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| Greek capital hit by major strike | Greek capital hit by major strike |
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| Thousands of people have marched through the Greek capital, Athens, for a one-day general strike in protest at the government's economic policies. | 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. |
| Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs at policeThe 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 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. | 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. | 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. |
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