Greece Parade
Soldiers sing as they march during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greec... Soldiers sing as they march during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
CORRECTION Greece Parade
CORRECTS GRAMMAR A policeman falls down during clashes between riot policemen and protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry i... CORRECTS GRAMMAR A policeman falls down during clashes between riot policemen and protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece, Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
Riot policemen attack protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki... Riot policemen attack protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
A protester holds his head as a riot policeman kneels down, whilst trying to disperse protesters during a student parade commemorating Greece's ent... A protester holds his head as a riot policeman kneels down, whilst trying to disperse protesters during a student parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the city of Iraklio, on the Greek island of Crete, Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Bastian Parschau)
Greece Parade
Soldiers from the 71st Airborne Brigade guard the route of a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in WW II in the northern Greek city of Thes... Soldiers from the 71st Airborne Brigade guard the route of a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in WW II in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. Authorities took the unprecedented step of deploying troops alongside police to prevent the sorts of incidents that led to the cancellation of last year's parade after the route was overrun by anti-government protesters. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
A boy looks on behind riot policemen and a soldier guarding a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, on the northern c... A boy looks on behind riot policemen and a soldier guarding a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, on the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece, Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
Riot policemen attack protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki... Riot policemen attack protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
A protester hits a riot policeman with an umbrella , during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern c... A protester hits a riot policeman with an umbrella , during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
Riot policemen tussle with protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessalo... Riot policemen tussle with protesters during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
Greek Presidential guards march during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki ... Greek Presidential guards march during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
A protester shouts at riot police securing the area during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern c... A protester shouts at riot police securing the area during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
Soldiers from the 71st Airborne Brigade guard the route of a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in WW II in the northern Greek city of Thes... Soldiers from the 71st Airborne Brigade guard the route of a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in WW II in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. Authorities took the unprecedented step of deploying troops alongside police to prevent the sorts of incidents that led to the cancellation of last year's parade after the route was overrun by anti-government protesters. (AP Photo/Giorgos Nissiotis)
Greece Parade
Greek President Karolos Papoulias attends a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessalonik... Greek President Karolos Papoulias attends a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias. (AP Photo/Giorgos Nissiotis)
Greece Parade
Greek Presidential guards march during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki G... Greek Presidential guards march during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
Greece Parade
Protesters clash with riot policemen during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessalon... Protesters clash with riot policemen during a military parade commemorating Greece's entry in World War II in 1940, in the northern city of Thessaloniki Greece Sunday Oct. 28 2012. A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away. Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade. (AP Photo/Nikolas Giakoumidis)
A military parade commemorating Greece's entry into World War II has been held without interruption as hundreds of Greek police and troops were deployed to keep anti-austerity protesters away.
Authorities deployed some 2,000 police in the northern city of Thessaloniki on Sunday and for the first time ever lined the annual parade route with armed troops, including some from an elite quick reaction force that has served in Kosovo.
A few hundred left-wing protesters were easily kept at bay until the parade had ended and officials attending it had departed.
Last year, people protesting the government's tough austerity policies during the country's economic crisis overran the parade, insulted officials and forced the evacuation of Greek President Karolos Papoulias.
