Greek protesters march in support of British rioters and Spanish Indignants

Greek police blocked a march by Greek protesters who walked to the British and Spanish embassies to show solidarity with UK rioters in London and anti-austerity Indignants in Madrid.

 ATHENS, GREECE (AUGUST 11, 2011) REUTERS - Greek protesters from the People's Assembly of Syntagma Square on Thursday (August 11) gathered in front of the Greek parliament in Athens and began to march to the British embassy in a show of solidarity with the rioting youth of Britain.

Syntagma square was the scene of violent clashes with police in June when tens of thousands demonstrated against the government's austerity measures.Thursday's protesters had demonstrated with Greek Indignants that have rallied in front of the parliament every night for more than a month to pressure the government out of passing tough austerity measures. They believe the violence that gripped the United Kingdom during four days this week are the direct result of social inequalities and budget cuts brought on by the financial crisis.

In a pamphlet they distributed to passers by they drew comparisons with the death of a Greek youth in December 2008 which triggered the worst violence Greece had seen in decades. A policeman was charged with the death of the Greek youngster, Alexandros Grigoropoulos. The angry demonstrations against the killing, coupled with widespread discontent at rising unemployment and the worsening economic downturn galvanised the population with many calling for the then prime minister, Costas Karamanlis, to resign.

Thursday's demonstrators called on people in Britain, Spain, Syria and Chile to join forces and protest against their governments.

Police stopped the protesters from reaching the embassy by blocking nearby streets and the march moved toward the Spanish embassy.

British Prime Minister David Cameron blamed the worst riots in Britain for decades on street gang members and opportunistic looters and denied government austerity measures or poverty caused the violence in London and other major English cities.

But the demonstrators in Athens believe the violence in the UK was the result of years of poverty, neglect and government cuts.

In Spain protesters calling themselves Indignants occupied a square in the centre of the capital Madrid for weeks to protest at their own government's austerity plans. Brief scuffles had erupted when they tried to set up a new camp last week.