Greece: A million people on the streets! Provocation falls on deaf ears as consultations on forming a puppet coalition government begin

From early this morning, hundreds of thousands of workers and youth participated in the mass rallies during today’s 24-hour general strike, encircling the Houses of Parliament. There is no doubt that had it not been for the outbreak of rioting, with such a huge level of participation the numbers concentrating on Syntagma Square would have exceeded one million.

There was, however, an orchestrated manoeuvre aimed at intimidating anyone wishing to participate. Police officers and organised provocateurs mingled with the protesters and acted in a manner to block the "wave" of the masses which was getting ready to cut off the Houses of Parliament and the Maximou building (the prime ministerial office). Thus we witnessed scenes of violent clashes with the police, which drove many out of the square.

In spite of all this, thousands of people, slowly but surely started to gather again in Syntagma Square. The riot police with tear gas tried to create a suffocating atmosphere to prevent the regrouping of the protesters in the square, while the TV channels constantly broadcast the scenes of violence to prevent a new flood of people coming in.

While all this was going on, the government and the bourgeois parties were thrown into a state of terror. They are now trying to find a political solution to buy some time and stop the movement of the masses which is assuming revolutionary connotations as each hour passes. In a few hours’ time later this evening the hated Prime Minister, ever more alienated from the masses and who is seen as a servant of the banks, is going to speak to the nation. He may make an appeal for a national "coalition government" or may even announce early elections.

The comrades of Marxistiki Foni are intervening in the movement and are monitor developments and will provide an update on the situation tomorrow.