Greece: Police clash with protesters in Athens May 18

Event

Police reportedly used tear gas in an attempt to disperse a crowd of more than 10,000 anti-austerity protesters outside parliament in Athens on Thursday, May 18, after some in the crowd allegedly began throwing Molotov cocktails at security personnel. The protest took place as parliament was set to begin debating a new round of pension cuts and reduced tax breaks. Parliament is expected to vote in favor of the measures around 00:00 (midnight, local time) in hopes of gaining more debt relief and loan disbursements from creditors.

Further protests are possible, particularly in Athens and Thessaloniki.

Context

On Wednesday, May 17, some 18,000 people demonstrated in Athens and Thessaloniki in union-sponsored protests against the austerity measures. The Greek government is seeking approval of EUR 7 billion in bailout loans at the meeting of Eurozone finance ministers on May 22.

Strikes and protests are common in Greece, where social tensions have been fueled by deep austerity measures implemented by national authorities and required by the country’s creditors (the European Commission, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund) in order to tackle the country's enormous public debt.

Advice

Individuals in Greece are advised to monitor the situation via local media sources. As a basic security precaution, it is advised to avoid public gatherings and demonstrations in case of further unrest.