Riot police fired tear gas at anti-austerity demonstrators in Greece’s second city of Thessaloniki on Saturday ahead of the prime minister’s annual speech on the country’s devastated economy.
Prime Minister George Papandreou has approved unpopular austerity measures in exchange for international loans worth just over $300 billion.
Police used tear gas against a rally of several thousand taxi drivers who were protesting against licensing reforms. The protesters threw sticks and bottles at police as they marched to a tade fair where George Papandreou was due to speak.
In separate protests across the city, students, union members and football fans gathered to express their disapproval at the austerity measures. Police officers held a separate march on Friday.
