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One man, a contract worker in the public sector, summed up the mood saying “unfortunately, the time has come for blood to be shed. Every time we protest peacefully more cuts are made and they are always at the expense of workers, never those who are to blame for the crisis. As one of our great singers said, it’s only with fire and knives that men progress. People will have to die if we are going to stop these dreadful policies.”

Had it not been for militants from the immensely disciplined communist party forming a human chain around the parliament, it is likely that the seething mass would have attempted to storm the building early on. As it was, clashes broke out as soon as riot police started firing tear gas to keep the crowds at bay with hundreds of protesters physically pushing their way up to the great marble steps of the parliament building itself.