Athens faces protests, ambulance strikes ahead of Olympics

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Ambulance drivers and paramedics announced plans to strike during the Aug. 13-29 Games Thursday, and violence broke out at an anti-Olympic demonstration.

Demonstrators hurled a gasoline bomb outside Greece's interior ministry and spray painted the cement bases of new surveillance cameras in the city center. No arrests or damage were reported and the protest with about 500 demonstrators later dispersed peacefully.

It was the latest sign of trouble in Athens, as protest groups have vowed to continue street rallies through the games and labor unions threatened protests to demand Olympic bonuses.

Ambulance drivers and paramedics declared a 24-hour nationwide strike on Aug. 5 and 24-hour strikes for every day from Aug. 13 through Aug. 27.

"The emergency service employees insist in their just cause," union leader Ilias Ioannidis told The Associated Press.

Ioannidis said 2,600 union workers have been specially trained for Olympic duties.

"The emergency services are ready ... (and have been) trained in the latest rescue technology and for a chemical or biological attack," he said.

Labor groups have launched a campaign of strikes and street rallies after the police and other security forces were promised Olympic bonuses up to euro2,500 (US$3,000). The government rejected the demands, citing skyrocketing Olympic costs.

"Our employees will play a critical role during the Olympics as they will be inside and outside the sporting venues," Ioannidis said.

"We are calling on the government, even at this late stage to reconsider its position."

At Thursday's protest rally, activists from anti-globalization groups gathered to protest expanded NATO involvement in providing Olympic security.

Athens, already spending euro1.2 billion (US$1.5 billion) on security, has made a last-minute plea for extra counterterrorism help after the alliance agreed to send air and sea patrols and experts in biochemical weapons.

Chanting "NATO is a terrorist group," the protesters marched to parliament, shadowed by scores of riot police.

"We organized this protest to show our opposition to the police measures that are being taken to limit our political and social rights," protest organizer Panos Totsikas told the AP.

"These Olympic Games are not desirable and the culture of these Olympics is not our culture."

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