Rioting broke out on Saturday night around the National Technical University of Athens resulting in significant damage to the university and surrounding areas.
The riots commenced just hours after the commemorations took place for the 45th anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising in 1973 against the country’s military junta regime, which was ruling Greece at the time.
Several thousand people had taken part in a peaceful march from the Polytechnic to the US embassy. However with the march so too ended the peace, with around 100 young people throwing firebombs and other rockets at riot police.
Believed to be the actions of anarchists, windows and sidewalks were smashed, while chairs and tables were set alight.
Police responded with tear gas, two water cannons and drones.
According to official figures, it is estimated 1,000 firebombs and 200 flares were thrown by rioters.
A total of 19 people were arrested including 15 Greeks aged 17 to 37, among them a 28-year-old member of the “Rouvikonas” “anarchist collective” with a prior arrest record, and four foreigners, reports Kathimerini.
While most of the rioting took place in and around the main Polytechnic building in Athens, smaller-scale riots also broke out around the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and in the western port city of Patras.
