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| Greek capital hit by major strike | Greek capital hit by major strike |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of people have marched through the Greek capital to protest against the government's economic policies. | Hundreds of people have marched through the Greek capital to protest against 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. |
| But fewer people than expected turned out, says a BBC correspondent, and police dealt with low-level violence. | But fewer people than expected turned out, says a BBC correspondent, and police dealt with low-level violence. |
| 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. | 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 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. | |
| One officer has been charged with murder and a second has been charged as an accomplice to murder. | |
| Angry crowds threw petrol bombs at riot police defending an Athens court where the two appeared before a magistrate on Wednesday afternoon. | |
| 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 demands | Union demands |
| Protesters outside the Greek parliament in central Athens' Constitution Square waved banners and shouted anti-government slogans. | Protesters outside the Greek parliament in central Athens' Constitution Square waved banners and shouted anti-government slogans. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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' |
| Police were able to deflect rocks and petrol bombs thrown by small groups of youths, responding with tear gas. | Police were able to deflect rocks and petrol bombs thrown by small groups of youths, responding with tear gas. |
| Some banks and businesses were closed, but most private sector workers managed to find 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is badly wounded but will survive, as long as he can maintain party discipline, he says. | Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is badly wounded but will survive, as long as he can maintain party discipline, he says. |
| Days of rioting | Days of rioting |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. | 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. | 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' |
| 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 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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. | 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. | 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. | 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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