Greek farmers clash with police in Athens during reforms protest
Reuters - Greek farmers clashed with police in central Athens on Wednesday when a protest against tax and pension reforms mandated by the country's multi-billion-euro bailout turned violent.
About 1,300 farmers who had arrived in Athens from the island of Crete overnight headed to the agriculture ministry, which was sealed off by police buses.
A small number of the farmers, some holding shepherds staffs, charged the building and smashed windows of two parked police buses, with the police responding with use of tear gas, witnesses said.
Farmers have been engaged in a long-running feud with Greek authorities over social security laws introduced in mid-2016 which force them to pay on imputed earnings upfront, and higher pension contributions.
