Inflation strikes spur protests and clashes in Greece

A Molotov cocktail explodes near riot police outside the Greek Parliament (AP)

Thousands of protesters have marched through the streets of Athens and the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki as public and some private sector workers walked off the job for a 24-hour general strike against price hikes.

The strike disrupted services around the country, with ferries tied up in port – severing connections to Greece’s islands – state-run schools shut, public hospitals running with reduced staff and most public transport grinding to a standstill.