illicit drugs since allowing an influx of muslims into the country. A country unable to keep it’s own people afloat forced to take on hundreds of thousands of Muslims depending on the government. The EU is a failure, Greece will default and Italy and Spain will follow. The EU aristocrats are simply delaying the inevitable.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 8:41pmIt is pretty bad when Russia becomes the safe haven from Islam. The world has truly gone crazy.
Report Post »wellhangingchad
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:18pmGet ready NYC! It’s coming your way.
Report Post »Will4Freedom
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 7:56amI‘d like to say it won’t get that bad here because we still have over 50% of the population that works for a living and gets minimal Government support.
But right now Obama is in charge of the country and Bloomberg is in charge of New York. Both support the OWS gang. So I would not put it past them to arrest anyone DEFENDING their property from the OWS mob. When that happens, all is lost.
Report Post »((GB)) FAN
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:18pmwhats going to happen when it starts here?
Report Post »Steelheader
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:23pmThere are gonna be a bunch of dead liberals laying in the street. Americans don’t put up with that BS!
Report Post »Popp40
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:24pmObama will declare a “National State of Emergency” aka “Marshall Law” where he legally can throw out the Constitution and will stay in power for good. People need to wake up and see how serious this is.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:29pmWhat do you think? Shop owners will shoot protestors who try to destroy their property, and citizens will side with the shop owners.
Hopefully, many of us will be there standing in solidarity with those who own businesses, helping to protect civilization from the barbarians so many liberal twits have raised.
Report Post »762x51
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:37pmSteelheader -a bunch will not be enough. Like the Islamic infestation you must kill all of the infection in order to be rid of the disease. No oozing puss pockets of liberalism can be left to fester into another outbreak. Both Islam and Progressives are trying to annihilate America and one good war of annihilation(or two in this case) deserves another.
If you are taken back by this statement remember, WE did not start this in either case, they did.
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