ATHENS, Greece, June 15 (UPI) -- Greek police arrested two people and detained 18 others Wednesday in clashes between scores of agitators and riot police in Athens, officials said.
The violence marred nearly two weeks of peaceful demonstrations in central Athens against the government of Prime Minister George Papandreou, the Athens News Agency reported.
Reports said up to 100 self-styled, hood-wearing anarchists who call themselves "The Indignants," tossed gasoline bombs at the Ministry of Finance and fought riot police with rocks and sticks, prompting police to return fire with tear gas. The violence forced tens of thousands of peaceful protesters to retreat into the upper portion of Syntagma Square.
The peaceful demonstrators had planned to form a human shield around the Greek Parliament to block debate on more proposed austerity measures, CNN said. Labor unions in Greece are staging a 24-hour general strike in support of the protests bringing most public services to a halt.
Unemployment in Greece hit 16 percent in May.
Papandreou, in a brief nationally televised address Wednesday evening, announced changes in his government's Cabinet saying he would form a new government and seek a vote of confidence in Parliament, the Athens News Agency said.
