Greek police fired teargas and battled groups of hooded youths near parliament on Tuesday in a rally against anti-austerity measures international lenders have demanded to stave off national bankruptcy. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story and see the video.

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Parliament is due to vote this week on a package of spending cuts, tax increases and privatizations agreed as part of a massive bailout aimed at averting the euro zone’s first debt default.

Labor unions launched a 48-hour strike to protest the measures and more than 5,000 police were deployed to the center of the capital to deal with the protests, with most attention focused on Syntagma Square in front of the parliament.

The rally was initially peaceful but by early afternoon, hundreds of youths, many wearing gasmasks and scarves covering their faces, hurled masonry chipped off buildings in the square at riot police who responded with tear gas.

 

HP