Home Tags Posts tagged with "riot police"
riot police
Ukrainian riot police have forcefully dispersed hundreds of EU-deal protesters in Kiev, beating some with truncheons, witnesses say.
Protest organizer Sergei Milnichenko said tear gas had also been used as police moved in at about 04:30 on Saturday.
It followed fresh rallies against President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign an EU association agreement.
Unconfirmed reports said a number of people had been hurt.
Ukrainian riot police have forcefully dispersed hundreds of EU-deal protesters in Kiev
Police said they had decided to clear Independence Square after “a number of incidents”, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported.
It was not clear what incidents they were referring to.
More than 1,000 people, most of them students, were in the square when police moved in, activists said.
Witnesses said ambulances were on the scene and some demonstrators were seen bleeding from their heads and arms.
Opposition MP Andriy Shevchenko tweeted that dozens of people had been hurt and at least 33 taken into police custody.
Reuters news agency said the injured included one of its cameramen and a photographer, who was left bloodied by blows to the head.
[youtube rGUCG3NsqDc 650]
Riot police have clashed with striking teachers during an operation to clear an occupied Mexico City square.
The police used tear gas and water cannons to remove the protesters from the city’s main square, the Zocalo.
Striking teachers had been camped out there for weeks. Some responded with petrol bombs as police moved in after a government deadline passed.
The teachers have been demanding changes to education reforms approved by President Enrique Pena Nieto.
The authorities said they wanted to clear the Zocalo for the Independence Day celebrations at the weekend.
Riot police have clashed with striking teachers during an operation to clear occupied Mexico City’s Zocalo Square
Most of the protesters left peacefully by Friday’s deadline. But some stayed on, and police backed by armored vehicles and helicopters clashed with missile-throwing protesters on the square and in nearby streets.
Officers tore down the teachers’ temporary shelters and put out small fires started by the demonstrators and made a number of arrests.
Some of the demonstrators were thought to be radical anti-government activists who were not necessarily associated with the teachers union.
The educations reforms introduced by the government include performance-related tests for teachers.
Critics accuse Mexico’s teachers’ unions of being corrupt and having too much control over job allocation.
Last week, thousands of its members protested outside the Senate in an attempt to disrupt the passing of the bill, which had already been approved by the Chamber of Deputies.
The government has argued that union control over teaching jobs has contributed to corruption, which has seen poorly trained teachers promoted over more qualified colleagues.
[youtube RwSIUSrmvZk]
Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has appealed for calm after weeks-long protests escalated into a blockade of parliament and clashes with police.
Rosen Plevneliev urged both protesters and police to remain “peaceful and civilized”.
More than 100 politicians, journalists and staff were trapped inside the building overnight, until escorted out by police at about 05:00.
PM Plamen Oresharski has so far resisted protesters’ calls to resign.
The unrest fell on the 40th straight day of anti-government protests against corruption and mismanagement in the capital, Sofia.
Crowds surrounded the Bulgarian parliament building on Tuesday evening as MPs took part in an unusual late sitting to discuss a controversial budget update
Crowds surrounded the parliament building on Tuesday evening as MPs took part in an unusual late sitting to discuss a controversial budget update that would increase the budget deficit and government borrowing limit.
The protesters shouted “Mafia!” and “Resign!”
At around 22:00 local time, riot police attempted to move some of the MPs, including three government ministers, out of parliament on a heavily guarded bus.
But protesters prevented the bus from leaving. Skirmishes broke out in which at least seven protesters and two officers were injured.
The crowd reinforced their blockade with rubbish bins, street signs and paving stones.
Eventually, riot police reinforcements helped clear a path and the building was evacuated by 05:00 on Wednesday morning.
A reporter for the AFP news agency said the barricades were completely dismantled and the crowd dispersed.
Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev said: “There are lightly injured people and policemen and there have been arrests… No lawmakers have been hurt.”
President Rosen Plevneliev said: “For the first time since the start of the protests we have now witnessed tension and attempts for provocation.”
“We all live here, this is our country and we are responsible towards it. I urge for calm and order,” he said.
Parliamentary speaker Mihail Mikov condemned the violence, calling for a cancellation of Wednesday’s parliamentary session.
“Order must be guaranteed. Lawmakers cannot be turned into targets; their life and health cannot be put in danger,” he told state BNT TV.
Bulgaria – the poorest EU member state – has been in political turmoil for months.
The current coalition government took office after a snap election in May, which followed extended protests.
Renewed protests began nearly six weeks ago, over the controversial appointment of a young media mogul, Delyan Peevski, as head of the national security agency.
Protesters saw it as example of the influence of powerful “oligarchs” and the corruption of politicians.
The appointment has been reversed, but the crowds have not been appeased and other controversial decisions have fuelled their anger.
PM Plamen Oresharski, who heads the Socialist-led coalition, has refused to resign, saying it would only deepen the crisis.
Earlier on Tuesday, the EU’s visiting Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said she backed the protesters.
Viviane Reding, who was in the country for a live question and answer session, said on Twitter: “Here in Sofia today, my sympathy is with the Bulgarian citizens who are protesting against corruption.”
“We can’t replace your government, but we have a responsibility to see that things are going well,” Viviane Reding told the forum.
[youtube nZlnsmjUTs4]
Turkish riot police have fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters trying to enter Istanbul’s Gezi Park that was the focus of last month’s anti-government protests.
Istanbul’s governor reopened Gezi Park – next to Taksim Square – to the public earlier on Monday, but shut it again after protest leaders called a rally.
Gezi Park had been shut since June 15, when police ejected people occupying it in protest at redevelopment plans.
Turkish authorities’ response to the protest sparked nationwide unrest.
Four people were killed and thousands more were injured as police cracked down on anti-government demonstrators, who accused PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan of becoming increasingly authoritarian.
Hundreds of people flocked to Gezi Park on Monday afternoon after Istanbul governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu declared it open once again.
Huseyin Avni Mutlu said staff had tried to improve the park while it was sealed off, planting additional trees and shrubs and replacing damaged grass.
But, in a clear warning to protesters, he also warned that it was no place for “forums, occupations or marches”.
Turkish riot police have fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters trying to enter Istanbul’s Gezi Park
“Blocking the parks, making them areas for demonstrations, preventing children, elderly and [others] from using these areas and turning this into a security problem – we would never ever allow that,” he told reporters.
Taksim Solidarity, a group of political parties and non-governmental organizations, subsequently called a public meeting in the park at 19:00 (16:00 GMT), prompting the authorities to close it after only three hours.
Dozens of people were forced to leave by police, who used their shields to eject some who resisted.
Officers then used tear gas and water cannon to break up a crowd of several thousand people marching along Istanbul’s main shopping street towards Taksim Square, according to the Reuters news agency.
On Saturday, police prevented thousands of people trying to enter Gezi Park as part of a rally called by Taksim Solidarity to serve notice to the authorities of a court decision that annulled the redevelopment plan.
An administrative court said locals had not been consulted sufficiently about replacing the park with a replica of an Ottoman-era military barracks and a mosque, and that the work would not serve the public.
However, the ruling is not final and the government is expected to appeal.
[youtube _cHLhY-IOIU]
Brazilian protesters have clashed with police during the Confederations Cup final between the host nation and Spain in Rio de Janeiro.
Riot police fired tear gas as demonstrators threw missiles near the Maracana football stadium.
President Dilma Rousseff did not attend the match. She was booed at the opening of the tournament.
The protests started nearly a month ago, sparked by transport fare rises, but quickly encompassed other issues.
The main grievances are over the costs of staging the World Cup, corruption and demands for better health, education and transport.
Brazilian protesters have clashed with police during the Confederations Cup final between the host nation and Spain in Rio de Janeiro
Earlier on Sunday a group of demonstrators tried to storm a Brazilian Football Association (CBF) building in Rio. But police kept them back and the group settled outside the building.
The protesters demanded the resignation of CBF president Jose Maria Marin, who has been accused of incompetence.
In a separate protest, several thousand people marched on Maracana stadium banging drums.
They demanded free public transport, carrying placards reading “FIFA – you pay the bill”. The demonstrators also called for and end to corruption and the resignation of the Rio State governor.
Minutes before the game began, small groups of protesters threw rocks and firecrackers at police lines.
Security forces responded with tear gas and sent armored vehicles to disperse the demonstrators. There were no further incidents during the game – which saw Brazil beat Spain 3-0.
The wave of protests began nearly a month ago in the city Sao Paulo after bus fares were increased by 10%.
But after heavy-handed police action, it spread to other cities and mobilized public opinion.
The rises in Sao Paulo and many other Brazilian cities were revoked after two weeks of protests.
By then, the demonstrations had turned into a nationwide movement for better education, healthcare and transport.
[youtube IMrj55uvz6I]
Turkish riot police have moved to clear the protest camp in Istanbul’s Gezi Park, using tear gas and water cannon.
Police began dismantling the tents that protesters had put up in the park.
The move came hours after PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned protesters to evacuate the area ahead of a rally by his AK party on Sunday.
Plans to redevelop the park sparked a wave of broader anti-government unrest and protesters had vowed to stay there until their demands were met.
In a show of overwhelming force, police advanced into the park wearing riot shields and gas marks.
Most of the protesters left of their own accord to avoid getting hurt, with some regrouping in nearby streets.
Local residents took to their balconies or leant out of windows banging pots and pans, while car drivers sounded their horns in support of the protesters, Reuters news agency reports.
Some of the protesters were reportedly receiving medical attention, several of them retreating into a nearby hotel.
Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu said 29 people had been injured in the raid, but none seriously.
Huseyin Avni Mutlu said only “marginal groups” had remained in the park.
“I won’t give up,” protester May Elbi told AFP.
“We’re angry, this is not over. The world has seen that together, we can stand up to Tayyip.”
There have been reports of fresh confrontations in Istanbul after the clearing of the park, with police again using tear gas to disperse protesters.
In the capital Ankara, thousands of people came out onto the streets to chant anti-government slogans.
Turkish riot police have moved to clear the protest camp in Istanbul’s Gezi Park, using tear gas and water cannon
Earlier, in a speech in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan told tens of thousands of AK party supporters: “If Taksim Square is not evacuated, this country’s security forces will know how to evacuate it.”
“Staying there [in Gezi Park] makes no sense anymore as the matter is now in the hands of the courts,” he told tens of thousands of cheering supporters.
“Nobody can intimidate us. We take no orders or instruction from anyone but God,” the prime minister added.
He also dismissed the wave of demonstrations as part of an organized plot against him.
One protest group responded to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech by calling for another mass rally in Taksim Square. Istanbul is also set to host an AK party rally on Sunday,
On May 31, a crackdown on environmentalists in Gezi Park provoked protests across Turkey against the police’s actions and against Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
On Saturday, the protesters vowed to stay there, despite a promise by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to halt the development plan for the park until a court ruling on the issue.
Last month, an Istanbul court issued an initial injunction against the plan to cut down trees in the park to make way for a shopping centre and replica 18th-Century military barracks. The government has appealed against the ruling.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s offer was presented as a major concession. But after discussions in Gezi Park on Friday night, the protesters said their movement was more than just a conservation protest and vowed to stay on.
Five people have died and thousands have been injured since the protests began.
Demonstrators have accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government of becoming increasingly authoritarian and of trying to impose conservative Islamic values on a secular state.
The police crackdown on protesters in Istanbul, Ankara, and other towns and cities has drawn international concern, especially from Europe.
[youtube 4SkfZRRg9FQ]
[youtube eLJPPmmMmTc]
A court in Brazil has sentenced 23 police officers each to 156 years in jail for involvement in notorious 1992 Carandiru prison massacre in Sao Paulo.
The policemen were convicted of killing 13 inmates in the city’s Carandiru jail during an operation to end a revolt.
In all, 111 prisoners died, and prosecutors argued that most of them were shot dead at close range.
The officers’ lawyers said they would appeal. Three other policemen were acquitted during the trial.
The 23 convicted officers – most of whom are now retired – had originally been accused of killing 15 inmates, but two of the victims were later thought to have been killed by fellow prisoners.
Brazil court has sentenced 23 police officers each to 156 years in jail for involvement in notorious 1992 Carandiru prison massacre in Sao Paulo
Dozens more officers are expected to be brought to trial in connection with the case in the coming months.
In 2001, Colonel Ubiratan Guimaraes, who led the police operation to regain control in Carandiru, was convicted of using excessive force. But he was acquitted on appeal in 2006.
The riot began on 2 October 1992 after an argument between two inmates quickly spread, with rival gangs facing off in what was at the time one of South America’s largest prisons, housing 10,000 inmates.
Inmates said riot police brutally repressed the riot.
“We never thought they would come in and kill people randomly, as not everyone had joined the rebellion,” said former prisoner Jacy de Oliveira.
“The policemen began shooting everyone; I was on the fifth floor, if you looked a policeman in the eyes, you were dead,” he said.
The officers’ lawyer, Ieda Ribeiro de Souza, argued they were only doing their duty and acted in self-defence, as many of the inmates were armed.
While prison riots are not uncommon in Brazil, the number of those killed at Carandiru and the slow pace of the Brazilian justice system in bringing the accused to trial has shocked the public.
Carandiru was closed in 2002, shortly after inmates co-ordinated simultaneous uprisings in 27 jails across Sao Paulo state during which thousands of visitors were held hostage.
Former British PM Margaret Thatcher divides Britain in death as much as in life; while she was hailed by business leaders and former colleagues, ordinary people who suffered from her brutal policies were celebrating the Iron Lady’s death.
Hundreds took to the streets as macabre “Thatcher death parties” were held late across the country last night, organized by Baroness Thatcher’s critics.
In Bristol, seven police officers were injured – one seriously – as violence erupted at a street party of 200 people and officers were pelted with bottles, cans and rubbish.
Riot police were deployed in Brixton, south London, as the crowds, which had been drinking since 5 p.m., started to become more aggressive, while in Liverpool flares and fireworks were set off outside Lime Street Station.
Messages to organize the parties began flooding the internet minutes after the official announcement.
In Bristol police were called to Chelsea Road in the Easton area of the city during the early hours of today after violence erupted at a street party.
Trouble flared after midnight when a rowdy 200-strong crowd refused police requests to disperse.
People who suffered from Margaret Thatcher’s brutal policies as PM were celebrating the Iron Lady’s death on the street
Dozens of officers donned riot gear and used shields and batons as they were pelted with bottles, cans and rubbish.
Wheelie bins were set on fire by the mob and a police car was damaged by the flying missiles.
Some of the injured police needed hospital treatment and one male officer was still detained today with a neck injury.
One man was arrested for violent disorder and it took police more than two hours to restore calm.
It was not until 3 a.m. that most of the police units sent to the scene were stood down.
The party had started outside the Chelsea Inn in Easton, which is one of Bristol’s poorest and multi-cultural neighborhoods.
The air was thick with cannabis smoke as revelers toasted the death of Margaret Thatcher, chanting: “Maggie Thatcher, Maggie Thatcher, she’s not living anymore. She’s not living anymore.”
Some people drank champagne while others walked around in Margaret Thatcher masks and one man dressed up as the former PM.
Sound systems were set up in the street to fuel the party atmosphere and the trouble broke out when police tried to stop the music.
Unemployed Julian Styles, 58, who was made redundant from his factory job in 1984, said: “I’ve been waiting for that witch to die for 30 years.
“Tonight is party time. I’m drinking one drink for every year I’ve been out of work.”
Speaking to Stephen Nolan on BBC Radio Ulster, former PM Tony Blair said the celebrations of Margaret Thatcher’s death were in poor taste.
When asked if he worried there would be similar celebrations when he dies, Tony Blair said: “When you decide, you divide. I think she would be pretty philisophical about it and I hope I will be too.”
In Brixton, south London, two women were arrested on suspicion of looting a store and riot police were deployed as the crowds which had been drinking since 5 p.m. started to become more aggressive, refusing to let buses through the streets.
More than 300 people, including the young and old partied until late at night on the streets of London, clutching cans of cider and cartons of milk as they danced along to reggae and 1980s music.
Many children also attended the impromptu event with their parents some wearing fancy dress, fairy wings and clutching balloons.
The carnival-like celebrations also drew crowds who had no knowledge or interest in at Margaret Thatcher, but who wanted to join in with the revelry.
Brixton was the scene of intense rioting during her time as Prime Minster – the unrest was blamed on deep social divisions, racial tensions and unemployment.
At 11 p.m. last night, party-goers climbed the Ritzy Cinema to replace the billboard of films to say “Margaret Thatcher’s dead”.
They received cheers and applause from fellow revelers as they did so.
Later they added the words “LOL” (laugh out loud), followed by “Oh Aye”.
The two hooded men who covered their faces as they replaced the words on the Picture House cinema also attached a sign reading “the bitch is dead”.
The Ritzy Cinema said it had nothing to do with masked people and later tweeted its thanks to those who helped clean up broken letters and damage.
Pictures of anti-Thatcher graffiti scrawled on walls in Brixton also appeared on Twitter, with one reading: “You snatched my milk! & our hope.”
Banners were held stating “Rejoice Thatcher is dead” by drunken crowds, many of whom were too young to remember her as prime minister.
Sickening messages also began flooding the internet minutes after the official announcement.
Revelers danced the conga, drank champagne and chanted: “Maggie, Maggie, Maggie – Dead, Dead, Dead.”
Barnados charity shop was a casualty of the celebrations and this morning the store front had been left with a gaping hole in the glass.
Alex Bigham, a councilor in Lambeth representing Stockwell condemned the celebrations and said: “Even if you detested her policies, many of which I did, it is tasteless posturing.”
The Metropolitan Police said: “Police dealt with a group of approximately 100 people in Brixton who caused low level disorder including throwing missiles at officers.”
Police confirmed that two women were arrested on suspicion of burglary after being found inside a shop in Brixton. The shop front had been smashed.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow, more than 300 people gathered in the city centre for street party, organized on Twitter.
Members of organizations including the Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation, the Communist party, the Socialist party, the Socialist Workers party and the International Socialist Group, were joined by members of the public in the city’s George Square.
A chorus of “so long, the witch is dead”, along with chants of “Maggie Maggie Maggie, dead dead dead”, could be heard among the popping of champagne bottles.
In Leeds, people cheered and even handed out “Maggie death cake” at another of several street parties across the UK last night.
In west Belfast, a crowd assembled on the streets outside the Sinn Féin office in the Lower Falls road where music was played as people danced and passing motorists sounded their horns.
People were seen huddling in a crowd as they drank and sang to celebrate Margaret Thatcher’s death.
Petrol bombs were thrown at police near Free Derry corner amid celebrations and missiles were also used against the officers.
Martin McGuinness has called on people not to celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher.
Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein’s Deputy First Minister at the Northern Ireland Assembly, tweeted: “Resist celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher. She was not a peacemaker but it is a mistake to allow her death to poison our minds.”
Unionists like DUP First Minister Peter Robinson have praised Margaret Thatcher’s commitment to the Union but Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams accused her of pursuing “draconian, militaristic” policies which prolonged the conflict.
[youtube FfrICObRO1g]
Riot police have stormed a metro train depot in Greek capital, Athens, breaking up a sit-in by striking workers.
The workers had been on the ninth successive day of strike action that has crippled the underground system.
The conservative-led government used an emergency law to threaten the strikers with arrest unless they went back to work. It was not clear if the move would lead to transport resuming.
Strikers are opposed to proposals which might see their salaries slashed.
The operation took place shortly before 04:00 local time, with around 100 riot police officers entering the depot where workers had barricaded themselves in overnight.
A police spokesman said three people were arrested and subsequently released. The area around the depot has now been cordoned off to prevent others from joining the strike.
Bus drivers and railway workers were to join the strike on Friday. Transport unions say they will continue their action, raising the possibility that some could face arrest and criminal charges, with a prison sentence of up to five years.
The government is using civil mobilization legislation, which has only been invoked nine times since the collapse of Greece’s military dictatorship in 1974.
Riot police have stormed a metro train depot in Greek capital, Athens, breaking up a sit-in by striking workers
Workers on the underground had been striking over a public sector unified wage scheme that would see their salaries reduced by up to 25%.
Public opinion is split over the issue, but with commuters facing long taxi queues as temperatures fall, the government feels that it may just get the support it needs to hold firm.
Greece has been kept solvent by huge rescue
loans from its EU partners and the IMF since May 2010.
So far, the European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the European Commission have pledged a total of 240 billion euros ($315 billion) in rescue loans, of which Greece has received more than two thirds.
The Greek government required the bailouts because it was struggling to meet the interest payments on its existing debts.
Under the terms of the rescue funds, Greece is having to agree to substantial spending cuts, such as redundancies and pay freezes in the public sector, and reduced pensions.
This is having a major knock-on impact on the wider Greek economy, with the unemployment rate hitting 26.8% earlier this month, the highest figure recorded in the EU.
Police have fired rubber bullets and baton-charged Spanish protesters attending a rally against austerity in Madrid.
The clashes occurred as protesters tried to tear down barriers blocking access to the parliament, reports said.
Metal barriers had been placed around the building to block access from every possible direction.
Demonstrators – known as Indignants – say “Occupy Congress” is a protest against the kidnapping of democracy.
Spanish media reported at least 20 people had been arrested and 13 injured in the clashes, as police tried to prevent demonstrators gaining access to Congress.
Police have fired rubber bullets and baton-charged Spanish protesters attending Occupy Congress rally against austerity in Madrid
Thousands of people had massed in Plaza de Neptuno square in central Madrid for the march on parliament.
But their route towards the parliament building’s main entrance is blocked off by metal railings, police vans and hundreds of Spanish riot police.
Spain’s provinces have piled pressure on the government with a possible new bailout request and an early election.
Andalucia is considering asking for a 4.9 billion euro ($6.3 billion) emergency credit line from the central government, a spokeswoman for the regional administration confirmed to Reuters news agency.
Three other regions – Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia – have already said they will seek emergency funds.
In Catalonia, President Artur Mas called an early election for 25 November, which correspondents say will be a de facto referendum on his demands for greater independence for the province.
There is real concern in Europe that Spain may need an international bailout going beyond the 100 billion euros ($125 billion) pledged by eurozone finance ministers in June to rescue its banks.
Tuesday’s demonstration was organized via social media sites and many young people turned out.
Buses were reportedly laid on to ferry demonstrators into the capital from the provinces.
One of the main protest groups, Coordinadora #25S, said the Indignants did not plan to storm parliament, only to march around it.
The Coordinadora #25S manifesto reads: “Democracy has been kidnapped. On 25 September we are going to save it.”
Pablo Mendez, an activist from the 15M Indignants movement, told the Associated Press: “This is just a powerful signal that we are sending to politicians to let them know that the Spanish bailout is suicide and we don’t agree with it, and we will try to prevent it happening.”
Another demonstrator, Montse Puigdavall, said: “I’m here because of the situation we are living in now, because of all the social cuts and rights that we have lost, that took a lot of hard work to achieve.
“So we are here because we’re determined not to lose them.”
Under Spanish law, people who lead demonstrations outside parliament that disrupt its business while it is in session may be jailed for up to one year, AFP says.
Clashes have broken out at previous rallies and marches against the cuts and at least 1,300 police are on duty at the Congress building.
The Spanish government is having to borrow heavily to cope with the effects of a collapse in property prices, a recession and the worst unemployment rate in the eurozone.
After nine months in government, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is still resisting pressure to request a bailout.
His government insists the 100bn-euro pledge does not constitute an international financial rescue.
If Mariano Rajoy does request a bailout, it may not happen before late October because of a regional election in his home province, Galicia.
Catalonia’s election decision comes days after Mariano Rajoy rejected a request from the wealthy but indebted region to run its own fiscal affairs.
The region is legally barred from holding an actual referendum on independence.
“It is time to take the risk,” Artur Mas told the regional parliament.
“If Catalonia were a state we would be among the 50 biggest exporting countries in the world.”
[youtube CDcRpCHfRgs]
Riot police have ringed the Spanish parliament in Madrid as protesters gather for a march against austerity tagged “Occupy Congress”.
Metal barriers have been placed around the building to block access from every possible direction, correspondents say.
Indignants, as the protesters are known, say they are protesting at the “kidnapping” of democracy.
Spain’s provinces have piled pressure on the government with a possible new bailout request and an early election.
Andalucia is considering asking for a 4.9 billion euro ($6.3 billion) emergency credit line from the central government, a spokeswoman for the regional government confirmed for Reuters news agency.
Three other regions – Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia – have already said they will seek emergency funds.
Indignants, as the protesters are known, say they are protesting at the "kidnapping" of democracy
In Catalonia, President Artur Mas called an early election for 25 November, which correspondents say will be a de facto referendum on his demands for greater independence for the province.
There is real concern in Europe that Spain may need an international bailout going beyond the 100 billion euros ($125 billion) pledged by eurozone finance ministers in June to rescue its banks.
Thousands of people have gathered in central Madrid for the march to parliament, due to begin at 17:30.
Buses were reportedly laid on to ferry demonstrators into the capital from the provinces.
One of the main protest groups, Coordinadora #25S, said the Indignants did not plan to storm parliament, only to march around it.
The Coordinadora #25S manifesto reads: “Democracy has been kidnapped. On 25 September we are going to save it.”
Pablo Mendez, an activist from the 15M Indignants movement, told the Associated Press news agency: “This is just a powerful signal that we are sending to politicians to let them know that the Spanish bailout is suicide and we don’t agree with it, and we will try to prevent it happening.”
Another demonstrator, Montse Puigdavall, said: “I’m here because of the situation we are living in now, because of all the social cuts and rights that we have lost, that took a lot of hard work to achieve.
“So we are here because we’re determined not to lose them.”
Under Spanish law, people who lead demonstrations outside parliament that disrupt its business while it is in session may be jailed for up to one year, AFP notes.
Clashes have broken out at previous rallies and marches against the cuts and at least 1,300 police are said to be on duty at the Congress building.
The Spanish government is having to borrow heavily to cope with the effects of a property values collapse, a recession and the worst unemployment rate in the eurozone.
After nine months in government, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is still resisting pressure to request a bailout.
His government insists the 100 billion-euro pledge does not constitute an international financial rescue.
If Mariano Rajoy does request a bailout, it may not happen before late October because of a regional election in his home province, Galicia.
Catalonia’s election decision comes days after Mariano Rajoy rejected a request from the wealthy but indebted region to run its own fiscal affairs.
The region is legally barred from holding an actual referendum on independence.
“It is time to take the risk,” Artur Mas told the regional parliament.
“If Catalonia were a state we would be among the 50 biggest exporting countries in the world.”
[youtube Lhs1Kkg2crc]
Ukrainian Police in capital Kiev have fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters angry over a new language law that boosts the status of Russian.
The clashes erupted outside a building where President Viktor Yanukovych was scheduled to give a speech.
The new law, drafted by Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions, was adopted by parliament on Tuesday without a debate on numerous amendments.
World-famous boxer Vitali Klitschko was among the activists hurt in the unrest.
The interior ministry said 10 anti-riot police from the elite Berkut unit were admitted to hospital with injuries. The ministry said protesters assaulted police with bottles and aerosol sprays.
The police were equipped with helmets, shields and batons.
Ukrainian Police in capital Kiev have fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters angry over a new language law that boosts the status of Russian
Viktor Yanukovych decided to postpone his speech on Wednesday as clashes continued. He invited parliament leaders and heads of parliamentary factions to meet him to discuss the resignations.
Later he said he would have to call an early election if MPs failed to “stabilize parliament’s work”. A parliamentary election is officially scheduled for October.
Correspondents say about 1,000 opposition activists took part in the demonstration.
WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko called Tuesday’s vote “political suicide” and urged opposition MPs to boycott parliament. He heads an opposition group called Udar (Blow).
The controversial vote prompted a request from Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn to step down. “I have been fooled, Ukraine has been fooled,” he complained.
Volodymyr Lytvyn’s deputy Mykola Tomenko also tendered his resignation.
Meanwhile, seven MPs angry at the vote have gone on hunger strike.
The bill will become law once signed off by President Viktor Yanukovych, who is seen by his critics as being close to Moscow. The bedrock of his support is in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine.
The second reading vote took place despite scuffles in the chamber between the ruling party and opposition MPs.
The bill grants Russian, mother tongue of most people in east and south Ukraine, “regional language” status.
Critics fear it will dilute Ukraine’s sovereignty and help return Ukraine to Moscow’s sphere of influence.
While Ukrainian would remain the country’s official language, Russian could be used in courts, hospitals, schools and other institutions in Russian-speaking regions. In practice Russian is already used widely in official establishments in Ukraine.
The new law says local officials can use a “regional language” if at least 10% of the local population are native speakers of that language.
Those officials would have to know the regional language and be able to use it in their official duties.
People will be allowed to choose which language they want their documents issued in – Ukrainian or regional.
The new law de facto grants Russian the status of an official language – but not the state one – in most of Ukraine.
Ukraine language law:
• Russian, mother tongue of most people in east and south Ukraine, would get “regional language” status
• In Russian-speaking areas Russian could be used in courts, hospitals, schools and other institutions
• Ukrainian remains the official state language
• People would be able to choose which language they want their documents issued in – Ukrainian or regional
• President Viktor Yanukovych’s party drafted language law
• His power base is Russian-speaking east
• Critics accuse him of being too cozy with Moscow
Spanish riot police have clashed with protesters in Barcelona on the day of a general strike called in protest at the government’s labor market reforms.
Some of the marchers in Barcelona smashed windows and set rubbish bins alight. Police responded with tear gas and baton charges.
There were also protests in the capital, Madrid, and other cities.
Land and air travel were all affected, and domestic and European flights cut to a fraction of normal levels.
The centre-right government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will unveil measures on Friday aimed at saving tens of billions of Euros and making it easier for businesses to sack employees.
It hopes the changes will cut unemployment which is currently the highest in the EU at 23%.
Nearly half of Spain’s under 25’s are out of work.
Unions said 800,000 people joined the protest in Barcelona. Police put the number at 80,000.
Most of the protests were peaceful, but some protesters hurled rocks at bank offices and shop fronts. A branch of the coffee chain Starbucks was set on fire.
“They burned a two-storey Starbucks cafe and another shop,” a spokesman for the regional interior ministry told the AFP news agency.
“It is out now. In the shop there is broken glass and they took out whatever they could burn.”
Spanish riot police have clashed with protesters in Barcelona on the day of a general strike called in protest at the government's labor market reforms
Police fired tear gas and shot rubber bullets at the ground, TV pictures showed.
In Madrid, 900,000 people took part in protest marches, according to unions. The government did not provide any figures.
Scuffles with police broke out early on Thursday as workers from Spain’s biggest unions picketed Madrid’s bus depot.
Unions claimed strong support at car factories and other industrial sites but the government played down the impact.
Noisy picket lines formed outside transport hubs and some businesses.
Unions said more than 80% of workers took part, but the government said many services were kept running.
The strike is the government’s first big challenge since taking office after elections last November.
By agreement between the government and the unions, bus and rail services were kept to a minimum service while only one in 10 domestic and one in five European flights were able to operate.
Outside Atocha – one of Madrid’s main rail stations – picketers waved red union flags and blew whistles as police looked on.
One protester in Madrid, 31-year-old Angel Andrino, said he had been sacked a day after the labor reforms were approved in a decree last month.
Accompanied on the march by his parents and brother, he told the Associated Press news agency: “We are going through a really hard time, suffering.
“The rights that our parents and grandparents fought for are being wiped away without the public being consulted.”
The UGT union said that participation in the strike was “massive” and that virtually all workers at Renault, Seat, Volkswagen and Ford car factories around Spain had honored it during the shift.
Regional TV stations in Andalusia in the south, Catalonia in the north-east and Madrid were also off the air because of the strike.
With the EU’s highest rate of unemployment, Spain is under pressure to reduce its budget deficit and bring its public finances under control.
“The question here is not whether the strike is honored by many or few, but rather whether we get out of the crisis,” the country’s Finance Minister Cristobal Montoro said.
“That is what is at stake, and the government is not going to yield.”
On 10 February, the government approved legislation cutting severance pay to a maximum of 33 days’ salary for each year worked, compared with the current 45 days.
The government insists the reforms will create a more flexible system for businesses and workers, in a country with a stagnant economy that needs to start creating jobs.
Mariano Rajoy, who took office in December, defended his measures on the grounds that they would eventually generate more jobs.
“No government has passed as many reforms in its first 100 days in office as this one,” he said on Tuesday, speaking on a visit to South Korea.
“The biggest mistake would be to do nothing,” the Spanish prime minister added.
[youtube EG0KQbRYkW8]
Two people have been shot dead by police and more than 400 injured in protests across Egypt sparked by the deaths of 74 people after a football match.
The two killed were shot by police trying to disperse angry crowds in the city of Suez, medical officials said.
In the capital Cairo, thousands of protesters remained on the streets following a day of clashes with police.
Thousands marched to the interior ministry, where security forces fired tear gas to keep them back.
Earlier, the Egyptian prime minister announced the sackings of several senior officials.
Funerals of some of the 74 victims took place in Port Said, where the football match had taken place on Wednesday.
The deaths came when fans invaded the pitch after a fixture between top Cairo club al-Ahly and the Port Said side al-Masry.
As night fell in Cairo, several thousand demonstrators remained in the streets around the interior ministry, witnesses said.
Two people have been shot dead by police and more than 400 injured in protests across Egypt sparked by the deaths of 74 people after a football match
In Suez, health official Mohammed Lasheen said two people had been shot dead early on Friday.
A witness quoted by Reuters said: “Protesters are trying to break into the Suez police station and police are now firing live ammunition.”
Throughout Thursday, al-Ahly supporters gathered outside the club’s stadium in Cairo. A series of protest marches moved towards Tahrir Square, and then on to the ministry of interior.
Some chanted slogans against Egypt’s military rulers, while others threw stones.
“Our army must choose between the military council and the revolutionaries,” they chanted.
Police fired tear gas to keep the thousands of protesters away from the ministry, which is protected by concrete barricades.
Motorcycles ferried the injured from the scene as ambulances were often unable to get through.
At one point, ambulances intervened to rescue riot police whose vehicle mistakenly turned into a street full of protesters, Reuters reported.
Egyptian state news agency Mena quoted a health ministry official as saying 388 protesters were injured. Most of them were suffering from tear gas inhalation as well as bruises and broken bones from rocks.
A section of Al-Ahly supporters known as the “ultras” played a prominent role in last year’s street protests which led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak.
The ultras believe they were targeted for their support for the revolution over the past year.
They accuse the police of deliberately allowing al-Masry fans to attack them.
“It’s like war, you can’t believe it. What happened yesterday [Wednesday] was war, it’s not football. To kill without any feeling… is not normal,” said former al-Ahly player Hani Seddik.
There were also protests in Port Said, Associated Press news agency reported.
Earlier on Thursday, parliament met in emergency session, beginning with a minute’s silence.
Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri told MPs the head of Egypt’s football association had been sacked and the board dissolved, with its members referred to prosecutors for questioning.
Port Said’s director of security and the head of investigations were suspended and are now in custody, Kamal al-Ganzouri said.
The government has come under renewed attack over its handling, both of the football game, and of the way it is handling the transition to democracy, our correspondent says.
The president of al-Ahly, Hamid Hamdy, said his club would not take part in league games.
“I hope that the world understands the position of al-Ahly club, that we are going through a very difficult time as a result of all of those martyrs that we lost yesterday,” he told a news conference.
“People should feel that there is a tragedy and a disaster which has happened in Egyptian sports, and for al-Ahly.”
Police in Egypt have been keeping a much lower profile since last year’s popular protests.
The Muslim Brotherhood – which has emerged as Egypt’s biggest party in recent elections – blamed ex-President Mubarak’s supporters for the violence.
[youtube hfO4kd29LTU]
Protests continued today in capital Bucharest and other cities in Romania, the third consecutive day of street riots in the country.
Demonstrations spread in Bucharest from downtown University Square to other areas in the center of the city. Riot police increased in number after a group of football supporters joined the over 1,000 people who were already in the University Square. The supporters, nicknamed “ultras”, threw flamed bottles, crackers, stones and even trash bins towards the gendarmes. Most of protesters covered their faces to avoid being recognized and fined by the authorities.
Protests continued today in capital Bucharest and other cities in Romania, the third consecutive day of street riots in the country
Protesters in Bucharest and across Romania ask for the dismissal of Romanian president Traian Basescu, of the Government led by Emil Boc, as well as for salary and pensions raise.
Some were even protesting against the Rosia Montana gold mine project.
Thousands of Romanians took their anger to the streets over the week-end, with protests ending in clashes with the Police downtown Bucharest. Riot police and protesters alike were injured. Over 40 people were taken into the Police custody on Saturday evening, after a heated evening in the University Square downtown Bucharest. Riot police managed to disperse protesters by firing tear gas and increasing troops on the street on Saturday evening in Bucharest.
These were the most heated protests in Romania so far, after the country applied some harsh measures, such as a 25% public salary cut and an increase in VAT. The recent events show the decreasing popularity of president Traian Basescu and the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) Government led by Emil Boc.
The spark for the recent protests in the Romanian capital was the proposed health law, which, if enforced, would have brought changes to the country’s emergency health system.
Sub-secretary of state Raed Arafat’s resignation from the Health Ministry over the planned changes to the system was the pretext that send Romanians protesting.
Initially started mid-last week as support demonstrations for Dr. Raed Arafat, the protests soon turned against the Romanian president Traian Basescu, asking for his and the Government’s dismissal, and for early elections. Hundreds of people in other Romanian cities, as Iasi, Cluj, Timisoara joined the protests.
President Traian Basescu was publicly for the changes in the health law and quarreled on TV with Dr. Raed Arafat. On Friday evening however, he publicly asked the Government to withdraw the proposal, saying it saw the public protest against it.
[youtube iovFMuZeBAs]
