Fury brings protesters to streets

Protesters faced police outside parliament

By Sarah Rainsford
BBC News, Athens

The march began peacefully mid-morning, as thousands of trades unionists gathered in the centre of Athens.

Teachers, dock workers and hospital staff were joined by crowds of students, angry at the economic policies of their government.

Several key unions have called a general strike, grounding many flights, disrupting business and public transport.

Their members turned out on the streets instead of at work, many carrying banners.

"This crisis is making the rich richer," one read.

Another proclaimed: "Not even one euro for the workers hit by economic crisis!"

'Worse and worse'

"There comes a moment when you just can't take it any more and you have to act," one high school teacher told the BBC.

"I think all Greek people think the same. Things are just getting worse and worse here."

Chanting slogans and banging drums, the crowd processed towards Constitution Square and parliament.

Shop fronts and banks were smashed during the riots

It passed smashed shop fronts, burned out banks and glass bus shelters shattered in four nights of running riots.

The government had asked the unions to call off their rally, for security reasons.

"They did that so they could push through their reforms, with no protest," one union leader fumed. They refused to cancel.

"This rally is not only for us, it's for our children. We want to be sure they don't have the same problems as we do."

Protesters complained at the conservative governing party's pension reforms, at poor pay and the lack of job security.

Students are angry at reforms in the education sector, and the fact their diplomas no longer guarantee them good jobs.

There was much talk in the crowd about government corruption scandals too.

The rally had been planned well before the recent wave of unrest.

But these demonstrators wanted to voice their anger at Greek police too, for the shooting of a high school student on Saturday.

'Murderer government'

They say that was the final straw - their fury bringing them to the streets.

They were joined by youths and anarchist groups, who marched chanting "murderer government".

Boys in their teens, with hoods up and faces covered, began taunting the riot police who had formed a cordon around parliament.

The protesters, mainly young men, threw rocks and bottles at police

After most union members had passed by, youths began throwing large rocks and bottles towards police.

Some upturned rubbish bins, others yelled angry slogans. The police fired tear gas in response, and there were brief skirmishes in some side streets.

Beside parliament, a young man lay immobile on the floor, where he was being treated by paramedics. Bystanders say he was hit in the neck by police.

Some five hours after the rally began, most of the crowd had dispersed. The major unrest the government had feared, appeared to have been averted.