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Athens Mops Up In Wake Of Austerity Violence

Protesters set buildings on fire and threw gasoline bombs at riot police in Athens shortly before Greek lawmakers passed harsh austerity measures. (AP Video)

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Last updated (GMT/UTC): 13.02.2012 10:29

The residents of the Greek capital, Athens, are cleaning up -- one day after an outbreak of arson and violence over new austerity measures being imposed to secure an international bailout and prevent the country from going bankrupt.

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis said the city had suffered "tremendous" damage as demonstrators set fire to historic buildings and looted dozens of shops.

More than 100 people were injured in clashes, many of them police officers.

The demonstrations came as the Greek parliament on February 12 implemented an austerity bill cutting the minimum wage by one-fifth and slashing one of every five civil service jobs.

The cuts are a condition for Greece to receive a 130 billion euro ($172 billion) bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to help Greece avoid default next month.

Compiled from agency reports

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by: Eugenio from: Vienna

February 13, 2012 07:45

Here is one of those countries - Greece - that joined the EU 30 years ago on the promises that the EU was going to "solve all their problems". And here they are 30 years later - all the problems solved: the country is on the verge of bankruptcy, the Germans and the French are taking over the govtl structures, and plannig a massive transfer of property from the hands of the Greek people to those of the German and French capitalists.
VIDEO - Athens on fire as mass protest turns violent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9FLQxMYiI4&feature=BFa&list=UUpwvZwUam-URkxB7g4USKpg&lf=plcp