Thousands of protestors massed in Greece under heavy police watch Saturday after the government approved unpopular austerity cuts to get vital rescue funds and avoid the "chaos" of a default. More than 3,500 people streamed to Syntagma Square in Athens on a second day of protests and a general strike, with hundreds of riot police standing guard following clashes that erupted during the rallies on Friday.
"We are here to say no to what they want to impose on us," said Sophia, a 38-year-old researcher, as other protestors held up a banner reading: "They Are Ruining Our Lives." The general strike brought public transport to a halt in the Greek capital, with no metro, bus or trolley services. In the northern city of Thessaloniki, police estimated a crowd of some 4,000 at a similar protest.