Athens protests continue

Demonstrations in Athens, Greece, continued in October with over 50,000 people gathering in Syntagma Square on Oct. 20 to protest the austerity measures passed by Parliament. The measures include, among other items, tax hikes, pay cuts, pension cuts and temporary layoffs of 30,000 public workers.

In Athens a week before, on Oct. 13 and 14, several demonstrations broke down into violence between rival groups of protesters. More than 50 people were injured, and some policemen and civilians had their clothes set on fire when gasoline bombs were thrown.

The major trade unions continued a series of 48-hour strikes. Airports, taxis, trains, garbage collection and other services were affected.