Thousands of protesters demonstrated in Athens on Thursday against austerity measures demanded by the new unity government to persuade its creditors to release bankruptcy-saving loans.

"We will throw all of them out," promised a banner held aloft by students, while another carried by anarchists read: "In the face of tyranny, one must choose between chains and arms."

At least 4,000 people had joined a first protest by students and unionists, police said, ahead of a second march by communists in the early evening...

Greece is slogging through a third year of recession exacerbated by wage cuts and tax hikes imposed by the previous socialist government of George Papandreou.

These are set to continue under the new coalition administration set up last week under former European Central Bank deputy chief Lucas Papademos, as he seeks to implement reforms demanded by EU and International Monetary Fund creditors...

Police deployed 7,000 officers across Athens for the demonstrations, seen as a test of the scale of public defiance against the new government.

Hundreds of riot officers wearing body armour and equipped with tear gas, gas masks, batons and shields formed protective lines outside state buildings and embassies that are regularly targeted during protests.

The march on November 17 each year commemorates a student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic in 1973 in which at least 44 people died but which helped topple a US-backed army dictatorship and brought back the republic.

The bloodstained Greek flag that flew over the university that night is carried at the head of the demonstration, which passes in front of parliament and EU offices, before culminating at the US embassy.

The participation of far-right politicians in the cabinet for the first time since democracy was restored in 1974 has added to the outrage of the protesters during this year's demonstrations.

"Down with the government of socialists, conservatives and fascists," a protester banner said.

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