Clashes erupt as thousands of Greeks protest austerity

A police officer tries to escape from an exploded molotov cocktail as another petrol bomb is airborne in Syntagma square during a 24-hour labour strike in Athens September 26, 2012. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police clashed with hooded rioters hurling petrol bombs as tens of thousands took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday in Greece's biggest anti-austerity protest in more than a year.

Violence erupted after nearly 70,000 people marched to parliament chanting "We won't submit to the troika (of lenders)" and "EU, IMF Out!" on the day of a general strike against a new round of cuts demanded by foreign lenders.