12/12/2007
All reports come from athens.indymedia.org Another report in greek can be found at www.anarchy.gr.
One-day long general strike was called by federations, labor unions and syndicates that belong to the GSEE (general syndicalist union), PAME (tied to the Communist Party) but also independent syndicates and other groups, against government plans to overhaul the pension system (raising retirement ages, cutting benefits etc).
Athens: The police repeatedly attacked with tear gas and flash light and sting ball grenades in order to tear apart the anarchist/antiautoritarian blocs (more than 1.500 persons) from the other demonstrators (more than 150.000) while the demonstrators fought back with stones and sticks. A luxurius car had its windows broken and was set on fire, together with a bank’s ATM and a police surveillance camera. Near Great Britain hotel, the cops attacked again the demonstration but were held back by the people. In Omonoia Square, the cops attacked once again the demo and cut back the anarchist/antiatoritarian blocs. In Panepistimiou street, some demonstrators attacked the cops and set free 2 persons that were handcuffed by the cops, in a previous police attack. Then, there was a constant tear gas attack and police striking the demo in order to separate the anarchist/antiatoritarian blocs from the rest of the demonstrators, though they never manage to do so, thanks to the strong self-defence of the anarchists/antiautoritarians and the support of the rest of the demonstrators that did n’t run away, regardless the amounts of tear gas and police attacks. In the same time, employees of “Olympic Airways” some of them protesting with greek flags against the bunkruptsy of this state-sponsored company, were offering flowers to the policemen ouside the parliament house… During the demonstrations, bank ATMs and surveillance cameras were destroyed, and 2 linemen of the Public Power Corporation got arrested a few hours after the demonstrations, for covering up police surveillance cameras with bags. In total, there were dozens of arrests, and 4 of them are prosecuted under misdemeanours (disruption of public order, damaging public property).
Thessaloniki: Demonstrators broke down the McDonalds at Lagkada street and bank windows, and burnt up power supply boxes of police surveillance cameras. In total, more than 30.000 people participated in the demonstrations.
Larissa: Paint bombs and eggs were thrown at banks and party offices.
Marches and open gathering were organised in most cities and towns of the country.