THE PROTESTS IN Athens are continuing this evening after a day of violence which has seen more than a hundred people injured. The Greek Parliament earlier passed an austerity bill which the EU has this evening called a “vital step back” from a default. Another bill must be passed tomorrow.
The austerity measures aim to cut spending and raise taxes by €28 billion, and raise €50 billion in privitisation over five years. The bill will release the next tranche of Greece’s EU/IMF bailout.
Investors cheered the votes as it passed today in Athens, but in Syntagma Square there were boos and the mood was dark. In a haze of tear gas today, protesters hurled anything the could find at riot police and tried to blockade the parliament building.
At 9.30pm this Twitter user indicated that things were far from over:
Reporter Joseph Dana tweeted at 8.30pm that protests were ongoing in Athens this evening:
Sky News reporter @joelhills tweeted this picture of Athens at sunset, noting the smoke above Syntagma Square….
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