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Greece: 20,000 join peaceful annual rally to US embassy, marking deadly uprising

Associated Press
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University students take part in a protest to commemorate the deadly 1973 student uprising, in Athens on Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. About 7,000 police planned a major deployment that started Saturday, leading up to Monday's anniversary of a 1973 bloody student uprising against a military dictatorship. Several labor demonstrations are planned for Monday along with an annual march to the U.S. embassy in Athens. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis) (The Associated Press)

University students hold a blood-stained Greek flag from the deadly 1973 student uprising, in Athens on Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. About 7,000 police planned a major deployment that started Saturday, leading up to Monday's anniversary of a 1973 bloody student uprising against a military dictatorship. Several labor demonstrations are planned for Monday along with an annual march to the U.S. embassy in Athens. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (The Associated Press)

University students hold a blood-stained Greek flag from the deadly 1973 student uprising, in Athens on Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. About 7,000 police planned a major deployment that started Saturday, leading up to Monday's anniversary of a 1973 bloody student uprising against a military dictatorship. Several labor demonstrations are planned for Monday along with an annual march to the U.S. embassy in Athens. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (The Associated Press)

More than 20,000 demonstrators have joined a peaceful rally in Athens marking the 41st anniversary of a deadly student uprising against the country's former dictatorship.

The annual rally to the U.S. embassy was policed by some 7,000 officers, deployed to prevent a potential repeat Monday of violence seen in previous years.

The 1973 Polytechnic Uprising challenged the dictatorship, and police and the army responded by opening fire against demonstrators and bystanders around a central Athens campus. The regime collapsed the following year.

Although anniversary marches protest U.S. backing of the 1967-74 dictatorship, protesters at more recent rallies have also voiced anger at harsh ongoing austerity measures in the bailed out country.