Greece riots threaten to topple government

By Anthee Carassava, Los Angeles Times
June 15, 2011, 11:37 a.m.
Reporting from Athens— Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou offered to resign Wednesday after witnessing a sea of angry citizens turn up at his office in protest of plans for a new batch of budget cuts for the financially strapped nation.

Thousands of Greek workers girdled the sprawling grounds of Parliament in Athens, trying to choke off the start of a debate on the new austerity package.

Police set up metal barricades outside the building. But when rowdy crowds moved to tear them down, scuffles erupted.


Some protesters flung yogurt and water bottles at police, but others threw rocks and firebombs.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-greece-protests-20110616,0,2293916.story

Fuck Austerity. Austerity for the rich first.

fuck the banksters

They have a long legacy of being informed. We do not.

Came through Syntagma Square, right next to the Parliament, several times.
The protesters had large banners up, with mug shots of those they perceived as the source of their pain.
The top row of mug shots were of the CEOs of Goldman Sachs, IMF executives, etc.
Underneath were photos of various PASOK party reps who were regarded as sellouts.
Note the prioritization. Banksters in the first tier, politicians in the second.
They get it. Why don't we?

J.

wish I could find the pictures. My Greek isn't what it used to be.

As to the question why Americans still don't get it, it seems that their pain is not yet acute enough. This is a nation on Prozac, numb and dumbed down by decades worth of brainwashing specifically tailored to their weak spots.

I've heard many people tell me that before.

I mean publicly by Obama administration, etc. Maybe if we started calling any and all of these draconian cuts austerity measures the public might start catching on.

government of Papandreou is the one pushing the austerity measures (which will help make Greek debt holders whole), while the Center Right New Democratic party, led by Samaras, is pushing for the debt to be renegotiated (and debt holders prsumably forced to take something of a haircut)??

Something's not quite right with this picture. Maybe someone who understands Greek domestic politics can explain it, I hope.

Edited for clarity, as it's all Greek to me :)