ATHENS, Oct 18: Hundreds of youths pelted riot police with fire bombs, bottles and chunks of marble on Thursday as yet another Greek anti-austerity demonstration descended into violence, less than a month after more intense clashes broke out during a similar protest.

Authorities said around 70,000 protesters took to the street in two separate demonstrations in Athens during the country’s second general strike in a month as workers across the country walked off the job to protest new austerity measures the government is negotiating with Greece’s international creditors.

Thursday’s strike was timed to coincide with a European Union summit in Brussels later in the day, at which Greece’s economic fate will likely feature large.

Police responded with volleys of tear gas and stun grenades in the capital as protesters scattered during the clashes, which continued on and off for about an hour.—AP