Protesters light fires amidst clouds of tear gas fired by police during small scale clashes, outside Athens' Polytechnic University complex, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Dozens of anarchists who had occupied the complex threw petrol bombs and stones at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. It followed a peaceful march where thousands of protesters marched to the U.S. embassy, in an annual commemoration of a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by the military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Clashes between anarchists and Greek police broke out Thursday on the sidelines of a peaceful march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens, in an annual commemoration of a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by the military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1967-74.
About 17,000 people marched to the embassy without incident, although some protesters taunted and threw garbage at about 1,000 participating supporters of the governing Syriza party. Some 3,000 police were deployed in central Athens as a precaution.
But the violence came from another quarter of the city. Dozens of anarchists occupied the National Technical University complex, site of the failed pro-democracy revolt, and attacked police with petrol bombs, flares and stones.
Riot police responded with tear gas and stun grenades as street battles lurched outside the university in the densely-inhabited Exarcheia district, well away from the embassy. Police arrested at least two people, but no injuries were reported.
The march Thursday began at the gates of the university, also known as the Polytechnic, where in 1973 the military sent in a tank to crush student demonstrations. Several people were killed during the crackdown, but historians disagree on the precise death toll.
The university has been the flashpoint of many anti-government protests over the years. Before the march started, suspected anarchists stole two riot police shields and helmets and hung them on a statue in Exarcheia.
Violence also broke out during marches in other Greek cities to commemorate the uprising. In Greece's second-largest city of Thessaloniki, in the north, 8,000 protesters marched to the U.S. Consulate. Anarchists attacked police with firebombs, and one group burned a U.S. flag outside the building. Two suspected rioters were detained.
In the northwestern town of Ioannina, the local police chief was hospitalized after a demonstrator hit him on the head with a wooden club.
An anti-American protest Tuesday during a visit by President Barack Obama to Athens was marred by extensive clashes around the Polytechnic between anarchists and Greek riot police.
Many Greek left-wing supporters still deeply resent the U.S. for supporting the oppressive dictatorship in Greece at the height of the Cold War.
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Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki contributed to this story.
Greek riot policemen react as protesters throw firebombs during clashes outside Athens' Polytechnic University complex, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Clashes between anarchists and Greek police broke out Thursday on the sidelines of a peaceful march to the U.S. embassy in Athens, in an annual commemoration of a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by the military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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A Greek riot police officer watches as a protester gestures during small scale clashes outside Athens' Polytechnic University complex, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Dozens of anarchists who had occupied the complex threw petrol bombs and stones at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. It followed a peaceful march where thousands of protesters marched to the U.S. embassy, in an annual commemoration of a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by the military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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A protester runs to throw a firebomb, during small scale clashes with police, outside Athens' Polytechnic University complex, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Dozens of anarchists who had occupied the complex threw petrol bombs and stones at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. It followed a peaceful march where thousands of protesters marched to the U.S. embassy, in an annual commemoration of a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by the military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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Greek riot police officers watch, backdropped by fire lit by a firebomb thrown by protesters during small scale clashes in Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people marched to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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Greek riot police officers watch stand by a firebomb thrown by protesters during small scale clashes near Athens' Polytechnic University complex, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Dozens of anarchists who had occupied the complex threw petrol bombs and stones at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. It followed a peaceful march where thousands of protesters marched to the U.S. embassy, in an annual commemoration of a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by the military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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Greek riot police officers run through fire lit by a firebomb thrown by protesters during small scale clashes in Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people marched to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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University students hold a blood-stained Greek flag from the deadly 1973 student uprising in Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people marched to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Demonstrators chant slogans as they march in central Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Demonstrators chant slogans as they march in central Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Demonstrators chant slogans as they march in central Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Under the watchful eye of Greek police officers in riot gear, foreground,demonstrators march in central Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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Greek riot police officers keep a watchful eye at demonstrators in a march in central Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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University students hold a blood-stained Greek flag from the deadly 1973 student uprising in Athens, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people marched to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Demonstrators take part in a march in central Athens, towards the U.S. Embassy, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people marched to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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Greek riot police officers guard the U.S. Embassy in Athens, during a protest Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Several thousand people march to the U.S. Embassy in Athens under tight police security to commemorate a 1973 student uprising that was crushed by Greece's military junta, that ruled the country from 1967-74. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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