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Riot policemen secure a branch of the National Bank of Greece during an anti-government rally in Athens - Source: Reuters -
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Greek police have fired teargas to disperse about 50 demonstrators in central Athens after clashes broke out during protests against government austerity measures , a police official says.
Left-wing groups and communist trade unions rallied in the Greek capital a day after the government announced $9.5 billion in wage cuts, a pension freeze and tax increases to reduce its huge fiscal deficit.
"There were clashes between police and protesters," the official says.
"Police fired teargas. There were a few arrests."
Opposition to the austerity measures has so far been relatively muted for a country with a tradition of street protests but one pollster believes it should move quickly to counter a general sense of shock.
The private sector GSEE union and its sister public sector union ADEDY, which represent half of Greece's 5-million workforce, called workers to stop work from midnight Friday NZT and attend a rally outside parliament.
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