Bloomberg Businessweek  |  February 13, 2012

Greek Police Arrest 67 People During Athens Street Protests

By Paul Tugwell

(Bloomberg) -- Greek police said as many as 45 buildings and shops were set alight and 67 people arrested during street protests against new austerity measures in central Athens yesterday and overnight.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos won parliamentary approval early today for the austerity measures that are needed to secure an international bailout of 130 billion euros ($172 billion). The measures equal about 7 percent of gross domestic product over three years and include a debt swap that would shave 100 billion euros off more than 200 billion euros of privately held debt. Greece was granted its first aid package of 110 billion euros in May 2010.

Police arrested the 67 people for attacking security forces with gasoline bombs, stones, sticks and other objects, for damaging buildings and shops as well as for looting, while another 75 people were detained for questioning, according to a statement posted today on the Greek police website.

Tear gas was used to repel rioters while 68 police officers were hospitalized during the protests, according to the statement. A total of 220 fire fighters and 80 vehicles tackled blazes in Athens at bank branches, office and apartment buildings as well as at shops, the Greek Fire Service said in a separate statement today.

The buildings set ablaze in central Athens included a Starbucks café. Greek clothing retailer Sprider Stores SA said in an e-mailed statement today its downtown Athens offices as well as storage units were damaged by fire.

Original article here.

Athens burning...

Policemen stand in front of a burning building during violent anti-austerity protests in Athens. Police said 150 shops were looted in the Greek capital and 48 buildings set ablaze,  including one of the capital's oldest cinemas. Some 100 people - including 68 police - were wounded and 130 detained. Picture: Reuters/Panayiotis Tzamaros / Courtesy: telegraph.co.uk 

Anger: A petrol bomb explodes near riot police in Athens as lawmakers endorsed a new 
austerity deal (dailymail.co.uk)

Protesters set dozens of buildings on fire in Athens as Parliament voted on austerity 
measures. Photo: Louisa Gouliamaki, AFP/Getty Images / Courtesy: latimes.com

Protesters clash with police on streets of Athens (telegraph.co.uk)