Protesters, around 3,500 according to police source, who had gathered at the Athens Polytechnic started marching towards the American embassy on Tuesday in protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama, despite a government ban. The riot police blockaded roads around Syntagma to stop protestors making their way to the United States Embassy as they had planned despite the police ban. Clashes were noted with the police and chemicals were fired to stop them.
The protestors, made up of anarchists, extreme left-wing group supporters and students marched through central Athens ahead of the November 17 anniversary of the Polytechnic student uprising that is usually marred by violence. This year, the tradition of resentment over U.S. support for Greece’s 1967-1974 military dictatorship is further spiked by Obama’s visit to Athens.
Apart from the anarchist call for “attacks and clashes,” there are protests by the Greek Communist Party (KKE), the Popular Unity party and the PAME Labor Union.
The Greek riot squad deployed 5,000 police for Obama’s visit. The riot squad is on high alert for violence.
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