Skirmishes between police forces and anarchist demonstrators marred a largely peaceful demonstration in downtown Athens commemorating a bloody 1973 student uprising against Greece’s former military junta. Small groups of mostly teenage anarchist demonstrators hurled two firebombs, wooden planks and stones at riot police protecting the US embassy. Police used tear gas to disperse them. No injuries and just minor material damage was reported. At least 35 demonstrators were arrested as skirmishes continued in nearby side streets after the march ended, police sources said. Police said up to 12,000 people took part in the traditional march, which began at Athens university where the uprising took place in 1973, and ended at the US embassy. Protest organisers put the figure at around 25,000. Similar incidents took place during another march past the US consulate in the northern port town of Salonika. Many Greeks blame the United States for having engineered the junta’s rise in 1967. The bloody November 17, 1973 student uprising presaged the regime’s collapse one year later. Full Story