(ATHENS) Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown on Wednesday by a group of demonstrators in front of the Greek Parliament, in the center of Athens, and the police responded by firing tear gas, noted AFP journalists.
The incidents began at the end of a demonstration of more than 40,000 people, angry after the train disaster in Greece which killed 57 people on February 28 and sparked a wave of indignation across the country.
A vehicle was set on fire near Syntagma Square, the esplanade below Parliament, while a bush caught fire in front of Parliament, which was immediately extinguished by firefighters, according to AFP.
Most of the demonstrators had already left the scene before these incidents.
Around 65,000 people took to the streets on Wednesday in Greece, notably at the call of public service unions which are observing a 24-hour strike.
Transport was almost at a standstill while students, primary school teachers, doctors and railway workers were called upon to join the processions.
On the sidelines of another demonstration in Thessaloniki (north), the second largest city in the country, having gathered 15,000 people, a group of young people threw stones at the station building.
Riot forces also responded using tear gas.
In Patras, in the Peloponnese (southwest), thousands of demonstrators threw red paint on the facade of the station, according to images from the Greek media. Again, the police dispersed them with tear gas.