Clashes brought out in central Athens on Thursday afternoon when so-called “anti-state” activists moved towards rally by several thousand miners and supporters in Athens to demonstrate in favor of the investment.

The violence continued into the evening close to the unofficial “anarchist hub” of central Athens, Exarchia Square, with gangs of mostly masked young men burning … trash bins and throwing firebombs — a recurrent scene in the area over the past … 30 years.

Most of the violence, characterized by youths throwing stones and other missiles and riot police responding with tear gas, came outside the main Athens university administration building (Propylea) on central Panepistimiou avenue, close to Parliament.

The building has been occupied by anti-state/anti-establishment activists for more than two weeks.

Police had moved between the two groups to avoid a direct confrontation, given that the former are virulent opponents of the mine’s operation in northern Greece.