Greece Austerity Protests Grow

George Georgiopolous
Reuters/Huffington Post

ATHENS, June 5 (Reuters) – Tens of thousands Greeks rallied in central Athens on Sunday to denounce politicians, bankers and tax dodgers, as the government prepared to inflict another bout of austerity demanded by its international lenders.

“Thieves – hustlers – bankers,” read one banner as more than 50,000 people packed the main Syntagma square outside parliament to vent their frustration over rising joblessness as austerity bites, blaming the crisis on political corruption.

Turnout was the biggest so far in a series of 12 nightly rallies on the square inspired by Spain’s protest movement.

Amidst a sea of splayed hands waved at the parliament building — an offensive gesture for Greeks — one demonstrator raised a placard reading “Bravo Yemen”, whose president underwent surgery in Saudi Arabia for injuries suffered in a rocket attack on his palace.

Police put the crowd at 50,000 by mid-evening, but numbers continued to grow as dusk fell over the Greek capital. Another banner drew comparisons with rallies early this year in central Cairo which ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. “From Tahrir Square to Syntagma Square, we support you!” it said.

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