Police clashed with protesters hurling petrol bombs and bottles in front of the parliament in central Athens on Wednesday.

The police used tear gas and pepper spray against the demonstrators and arrested 100 people. Five police officers were injured. About 50,000 people joined the march during a general strike against new austerity measures adopted to qualify for new international bailout loans, and against the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU). Greeks stayed the first large-scale walk-out since the country’s coalition government was formed in June. Road and railway traffic have shut down, hundreds of flights have been delayed, and security has been tightened in Athens.