Seasonal firefighters clash with police outside Civil Protection Ministry

Seasonal firefighters clashed with police in Greece's Civil Protection Ministry during a protest Thursday to demand permanent positions after their contracts expire following a grueling wildfire season.

Riot police used tear gas to force a group of protesters out of the ministry building in the evening, after they staged an hours-long sit-in protest and refused to leave. One seasonal firefighter and one police officer were injured in the clashes.

Earlier, hundreds of protesters joined in a demonstration outside the ministry, many wearing their tan and red uniforms. They blew whistles and aerosol horns while carrying Greek flags. The protesters represent some 2,500 firefighters whose short-term contracts ended Thursday, leaving them unemployed with the opportunity to be re-hired next May.

Union representatives argue that climate change has extended Greece's fire...