ATHENS, Jan 24: Several hundred self-styled anarchists fought with police in central Athens on Saturday after a march to demand the release of people arrested during riots last month.

Shoppers crowding Athens’ main shopping district for winter sales were startled by marchers covering their faces with motorcycle helmets and bandanas and carrying sticks and iron bars.

A Nike shop was smashed and looted but there was little other damage in the shopping area.The violence started later, when the marchers tried to smash a security camera and riot police armed with batons charged them.

Witnesses said they saw at least three rioters being arrested. A police spokesman would not confirm the arrests. There were also clashes outside the main University of Athens building, with the rioters throwing stones and police responding with pepper spray.

About 300 rioters continued their march toward the district of Exarchia, which serves as the anarchists’ base. There, they set fire to several trash cans, smashed pavements and threw the pieces at police. Officers used large amounts of tear gas and eventually stormed the main Exarchia square, dispersing the crowd. No serious injuries were reported.

A march also took place in the western city of Patras, with protesters attacking a newspaper building and causing slight damage.

The anarchists claim a total of 67 people — 50 in Athens and the rest in other Greek cities — are being held for taking part in violent riots in Athens and other Greek cities in December. The riots, which went on for 15 days following the Dec 6 shooting of a teenager by a police officer, were the biggest in decades.—AP