Saturday, January 26, 2013

Public transport workers strike in Athens



Trains and buses ground to a halt as public transport workers went on a 48 hour strike. The ongoing subway workers' strike was forced to stop after 9 days when the Government ordered them back to work under Emergency Civilian Mobilization Conditions.





Subway employees burn civil mobilization documents in Aghios Antonios station in western Athens. The protest march was organized against the civil mobilization order issued by the Government.

A passenger is looking through the glass of the central Railway station of Athens, closed due to the sudden 48 hour strike. Announcements stuck on the door informs that ticket refunds for disrupted journeys will be paid after the end of strike.

Trolley buses halted at the station due to a strike. The main banner reads "No to the abolition of collective labor agreements".

Subway employees protest against the civil mobilization order issued by the government. In their hands they hold the civil mobilization's documents.

Subway employees protest against the civil mobilization order issued by the government near Aghios Antonios metro station in Peristeri area of Athens.

Subway employees burn civil mobilization documents in Aghios Antonios station in western Athens. The protest march was organized against the civil mobilization order issued by the Government.

Subway employees burn civil mobilization documents in Aghios Antonios station in western Athens. The protest march was organized against the civil mobilization order issued by the Government.

Syriza MPs, Panagiotis Lafazanis (R), and Vasiliki Katrivanou (L), shout slogans together with Subway employees during the protest march that was organized against the civil mobilization order issued by the Government.

Subway employees restart work in Aghios Antonios metro station, enforced by the emergency order issued by the Government. They make a few minutes symbolic occupation to continue their protest.

A passenger who arrived at the Athens central Railway station to travel sees an announcement stuck on the door that reads "Strike". Train strike started unplanned.

Passengers who arrived at the Athens central Railway station to travel see an announcement stuck on the door that reads "Strike".

Athens central Railway station (Larissa station), is closed due to the sudden 48 hour strike.

Passengers who arrived at the Athens central Railway station to travel see an announcement stuck on the door that informs that ticket refunds for disrupted journeys will be paid after the end of strike.

Passengers who arrived at the Athens central Railway station to travel see an announcement stuck on the door that reads "Strike".

A passenger who arrived at the Athens central Railway station to travel, leaves the station due to the unplanned strike.

Passengers who arrived at the Athens central Railway station to travel see an announcement stuck on the door that reads "Strike".

A pedestrian in Athens walking on the sidewalk of Panepistimiou avenue past the closed bus station.
(The neoclassical building of National Mortgage Bank in the background).

Trains, buses, trolleybuses and suburban commuter rail services are on strike in Athens from today until Tuesday 29 January. Besides subway workers' strike was forced to stop on the 9th continuous day, after Greek Government ordered to restart work under emergency civilian mobilization conditions.
Greek Government wants to pay subway workers, similar to other civil servants, which would mean pay cuts.
The civil mobilization order issued by the government, threatened subway workers with dismissal, and even imprisonment. This emergency law has only been used nine times since the collapse of Greece's military dictatorship in 1974.
Trains and buses workers strike in solidarity to subway workers. They also want dialogue with the Government for new collective labor agreements.



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http://www.demotix.com/node/1752985/




Saturday, January 19, 2013

Anti-racist demonstration after prayers for slain immigrant in Athens


With the central slogan "Athens, Antifascist City", more than 4.000 people protest the rising phenomena of violence against immigrants. The rally started after prayers for a Pakistani man who was stabbed to death by suspected right-wing extremists.




Graffiti stencil  that reads: "Athens, Antifascist City" is sprayed on a wall during the demonstration

About 150 members of Greece's Pakistani community gather outside Athens City Hall and offer prayers for one of their own who was fatally stabbed by suspected extreme rightists.

About 150 members of Greece's Pakistani community gather outside Athens City Hall and offer prayers for one of their own who was fatally stabbed by suspected extreme rightists.

Members of Greece's Pakistani community gather outside Athens City Hall and pray over the coffin of Pakistani immigrant Shehzad Luqman, who was fatally stabbed by suspected extreme rightists.


Members of Greece's Pakistani community gather outside Athens City Hall and pray over the coffin of Pakistani immigrant Shehzad Luqman, who was fatally stabbed by suspected extreme rightists.
Pakistani children take part in the antifascist rally, in Athinas Street.

Pakistani children that take part in the antifascist rally, play with a balloon with a written message that reads: "Citizenship to all children".

Antifascist graffiti stencil  is sprayed on a wall during the demonstration.

A huge banner that reads: "Athens, Antifascist City" leads the demonstration.

Protesters hold anti racist and anti fascist placards during the demonstration.

A concert in Syntagma Square follows the rally.

Members of Greece’s Pakistani community gather at midday outside Athens City Hall, to say prayers for one of their own who was fatally stabbed by suspected extreme rightists.
Mourners pray over the coffin of Pakistani immigrant Shehzad Luqman 27 years old.
Luqman was stabbed to death by two men on a motorcycle as he rode his bicycle to work in the Athens neighborhood of Petralona, early on Wednesday. According to police, the attackers, a 25-year-old and a 29-year-old firefighter, admitted they stabbed him in the chest. Police are investigating whether the attack was racially-motivated after discovering dozens of pamphlets of the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn party in the home of one of the attackers.
The protest with central slogan "Athens, Antifascist City", was programmed months ago, and accidentally occurs after the stabbing of the Pakistani migrant.
Thousands of immigrants and human-rights activists march in Athens on Saturday to protest against racist attacks in Greece as the country struggles to pull itself out of a severe debt crisis.

Read:
Press release by Amnesty International about the murder of Pakistani youth.
Links: http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/foreigner-s-murder-shows-greek-failure-racist-violence-2013-01-17
or
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19VhqvNWLAvUfX8mCTJkD6pejT_1o0L60XrNnlqUg6ig/pub


For licensing images of this story, contact me or follow this link:
http://www.demotix.com/node/1737378/




Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Smog hits Athens as residents choose cheaper wood-burning heat


A cloud of smog covers Athens because of people choosing wood over more expensive fuels to heat their homes, following increases in prices of heating oil and the continuing economic crisis.




A cloud of smog covers Acropolis hill and Parthenon temple, as seen late on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013.

A cloud of smog covers Acropolis hill and larger urban area, as seen late on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013.

A cloud of smog covers Athens center, Acropolis and larger urban area, on a panorama taken early on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013.


The smell of scorched wood covers the night sky of Athens, along with toxic smog.
The cloud is the result of a massive switch to wooden stoves and fireplaces for heating.
Many households, already hard hit by the economic crisis, can not afford to buy heating oil



For licensing images of this story, contact me or follow this link:
http://www.demotix.com/node/1710758/