Photos: Street protests rock Greece

Tens of thousands of protesters today joined a general strike against the latest proposed austerity measures from Prime Minister George Papandreou’s increasingly unpopular government, as the country lurched closer to economic collapse. The protests turned violent at times, as riot police battled crowds with tear gas and pepper spray. The Wall Street Journal reported that ...

Getty Images, AFP/ Getty Images
Getty Images, AFP/ Getty Images
Getty Images, AFP/ Getty Images

Tens of thousands of protesters today joined a general strike against the latest proposed austerity measures from Prime Minister George Papandreou’s increasingly unpopular government, as the country lurched closer to economic collapse.

The protests turned violent at times, as riot police battled crowds with tear gas and pepper spray. The Wall Street Journal reported that protesters “came from all walks of society, including big swaths of the middle class” and expressed frustration that significant austerity measures already put in place by the government have so far failed to improve the economy.

See photos from the day’s protests below.

Riot police fired tear gas at protesters.

Milos Bicanski/ Getty Images

Police and protesters clash in front of the Greek parliament. 

Louisa Gouliamaki/ AFP/ Getty Images

A man runs from riot police during today’s protests in Athens.

Milos Bicanski/ Getty Images

A protester kicks a police officer.

Panagiotis Tzamaros/ AFP/ Getty Images

Robert Zeliger is News Editor of Foreign Policy.

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