Greece: Co-opted Union Head Attacked. Employees Refuse to Print Austerity Legislation
Saturday, March 06 2010 @ 02:05 PM UTC
Contributed by: Anonymous
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All was quiet until the GSEE union boss Mr Panagopoulos took the microphone to address the protest. Before managing to utter more than five words, the hated union boss was attacked by all kinds of protestors who first heckled him and threw bottles of water and yogurt on his face and then attacked him physically like a giant swarm... the PASOK lackey struggled his way towards police lines... Finally he managed to hide behind the Presidential Guard and up the steps of the Parliament where the hated austerity measures were being voted. The crowd below encouraged him to go where he belongs, to the lair of thieves, murderers and liars.
Greece: Co-opted Union Head Attacked. Employees Refuse to Print Austerity Legislation
Excerpts from http://libcom.org/news/long-battles-erupt-athens-protest-march-05032010
All was quiet until the GSEE union boss Mr Panagopoulos took the microphone to address the protest. Before managing to utter more than five words, the hated union boss was attacked by all kinds of protestors who first heckled him and threw bottles of water and yogurt on his face and then attacked him physically like a giant swarm... the PASOK lackey struggled his way towards police lines... Finally he managed to hide behind the Presidential Guard and up the steps of the Parliament where the hated austerity measures were being voted. The crowd below encouraged him to go where he belongs, to the lair of thieves, murderers and liars.
This is the first time such a high ranking union boss is attacked at a rally that its union has called, and the act is widely believed to mark a new era in union history in greece.
During the clashes many riot shields and helmets were taken from the cops and burned along with other flaming barricades on the streets.
Further down on the way to Omonoia, protesters attacked a riot police squad that was guarding the National Legal Council. The riot police squad was cornered and attacked by means of sticks rocks and flares, before being forced to retreat inside the building
The workers of the National Printing Units have occupied the premises and refuse to print the legislation imposing the austerity measures.
