Athens hit by Greek transport strike after police raid
Commuters faced a grim journey by car in Athens on Friday
Traffic gridlock has paralysed Athens as Greek commuters struggle to work by car, amid a public transport strike.
Early on Friday police stormed a metro train depot, breaking up a workers' sit-in. Police sealed off the entrance.
Other transport workers have joined the striking metro workers in solidarity and a big rally is expected shortly.
The conservative-led government used an emergency law to threaten the strikers with arrest unless they resumed work. The row is over a planned pay cut.
The workers had been on the ninth successive day of strike action that has crippled the underground system.
The government is using civil mobilisation legislation, which has only been invoked nine times since the collapse of Greece's military dictatorship in 1974.
Workers on the underground had been striking over a public sector unified wage scheme that would see their salaries reduced by up to 25%.
The police operation took place shortly before 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT), with about 100 riot police officers entering the depot where workers had barricaded themselves overnight.
A police spokesman told the BBC three people had been arrested and subsequently released.
Transport unions say they will continue their action, raising the possibility that some could face arrest and criminal charges, with a prison sentence of up to five years.
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