Thousands of Greek citizens marched across the center of Athens on Saturday to mark the 45th anniversary of the uprising that led to the restoration of democracy in the country after the military junta of 1967-1974.

More than 10,000 demonstrators marched peacefully through the center of Athens, which was heavily guarded by police.

About 300 anarchists who did not take part in a march to the US Embassy to mark the anniversary, but stayed in their usual base, the central neighborhood of Exarchia, threw firebombs and rocks at police who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Other protesters built street barricades with chairs and threw petrol bombs from rooftops. Police deployed a water cannon to disperse the crowd.

Earlier, many people laid wreaths and carnations at the Athens Polytechnic to honor those killed in the 1973 revolt.