ATHENS: Riot police clash with pro-Palestine protestors outside Israeli Embassy (VIDEOS)

Tension arose shortly after 9:30 on Wednesday night as Greek riot police had to fire tear gas at pro-Palestine protestors outside the Israeli Embassy in Athens.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered and expressed their support for Palestine. The police threw tear gas to push back the people who had reached the barrier of the Israeli Embassy in the Greek capital.

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The incidents did not continue, and the protesters remained in the area shouting slogans in support of the Palestinians.

Kifissias Avenue remained closed until 10:00 in the evening to both traffic streams at the height of Katehaki due to the gathering and the protest march organised by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

The protesters gathered in Syntagma Square in the afternoon and began a march towards the Israeli embassy. According to police sources, the demonstrators numbered around 10,000 and after their protest outside the Israeli embassy, they left for Panormou.

The general secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoubas, took part in the long march in the centre of Athens, wearing the traditional Palestinian scarf. The Palestinian ambassador, Yussef Dorkhom and the party MP, Thanasis Pafilis, accompanied Koutsoubas.

Mr Dorkhom addressed a greeting from Syntagma Square to the people of Gaza, stressing that every step of the way teaches them lessons of dignity and heroism.

At the same time, he also made special reference to the Palestinians in the diaspora who will return to their homeland, as he said. "Our compass," as he said, "was and will be Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian state."

The mobilisation caused traffic chaos in the centre of Athens.

Due to the gathering at the Syntagma, police stopped the traffic of vehicles on Amalia Avenue from the height of Diakou Street, on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue from the height of Hilton, and Stadiou Street from the height of the street in the afternoon until 9:00PM, resulting in a traffic jam.

It is noted that a solidarity gathering in favour of Israel took place outside the country's embassy in Psychiko too.

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READ MORE: Pro-Israel solidarity rally outside the embassy in Athens (PHOTOS)