Greek anti-riot police fired tear gas at 10,000 protesters outside parliament on Tuesday after youths hurled firebombs as a general strike against the bankruptcy-threatened government turned ugly.
The escalation came as EU President Herman Van Rompuy warned of “decisive” hours for the world economy ahead of a vote by Greek lawmakers on Wednesday on tax rises, spending cuts and a raft of cheap sell-offs demanded by European backers.
Police said 21 officers were hurt in the clashes but only a handful of arrests were made by mid-afternoon despite firebombs setting property ablaze and tear gas hanging heavily in the air around the giant Syntagma Square that houses parliament.
