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| Greek police clear former broadcaster ERT's offices | Greek police clear former broadcaster ERT's offices |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Greek riot police have cleared the headquarters of the former state broadcaster ERT, using tear gas to gain entry and arresting several people. | Greek riot police have cleared the headquarters of the former state broadcaster ERT, using tear gas to gain entry and arresting several people. |
| Police formed a cordon round the building in Athens, before going from room to room to evacuate protesters. | Police formed a cordon round the building in Athens, before going from room to room to evacuate protesters. |
| Former employees have occupied the building since the government closed ERT and sacked its 2,600 staff in June. | Former employees have occupied the building since the government closed ERT and sacked its 2,600 staff in June. |
| Greece's conservative-led coalition said the state broadcaster cost too much to run in an economic crisis. | Greece's conservative-led coalition said the state broadcaster cost too much to run in an economic crisis. |
| The closure of ERT prompted a left-wing party to withdraw from the governing coalition of prime minister Antonis Samaras in protest - a move which almost brought down the government. | The closure of ERT prompted a left-wing party to withdraw from the governing coalition of prime minister Antonis Samaras in protest - a move which almost brought down the government. |
| The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Athens, says the question is whether the ERT debacle again fuels social unrest here - and how much stomach the Greeks still have for a fight. | The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Athens, says the question is whether the ERT debacle again fuels social unrest here - and how much stomach the Greeks still have for a fight. |
| Restructured broadcaster | Restructured broadcaster |
| Following the announcement of ERT's closure in June, hundreds of staff refused to leave the building and continued to broadcast their programming via the internet. | Following the announcement of ERT's closure in June, hundreds of staff refused to leave the building and continued to broadcast their programming via the internet. |
| But early on Thursday, Greek police arrived to secure the building in Agia Paraskevi, a suburb in the north of Athens. | But early on Thursday, Greek police arrived to secure the building in Agia Paraskevi, a suburb in the north of Athens. |
| Riot police used tear gas to disperse about 200 protesters outside the building, and then cleared each room inside. | Riot police used tear gas to disperse about 200 protesters outside the building, and then cleared each room inside. |
| A member of staff inside the building told the BBC that once officers entered, it was fairly peaceful. | A member of staff inside the building told the BBC that once officers entered, it was fairly peaceful. |
| Twenty or so workers were led out but three refused to go and were arrested. Police have now surrounded the building and protesters are gathering. | Twenty or so workers were led out but three refused to go and were arrested. Police have now surrounded the building and protesters are gathering. |
| The state-run Athens News Agency reported that Panagiotis Kalfagiannis, a journalist and head of the ERT employees' union, Pospert, was one of those held for public order offences. | The state-run Athens News Agency reported that Panagiotis Kalfagiannis, a journalist and head of the ERT employees' union, Pospert, was one of those held for public order offences. |
| ERT was Greece's only TV broadcaster until the advent of private TV channels in 1989. | ERT was Greece's only TV broadcaster until the advent of private TV channels in 1989. |
| Despite several major overhauls to keep up with fierce private competition, a fall in ERT's ratings in the mid-1990s triggered a long-running debate about its cost and efficiency. | Despite several major overhauls to keep up with fierce private competition, a fall in ERT's ratings in the mid-1990s triggered a long-running debate about its cost and efficiency. |
| In June, as Greece attempted to satisfy international creditors that it was fulfilling its debt restructuring and bailout commitments, the prime minister, Antonis Samaras, announced the closure of ERT. | In June, as Greece attempted to satisfy international creditors that it was fulfilling its debt restructuring and bailout commitments, the prime minister, Antonis Samaras, announced the closure of ERT. |
| He said the Greek exchequer could no longer afford to pay for a public broadcaster that cost more than $400,000 (£249,000) a year to run, and has refused to reinstate ERT unless it accepts a complete restructuring. | |
| An interim TV station, called Public TV or DT, has been broadcasting in Greece since July while a restructured public broadcaster, called Nerit, is not expected to begin operating before 2014. | An interim TV station, called Public TV or DT, has been broadcasting in Greece since July while a restructured public broadcaster, called Nerit, is not expected to begin operating before 2014. |
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