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Greek capital hit by major strike Strike adds to unrest in Greece
(about 3 hours later)
Hundreds of people have marched through the Greek capital to protest against the government's economic policies. Several thousand people have marched through the Greek capital Athens to protest at the government's economic policies, as part of a general strike.
Flights in and out of Athens airport have been cancelled, and public transport has been badly disrupted. While turnout appeared lower than expected, the strike hit transport and the public sector and the city saw new unrest over the shooting of a teenager.
But fewer people than expected turned out, says a BBC correspondent, and police dealt with low-level violence. Rioters hurled several petrol bombs at police defending the court where two policemen faced charges over his death.
The one-day general strike was planned before riots sparked by the shooting of a teenager. Sources say the police bullet that killed him was a ricochet. A defence lawyer says the youth was killed by a ricochet.
A lawyer for the officer who fired the shot that killed 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on Saturday said ballistics tests on the fatal bullet showed the death was an accident. Greece's conservative prime minister has vowed to restore order and compensate businesses affected by the riots, which spread from Athens across Greek cities after the shooting on Saturday.
One officer has been charged with murder and a second has been charged as an accomplice to murder. The leader of the socialist opposition, George Papandreou, made a call for public calm.
Angry crowds threw petrol bombs at riot police defending an Athens court where the two appeared before a magistrate on Wednesday afternoon. A lawyer for the officer who fired the shot which killed 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, who was buried on Tuesday, said ballistics tests on the fatal bullet had shown the death was an accident.
The ballistics tests have not yet been published, and the Grigoropoulos family has hired an independent pathologist to study the case to ensure there is no cover up. One police officer was charged with murder and a second was charged as an accomplice to murder.
The ballistics tests have not yet been published and the Grigoropoulos family has hired an independent pathologist to study the case to ensure there is no cover-up.
Union demandsUnion demands
Protesters outside the Greek parliament in central Athens' Constitution Square waved banners and shouted 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7771628.stm">Rebellion deeply embedded class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7776005.stm">In pictures: Athens march 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'
For union leaders, the number of people who took part in Wednesday's demonstration outside parliament was almost embarrassingly small, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens. They represent about 2.5 million workers - roughly half of the total Greek workforce.
GENERAL STRIKE Athens International airport closedAthens bus, metro and suburban train systems disruptedTeachers, journalists, bank clerks and public sector workers also expected to strike 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' For union leaders, though, the number of people who took part in the demonstration in Constitution Square was almost embarrassingly small, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in the capital.
Police were able to deflect rocks and petrol bombs thrown by small groups of youths, responding with tear gas. While flights in and out of Athens airport were cancelled, and some banks and businesses were closed, most private sector workers found ways to reach their work-places.
Some banks and businesses were closed, but most private sector workers managed to find ways to reach their work-places. The Athens Traders Association estimates the rioting over the police shooting caused 1bn euros ($1.3bn, £874m) worth of damage.
Although there was also some trouble in the northern cities of Salonika and Kavala, there is a sense the violence, which has swept this country over the past four days, is now on the wane, our correspondent says. Responding to the unrest, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis promised on Wednesday to restore order and announced measures to compensate businesses that have suffered.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is badly wounded but will survive, as long as he can maintain party discipline, he says. In a televised address, he pledged immediate aid packages, including cash payments and tax freezes, for businesses whose buildings had been torched or property looted.
Days of rioting "The government is determined to consolidate the feeling of public safety and to help businesses get back on their feet," said Mr Karamanlis.
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. Mr Papandreou, who has called for early elections on the grounds that public confidence in the government has been shaken, urged calm on Wednesday.
They represent about 2.5 million workers - roughly half of the total Greek work force, according to Associated Press news agency. "I appeal to all to show responsibility, restraint and to end the violence that our country is experiencing these days," he was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Our correspondent says that the government has been badly wounded but will survive, as long as the prime minister can maintain party discipline.
New violence
Rioters hurled several petrol bombs near the courthouse where the two policemen were appearing before a magistrate for questioning.
HAVE YOUR SAYCronyism and corruption need to stop for Greece to become a truly democratic society.Victor, Athens, GreeceSend us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYCronyism and corruption need to stop for Greece to become a truly democratic society.Victor, Athens, GreeceSend us your comments
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. The bombs were reportedly thrown as a defence lawyer was preparing to talk to reporters outside the building.
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. An Associated Press reporter witnessed running battles in the city centre as masked youths pelted police with rocks, bottles and blocks of marble smashed from a metro station entrance.
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, our correspondent says. Windows newly replaced after four nights of rioting were smashed again.
"The government wanted us to postpone this protest, but they are the ones who have to do something to stop this violence and to improve the quality of our lives," said one demonstrator, drama student Kalypso Synenoglou.
High-school students chanting "Cops! Pigs! Murderers!" clapped and cheered each time a riot policeman was hit by a stone, AP adds.
Also on Wednesday, a group of about 100 Roma attacked a police station in the impoverished Athens suburb of Zefyri, where they attempted unsuccessfully to push a burning lorry into the station, Greek TV reports.
And in the port city of Patras, 215km (134 miles) west of Athens, a crowd of shop-owners is said to have turned on rioters and forced them to stop a wave of destruction, our correspondent says.
Entrepreneurs have been sleeping in their shops to defend them against rioters and looters.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.
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Several 24-hour strikes against the government's economic reform policies have brought the country to a standstill this year.
'Warning shot'
Emanating from Athens on Saturday in reaction to the 15-year-old's shooting, the riots quickly spread to a number of towns and cities across Greece.Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs at police
Clashes erupted near the suburban Athens cemetery where his funeral was held on Tuesday.
In the wake of his death, witnesses told Greek TV that police had fired directly at the teenager, fanning popular anger.
But defence lawyer Alexis Kougias said ballistics tests on the bullet that killed Alexandros Grigoropoulos show it hit a hard surface before ricocheting into the boy's chest.
"In the end, this was an accident," Mr Kougias told Reuters news agency.
The dead teenager had been among a group of youths who were reportedly throwing stones at a police car.
Two police officers charged in connection with the death and are due to appear before a public prosecutor later.
Protesters' frustration has been fuelled by corruption scandals and poor economic prospects for many, our correspondent says.
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.
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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