Greek riot policemen clash with protesters during a demonstration against the visit of US President Barack Obama, in Athens, Greece, November 15, 2016.
Violent clashes have broken out between Greek police and demonstrators protesting US President Barack Obama’s visit to Athens.
Riot police used teargas to disperse the around-7,000-strong crowd of protesters who had taken to the streets in central Athens on Tuesday.
The protesters had initially planned to march towards the US embassy, but clashes with police disrupted the march.
All manners of protest had been banned in the city over Obama’s trip, with police parking buses along the US president’s route.
The protests turned violent after demonstrators attempted to break through police cordons around the Greek parliament and US embassy.
Petrol bombs were also thrown towards police officers in the city’s northern districts.
According to reports, over 5,000 police forces have been stationed in the city to disrupt the protesters.
RT quoted Greek journalist Aris Chatzistefanou as saying that the demonstration was being held against the US’s policies which are “creating tensions” with other countries across the globe, especially with Russia and China.
“While the Greek government is trying to present the visit of Obama as a visit of a peacemaker, thousands of demonstrators came onto the streets to protest US policy in [such] parts of the world from Latin America to Middle East, Afghanistan and Syria,” he added.