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Greece braces for general strike Greek capital hit by major strike
(about 8 hours later)
Greece is braced for further turmoil after days of violence as unions stage a general strike in protest against the government's economic policies. Thousands of people have gathered in front of parliament in Greece as unions stage a general strike in protest at the government's economic policies.
The strike is expected to shut down banks and offices and severely disrupt public transport across the country. Flights in and out of Athens airport have been cancelled, and public transport has been badly disrupted.
The industrial action was planned weeks ago but follows days of riots sparked by the police shooting of a teenager.The industrial action was planned weeks ago but follows days of riots sparked by the police shooting of a teenager.
Unions have defied an appeal from PM Costas Karamanlis to cancel a rally planned for central Athens. Unions have defied an appeal from Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to cancel a rally planned for central Athens.
Unions called off a major demonstration in Athens but will instead hold a rally outside the Greek parliament at 1100 (0900 GMT). Opposition Socialist leader George Papandreou has called for early elections, saying the government had lost the confidence of the people and could not handle the crisis.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7771628.stm">Rebellion deeply embedded class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7770189.stm">In pictures: Greek riots class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7774304.stm">Greece riots: Your stories class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7772816.stm">Thessaloniki riot: 'War zone here' Workers from the two main umbrella unions - the Greek General Confederation of Workers (GSEE) and the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) are demanding increased social spending in light of the global financial crisis, as well as higher wages and pensions. The day is a litmus test of public mood, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.
If the strike passes peacefully, the government of Mr Karamanlis will survive for another day, our correspondent says.
Union demands
About 5,000 workers have been gathering in Constitution Square central Athens for a rally outside the Greek parliament, waving banners and shouting anti-government slogans.
The two main umbrella unions - the Greek General Confederation of Workers (GSEE) and the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) - are demanding increased social spending in light of the global financial crisis, as well as higher wages and pensions.
GENERAL STRIKE Athens International airport closedAthens bus, metro and suburban train systems disruptedTeachers, journalists, bank clerks and public sector workers also expected to strike Rebellion deeply embeddedIn pictures: Greek riotsGreece riots: Your storiesThessaloniki riot: 'War zone here'
They represent about 2.5 million workers - roughly half of the total Greek work force, according to Associated Press news agency.They represent about 2.5 million workers - roughly half of the total Greek work force, according to Associated Press news agency.
Greek airlines Olympic and Aegean said they have cancelled a number of flights, ferry links are expected to be cut and train services severely disrupted. "Participation in the strike is total, the country has come to a standstill," Stathis Anestis, spokesman for the GSEE, told the Reuters news agency.
Public transport in a number of cities, including Athens, is expected to be hard hit by the strike. The strike comes after three consecutive days and nights of riots in which shops and offices were set alight and riot police battled groups of stone- and bottle-throwing youths.
Teachers, journalists, bank clerks and public sector workers are also due to join the action. However, Greek television reported that a group of about 100 Roma attacked a police station in the impoverished suburb of Zefyri, where they set a lorry on fire and tried unsuccessfully to push it into a station. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYCronyism and corruption need to stop for Greece to become a truly democratic society.Victor, Athens, Greece class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5779">Send us your comments
In the port city of Patras, 215km (134 miles) west of Athens, a crowd of people, including shop-owners, are said to have turned on rioters and forced them to stop a wave of destruction, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.
Entrepreneurs have been sleeping in their shops to defend them against rioters and looters.
The Athens Traders Association estimates that four days of rioting has caused 1bn euros ($1.3bn, £874m) worth of damage.
Several 24-hour strikes against the government's economic reform policies have brought the country to a standstill this year.Several 24-hour strikes against the government's economic reform policies have brought the country to a standstill this year.
Shops torched 'Warning shot'
Prime Minister Karamanlis tried to convince the unions to call off the rally they planned to hold in central Athens.
Witnesses say Alexandros was killed by a direct hit from a bullet
"We must all have a united stand against illegal actions, to clearly condemn violence, looting and vandalism," he said.
The streets of Athens were calmer on Tuesday night after three consecutive days and nights of riots in which shops and offices were set alight and riot police battled groups of stone- and bottle-throwing youths.
The riots were triggered by the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot by police in Athens on Saturday, and spread to a number of towns and cities across Greece.The riots were triggered by the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot by police in Athens on Saturday, and spread to a number of towns and cities across Greece.
Clashes erupted near the suburban Athens cemetery where his funeral was held on Tuesday. The unrest was sparked by the fatal shooting of a teenager by police Clashes erupted near the suburban Athens cemetery where his funeral was held on Tuesday.
Two police officers have been charged in connection with the teenager's death, but results of a post-mortem to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed him are not yet known. Two police officers have been charged in connection with the teenager's death, and are due to appear before a public prosecutor on Wednesday.
The officer who fired says it was a ricochet from a warning shot but witnesses told Greek TV he fired directly at the teenager. However, results of tests to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed him are not yet known.
The protesters' frustration has been fuelled by corruption scandals and poor economic prospects for many, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens. The officer who fired says it was a ricochet from a warning shot fired at a group of youths who reportedly threw stones at a police car.
The opposition Socialist party leader George Papandreou has called on Mr Karamanlis to resign and call elections. However, witnesses told Greek TV he fired directly at the teenager.
Mr Karamanlis, whose conservative party has a parliamentary majority of just one seat, has called for unity and said rioters would not be shown any leniency.
 The protesters' frustration has been fuelled by corruption scandals and poor economic prospects for many, our correspondent says.
Mr Karamanlis, whose conservative party has a parliamentary majority of just one seat, has called for unity and said rioters would not be shown any leniency.
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