Protestors riot in Athens over debates on austerity package

The city of Athens erupted in flames and riots Sunday, as citizens marched the streets in protest to a parliamentary vote on austerity package designed to avoid the country going bankrupt, The New York Times reported.
Over 100,000 rioters marched the streets towards parliament, setting fires and destroying historic buildings, in protest to harsh cuts "which will ax one in five civil service jobs and slash the minimum wage by more than a fifth," reported the Huffington Post. Police officers fired tear gas towards rioters, who set fire to at least 10 buildings, including a three-story building which was completely taken over by flames.
Though the proposed plan is severe, Prime Minister Lucas D. Papademos said it was necessary in order to "restore the fiscal stability and global competitiveness of the economy, which will return to growth, probably in the second half of 2013," the New York Times reported.
European countries and the International Monetary Fund gave Greece $145 billion bailout in May 201, plus an additional $171 billion when that proved to not be enough.