February 12, 2012
Greek MPs passed a deeply unpopular austerity package early on Monday morning aimed at averting a chaotic Greek default. Riot police had during the the evening fired teargas as demonstrators threw petrol bombs outside the parliament building.
The government secured enough votes to pass the bill once they had reached 151, even before the end of the roll-call, member-by-member vote of the entire chamber.
Extremists leaving the square outside parliament had earlier set fire to two historic cinemas and the headquarters of Alpha Bank, the country’s third-largest lender, in what appeared to be a series of organised arson attacks, Greek media reported. The cinemas were not operating and there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Two central branches of National Bank of Greece and Eurobank EFG, both leading lenders, were also firebombed. Riot police firing teargas and stun grenades chased groups of hooded youths through the streets around parliament, and there were reports of looting of shops along Stadiou street, a central boulevard.
Prime minister Lucas Papademeos said while urging lawmakers to back the bailout reforms: “Vandalism, violence and destruction have no place in a democratic country and won’t be tolerated.”
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