26 September, 2012,A rally in the Greek capital turned violent when protesters in
Syntagma Square lobbed Molotov cocktails at police, who retaliated by
firing tear gas at the demonstrators.
Security forces also reportedly used flashbang grenades and pepper
spray to push protesters back from the parliament building. According to
Greek newspaper Kathimerin, the police had been ordered to refrain from
using chemicals against protesters.Around 70,000 people,gathered in front of the parliament for the
country’s biggest anti-austerity protest since the new government came
to power."EU, IMF out!" shouted the angry crowd.

"For the past two-to-three years we've been living an incredible social catastrophe," one of the protesters told Agence France Presse. "My salary has been cut by 50 percent. I have two children and tomorrow I don't know if I'll have a job."

Greece recently enacted a new round of spending cuts, totaling €11.5
billion ($15 billion). The austerity measures are a precondition for
another rescue loan from the European Central Bank; without the bailout,
Greece could face bankruptcy in a matter of weeks."The new measures are unbearable, unfair and only worsen the crisis. We are determined to fight until we win," said Costas Tsikrikas, head of the ADEDY public sector union. "We call on all workers to join us in the march against the policies that the troika is imposing."

Clashes erupted in different parts of Athens Syntagma Square, with demonstrators throwing fire bombs at police.