Clashes in Greece strike against austerity plan (video), page 1

posted on Feb, 24 2010 @ 01:32 PM

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Police in Greece have clashed with protesters striking over austerity measures designed to save the economy. Police fired tear gas at a group of some 50 protesters as a rally attended by some 25,000 people ended in Athens. It is the second general strike in two weeks and coincides with growing anger at the EU's response to the crisis.

The action was the biggest since Greece's socialist government introduced cuts to bring the country's debt and deficit under control.

Greece closed airspace to all flights, while trains and ferries stood idle and archaeological sites remained shut for the day.

The country currently has a spiralling public deficit of 12.7%, more than four times higher than eurozone rules allow. The government has pledged to cut this to 8.7% this year, and also reduce the 300bn-euro ($419bn; £259bn) national debt, by freezing public sector salaries, raising the average retirement age to 63 by 2015, and increasing taxes on petrol, alcohol and tobacco.
It also wants to crack down on tax avoidance. Greece's black economy is estimated at 30% of official gross domestic product.

The march was peaceful but scuffles broke out between some demonstrators and police as the rally came to an end, and tear gas was fired. Groups of youths then threw stones and smashed shop windows, police said. Three people were arrested.

The brief clashes were a distraction from the union's main message that Greece's rich should pay for the crisis, not the working and middle classes, our correspondent says...

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Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Source (with video)

The anger at having to face the consequences of the foolish practices of the banks is perfectly understandable: why should ordinary people have to pay for the consequences? But in reality the money that has been squandered has GONE, (quantitative easing notwithstanding), and a policy of austerity is the only sane way forward. New debt cannot be used to pay old debt ad infinitum.

I accept views will vary, but TBH I think the Greeks should have been protesting long ago against mishandling of the economy: reference the debt figures in the graph! They would have done more good begging for austerity, but mass demonstrations are a knee-jerk reaction, not economic think-tanks.

There's no denying things are getting ugly. Obviously the outpouring of anger we are seeing now is the reason governments around the world have been trying to stave off facing up to the realities of the crisis by sanctioning ever greater indebtedness. But if anything the endless bailouts / money printing has opened a bottomless pit of debt — and when that unravels the anger will tragically be exponentially greater.

Cue protests across the globe that will make the scenes in the above video look like a tea party. Oops, perhaps I should rephrase that?..

5 oClock

posted on Feb, 24 2010 @ 01:52 PM

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I'm sure TPTB are learning from this, how long will it take the people to say ENOUGH!!!
I assume your in the USA from the T-Party comment

We'll we need to observe, prepare and learn also, how to combat the thugs as we try to straighten out this country. SOOON

Seems like it's taken Greece a couple of years to get to the boiling point, about where we are now!

5 oClock

posted on Feb, 24 2010 @ 01:52 PM

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Oops. doubled up.

[edit on 24-2-2010 by 5 oClock]

pause4thought

posted on Feb, 24 2010 @ 02:48 PM

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reply to post by 5 oClock

Fascinating background video.

It seems young Greeks in particular are so jaded they feel they have nothing to lose in taking to the streets.

I have to say I find the following a reassuring counterbalance to any suggestion the Greek population as a whole is about to rise up:

"Burn the banks," the fresh graffiti read. Or, on the walls of one of Athens' most exclusive hotels: "Eat the rich!"

The mood in Greece shifted today as protests against government austerity measures turned violent. Protests against planned tax increases and pay cuts had so far been temperate affairs. But today, as tens of thousands of Greeks took to the streets during a nationwide strike, groups of angry protesters clashed with police, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Masked protesters attacked a ministry of finance building, before sweeping through the city center smashing windows and ripping up bits of marble from pavements and shop facades. Police responded with tear gas and batons.

The scene was reminiscent of the riots that paralyzed Athens for weeks in December 2008, after a policeman shot and killed a teenage boy. As tempers rose, protesters shouted "Murders!" at the riot police, using the same rallying cry as in the riots a year ago.

While the majority of Greeks say they support the government's proposed measures to address its debt problems, a sustained and violent opposition from unions and other groups on the left could make their job more difficult. Already there's skepticism from the markets and other European countries that they will be able to fully implement their plan.

Airports, schools and some private businesses were also closed today.

Source: Greek economic protests turn ugly

You can't help wondering whether any number of possible scenarios could turn the tide in favour of much bigger protests, though. A major reduction in the value of the Euro comes to mind...

TheCoffinman

posted on Feb, 24 2010 @ 02:53 PM

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burn the banks, i like that. im all for the little greek person who has nothing more to lose. whose government is as corrupt as our own.. hell our banks even have alot to do with greece's problems which is no surprise.. interesting times we live in..

SpaceMonkeys

posted on Feb, 24 2010 @ 03:37 PM

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Funny how these politicians and bankers commit such crimminal acitivity which the people bare the full brunt of the consequences yet if the people vent their anger and protest about it the so called "police" smash their skulls in and protect those very criminals. And don't think it won't happen in your country, it will happen everywhere, UK, USA, when these criminals have taken everything away from you they will have their "police" to beat the hell out of anyone that wants true justice.