School and hospital cleaners protesting state ‘mobility schemes’ which will see them lose their positions have proven themselves to be one of the most persistent groups in demonstrating against the troika.

The lender’s representatives don’t start a day’s work in Athens without being met outside the gates of the Finance Ministry's General Accounting Office by a vocal group of mop and broom brandishing low-income workers who are bearing the brunt of the ‘reforms’.

Today a minor incident occurred involving one such woman who, as a group of protesters pushed up to the gate of the Finance Ministry believing the troika had arrived, managed to liberate the baton of one of the policeman. “Look at this! The hooligans! Is this what you’ll hit us with?” she is heard saying, “is this what you’ll hit your mothers with?”

Fortunately another policeman managed to swoop in to reclaim the baton from the elderly woman and the dignity of the police force was restored.