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ATHENS, Nov 17 (AFP) -- Some 10,000 protesters on Wednesday marched through Athens and chanted anti-US slogans as security concerns mounted ahead of US President Bill Clinton's visit here later this week, police said.
Demonstrators marched from the Polytechnic University in central Athens to the US embassy to commemorate the 1973 student uprising against the US-backed military dictatorship that held power from 1967 to 1974.
The marchers, rallied by several left-wing parties, including the Greek communist party (KKE), yelled negative slogans about Clinton's upcoming visit, scheduled to begin Friday.
The protest came as Greek authorities on Wednesday said demonstrations in central Athens would be banned during Clinton's visit.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, acknowledging the democratic right of people to demonstrate, justified the ban by insisting it was the duty of a responsible government to ensure that the interests and dignity of the country were not compromised.
"It is not useful to the interests of the country...to blacken Greece's image..." he said prior to leaving for the OSCE summit in Istanbul.
"President Clinton's visit is well understood to be important for our country and it gives us the opportunity to promote peace and cooperation in the region."
Simitis added that relations and links between the two countries justified a show of hospitality toward Greece's US guests.
He said he was expecting productive talks with Clinton when they meet Saturday and invited "all Greeks, all parties and citizens to defend Greece's national interests with responsibility and care, and to uphold democratic law..."
Clinton, who will be in Athens Friday and Saturday, was initially scheduled to visit November 13-15 but the trip was delayed amid security fears after thousands of protesters staged a series of anti-US demonstrations and small-scale attacks.
Police have banned demonstrations near Athens airport, where Clinton is to arrive Friday, and along the seaside boulevard linking the airport to central Athens.
Protesters will also be barred from rallying in a triangular patch where the US embassy and official buildings to be visited by Clinton are located.
Demonstrations announced by left-wing and opposition groups will be allowed to go ahead Friday and Saturday outside those areas.
Any attempt to move into the outlawed area "will be pursued with the rigor of the law," police said.
Police have also outlawed parking along the roads bordering the security zone and will re-route traffic in the area.
The KKE and a small left-wing movement, DIKKI, the main protest organizers, described the security measures as "anti-democratic" and "anti-constitutional."