Greek Parliament passes austerity measures in wake of deadly unrest

The Greek Parliament passed a package of austerity measures on May 6, one day before leaders of the 16-member euro-zone meet in Brussels to discuss final details of a rescue package for the Hellenic Republic. But with protesters gathering outside Parliament’s doors, the measure’s passage sparked fears of a long summer of social unrest. The deaths of three bank workers in a fire set by protesters May 5 has polarized Greece. (Tehran Times, May 8)

Communiques from Greek anarchists indicate that management of the Marfin bank had locked the employees inside during the 200,000-strong protest march, which co-incided with a one-day general strike. Moments after the fire, the anarchist squat on Zaimi Street was raided by the police, with eye-witnesses reporting the police shot bullets and threw hand-grenades inside the building. All 70 inside were arrested, with 25 facing charges. Just before the raid, riot police attacked a cafe where anarchists gather on Exarcheia Square. Video footage shows police smashing the facade of the cafe even though there are people inside. (In translation at Occupied London)

See our last posts on Greece and the econo-cataclysm.

Please leave a tip or answer the Exit Poll.

  1. More bomb blasts in Greece
    A powerful bomb exploded inside a courthouse in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki May 14, wounding one person. Police had evacuated most of the building after a newspaper received an anonymous call warning that a bomb had been planted in the basement. It was the second bombing in two days, after a blast May 13 outside a prison in Athens also wounded one person. (AP, May 14)