Greek police clashed with demonstrators
Greek police clashed with stone-throwing demonstrators Wednesday as thousands marched through Athens to protest against austerity measures imposed by the government, which is struggling to contain the country's budget-deficit crisis.
Police fired teargas to disperse crowds of demonstrators throwing Molotov cocktails, stones and bottles in various parts of the capital as thousands walked off the job in a 24-hour nationwide strike.
The strike, called by the country's biggest public and private sector unions, saw government offices, schools and public transport disrupted while hospitals and ambulance services operated with emergency staff.
Shops pulled down their shutters and banks, pharmacies and museums remained closed and lawyers and engineers also walked off the job.