One dead after clashes erupt at anti-austerity protest in Athens

[News_Editor]

One dead after clashes erupt at anti-austerity protest in Athens

2011-10-21 18:47:01 GMT+7 (ICT)

ATHENS (BNO NEWS) -- One person was killed on Thursday when clashes erupted during an anti-austerity protest in front of the Greek parliament building in Athens, local media reported.

The man was identified as a unionist who died of heart failure following clashes between protesters and a group of hooded youths who attacked them earlier in the afternoon. Witnesses said the 53-year-old was hit by a stone during particularly violent incidents, but his condition did not seem critical, the Khatimerini newspaper reported.

The man suffered a heart failure while in a hospital in central Athens where he died. Government sources reported that the unionist had respiratory problems and his condition was aggravated by the use of chemicals by the police.

It was the second day of a nationwide strike against new austerity measures. Thousands of public and private sector workers marched to the country's Parliament on Wednesday to protest a series of draft bills introducing more austerity measures.

Scuffles broke out between riot police officers and hooded youths who hurled garbage bags, stones and petrol bombs at them. There were no reports of injuries during the clashes on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the Greek government announced that it would miss 2011 deficit targets set as conditions of a bailout aimed at staving off bankruptcy, despite the austerity measures. It also announced that it will be cutting the jobs of up to 27,000 civil servant employees by the end of the year as part of its cost-cutting measures.

The country's main labour unions have staged repeated strikes since Athens asked the EU and the IMF for a bailout last year. In June, at least 100 people were injured during clashes with riot police.

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