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| Greek capital hit by major strike | Greek capital hit by major strike |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people have marched through the Greek capital, Athens, for a one-day general strike in protest at the government's economic policies. | |
| Flights in and out of Athens airport have been cancelled, and public transport has been badly disrupted. | 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. |
| Court sources have told news agencies that tests show that the bullet which killed the teenager was a ricochet. | Court sources have told news agencies that tests show that the bullet which killed the teenager was a ricochet. |
| The ballistics report has not yet been published, but defence lawyer Alexis Kougias told the Reuters news agency that an investigation showed it was a ricochet. | |
| "In the end, this was an accident," he said. | |
| In the wake of the killing, witnesses told Greek TV that police had fired directly at the teenager, fanning popular anger. | |
| But the officer who fired the shot had said it was a ricochet from a warning shot, as the dead teenager had been among a group of youths who reportedly threw stones at a police car. | |
| Union demands | Union demands |
| Flight have been cancelled, banks and schools closed, and some hospital services are said to be restricted. | Flight have been cancelled, banks and schools closed, and some hospital services are said to be restricted. |
| About 4,000-5,000 workers have been gathering in Constitution Square central Athens for a rally outside the Greek parliament, waving banners and shouting anti-government slogans. | About 4,000-5,000 workers have been gathering in Constitution Square central Athens for a rally outside the Greek parliament, waving banners and shouting anti-government slogans. |
| Small groups of youths have been throwing rocks and petrol bombs at police near the square, and riot police have been responding with tear gas grenades. | Small groups of youths have been throwing rocks and petrol bombs at police near the square, and riot police have been responding with tear gas grenades. |
| 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' | 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' |
| The BBC's Athens correspondent Malcolm Brabant says this level of violence is easily tolerated by Greece's riot police. | The BBC's Athens correspondent Malcolm Brabant says this level of violence is easily tolerated by Greece's riot police. |
| Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis had appealed to the unions to cancel a rally planned for central Athens. | Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis had appealed to the unions to cancel a rally planned for central Athens. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. |
| "Participation in the strike is total, the country has come to a standstill," Stathis Anestis, spokesman for the GSEE, told the Reuters news agency. | "Participation in the strike is total, the country has come to a standstill," Stathis Anestis, spokesman for the GSEE, told the Reuters news agency. |
| The day is a litmus test of public mood, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens, amid fears of further violence. | The day is a litmus test of public mood, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens, amid fears of further violence. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYCronyism and corruption need to stop for Greece to become a truly democratic society.Victor, Athens, GreeceSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYCronyism and corruption need to stop for Greece to become a truly democratic society.Victor, Athens, GreeceSend us your comments |
| If the strike passes peacefully, the government of Mr Karamanlis will survive for another day, our correspondent says. | If the strike passes peacefully, the government of Mr Karamanlis will survive for another day, our correspondent says. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. 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. | 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. 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Warning shot' | 'Warning shot' |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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, and are due to appear before a public prosecutor on Wednesday. | 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 protesters' frustration has been fuelled by corruption scandals and poor economic prospects for many, our correspondent says. | The 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Are you in Greece? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in Greece? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |