Photo Gallery Massive Protests in Athens
Reacting to his country's grave financial situation, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou offered his resignation on Wednesday, according to media reports. By stepping down, he is hoping to ease the way for a national unity government that is needed in order to get the upper hand on the country's debt crisis.
Angry masses: In the Greek capital, the atmosphere during a general strike and mass protest against the government's radical savings measures was tense. Police on Wednesday positioned themselves in front of the country's parliament building complete with water cannons. The first altercations occurred almost as soon as protesters arrived.
A large contingent of Greek riot officers converged on the scene. Television news images showed angry protesters in front of barriers. Some threw projectiles.
As relaxed as these protesters may seem, not all participants in the mass protest against the Greek government's rigid austerity measures remained peaceful. Witnesses said that a number of protesters were taken into custody by police.
"Thieves, traitors," protesters chanted in front of parliament, where elected officials are expected to debate the country's new multibillion euro savings plan on Wednesday night. A general strike in Athens disrupted train connections and ferries as well as commuter rail lines.
Greek police officers confronted protesters who appeared on the verge of violence on Wednesday. They fired tear gas cannisters into the crowd in order to enable members of parliament to make their way freely into parliament for the debate. Protesters lobbed a hail of oranges at Prime Minister George Papandreou's limousine.
Here, police officers lead an elderly man out of the mass of people. It is currently unclear how many people took part in the protest in front of the parliament building in Athens, but estimates place the figure at a minimum of 20,000 people.
With banners and battle cries, angry residents filled the air with their displeasure over the government's planned austerity measures. Prime Minsiter Papandreou intends to implement additional tax increases and cut expenditures in order to reduce the government's budget by 6.5 billion.
Protesters on one side of a roadblock, with armed police on the other.
At times during the protests, violence broke out. Here, a protester kicks a riot police officer during Wednesday's general strike. As of early Wednesday evening, there had been no reports of injuries.
Protesters move through a cloud of teargas outside the Greek parliament. Around 5,000 police officers were deployed to contain the protests.
