Greek police, protesters clash in Athens during Obama visit

Riot police fired teargas on Tuesday at protesters demonstrating just a few kilometers (miles) from the presidential mansion where Greek leaders were hosting a state banquet for visiting U.S. President Barack Obama.

Protesters shout slogans during a protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in central Athens, Greece, on Nov. 15, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Athens Tuesday for a two-day visit amid draconian security measures as his trip marks the first to the country by a U.S. leader since 1999. Photo by: Xinhua/Marios Lolos

About 7,000 people, among them many hooded protesters and members of the Communist-affiliated group PAME, marched through the streets of central Athens holding banners reading "Unwanted!"

A petrol bomb thrown by protesters explodes next to riot police during a protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in central Athens, Greece, on Nov. 15, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Athens Tuesday for a two-day visit amid draconian security measures as his trip marks the first to the country by a U.S. leader since 1999.Photo by: Xinhua/Marios Lolos

The police clashed with the protesters after they tried to break through cordon lines to reach the parliament building and the U.S. embassy. Some demonstrators threw two petrol bombs at police before dispersing into nearby streets close to Athens's main Syntagma Square.

Protesters shout slogans during a protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in central Athens, Greece, on Nov. 15, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Athens Tuesday for a two-day visit amid draconian security measures as his trip marks the first to the country by a U.S. leader since 1999.Photo by: Xinhua/Marios Lolos

In a separate protest in the northern city of Thessaloniki, protesters burned a U.S. flag.

The visit comes only two days before the anniversary of a bloody 1973 student revolt that helped topple the 1967-1974 military junta which was backed by the U.S. government.

Protesters clash with riot police during a protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in central Athens, Greece, on Nov. 15, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Athens Tuesday for a two-day visit amid draconian security measures as his trip marks the first to the country by a U.S. leader since 1999.Photo by: Xinhua/Marios Lolos

Obama, who will be succeeded in January by Donald Trump, arrived in Greece on Tuesday on his last foreign tour as president of the United States.

(REUTERS)