Thousands march in Athens general strike Wednesday, 19 October 2011 11:59

ATHENS: More than 20,000 protesters marched in Athens on Wednesday, police said, at the start of a two-day general strike against a new austerity bill demanded by Greece's international creditors to avert bankruptcy.

Authorities threw a cordon of riot police buses in front of parliament and shut down two metro train stations in the area as Communist-affiliated protesters began a march ahead of other demonstrations later in the day.

"The government must fall now," said a banner carried by the protesters.

Some 3,000 officers were stationed around the capital, with additional forces guarding possible targets of violence such as embassies and government buildings.

A police motorcycle patrol was attacked with stones in the working-class district of Kaisiariani as the central Athens protests kicked off, and one of the riders was hurt, a police source said.

Most of the country's professional classes joined the 48-hour walkout including civil servants, tax collectors, doctors, teachers, sailors and taxi owners while traders, petrol station operators and bakers also shut down their businesses in protest against the government's economic policies.

Many government buildings were also blocked by public sector staff outraged by new pay cuts and layoffs on top of a prior state payroll trim last year.

"Take the memorandum and get out of here," read a sign strung across a health ministry building in central Athens, referring to the loan bailout deal with the EU and the IMF that saved Greece from default in 2010.

Air traffic controllers will also stage a 12-hour work stoppage on Wednesday, forcing airlines to scrap or reschedule several flights.

The main unions, GSEE for the private sector and Adedy for civil servants, will head demonstrations in Athens and Thessaloniki from 0800 GMT.

The new austerity bill includes collective wage amendments, a new civil service salary system and temporary layoffs for thousands of public sector staff.

The new cuts are demanded by the EU and IMF in return for the latest loans from a 110-billion-euro ($151-billion) rescue programme agreed last year.

The Greek state has enough money to pay its bills through mid-November. (AFP)