30,000+ take to the streets of Athens, molotovs

Tensions were high on Wednesday in the central Syntagma Square as some anti-austerity protesters threw molotov cocktails at police, who responded with tear gas as a small-scale fire developed in the square. More than 30,000 people took to the streets in a massive, union-organized protest against the government's latest proposed austerity measures. In a smaller event organized by the Communist Party-affiliated PAME union, more than 15,000 people marched without incident from Omonia Square to the Parliament building. Protests are ongoing in all major cities to coincide with a 24-hour national strike called by the country's three major unions, which are PAME, ADEDY (public sector) and GSEE (private sector). Meanwhile leaked media reports allege that Premier Antonis Samaras has already signed off on the new austerity package, which must now be approved by the leaders of the three-party ruling coalition.