Thursday 17 November 2011

Police and protesters clash in Athens

Police and protesters clash in Athens
Anti-austerity protesters have clashed with police in Athens during a march to mark the anniversary of the 1973 uprising that helped bring down Greece's military rulers.

Masked youths on Thursday threw firebombs at police outside of parliament during an annual protest march to the
US Embassy.

"The challenge for the Greek government is to give people hope, not necessarily the kinds of people who are out there demonstrating today, but - if you like - the silent majority.

- Barnaby Phillips, Al Jazeera

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the rioters, and some 60 people were detained for questioning but no injuries were reported.

According to police estimates, 28,000 people took part in the march, making it one of the biggest November 17 demonstrations in years.

Al Jazeera's Barnaby Phillips, reporting from Athens, described the scene as "something of a lockdown atmosphere" with police out in large numbers.

Authorities said that 7,000 officers have been deployed to the protest, including about 700 riot police equipped with tear gas, shields and batons.

The November 17 demonstration traditionally draws huge crowds in the Greek capital every year.

People march from the polytechnic to the US embassy in protest at US support of the six-year junta, which the US saw at the time as a buffer against communism.

Large protests have also been reported in Crete, Patras and Thessalonika.

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