Greece paralysed by general strike

Riot police clashed with demonstrators for a fifth day and a general strike paralysed Greece yesterday, piling pressure on the beleaguered conservative government.

Yesterday's strike by GSEE and its public sector counterpart ADEDY, which include half of Greece's five-million-strong work force, was the latest in a series of labour protests by unions.

Many shops in central Athens stayed shut, boarding up their windows to prevent further damage. Bus stops and litter bins were blackened by fire, public telephone booths smashed and some buildings gutted by blazes.

Greece has a tradition of violence at student rallies and firebomb attacks by anarchist groups.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis announced financial support for businesses damaged in the riots and main opposition leader George Papandreou appealed for an end to the violence that has gripped more than 10 Greek cities.

"Government murderers!" demonstrators shouted, furious at the shooting of a teenager by police on Saturday. The killing ignited unrest fuelled by simmering public anger at political scandals, rising unemployment and poverty.

Mr Karamanlis, clinging to a thin majority, pledged to safeguard people from violence, but did not say how. Government sources denied rumours emergency measures were being considered. No more protests are planned this week but tension remains high. Youths lobbed firebombs at police, who returned volleys of tear gas outside Athens polytechnic university, hours after clashes outside Parliament following a union rally against economic and social policy.