ATHENS – With anarchist groups rampaging with near-impunity for months, more than 5,000 Greek police will be put on the streets, and drones engaged, to try to keep order during the Nov. 17 protests which mark the 1973 student uprising at Athens Polytechnic that led to the downfall of the military dictatorship.

The police will patrol the Greek capital during the annual march from the university to the US Embassy where there has been violence previously to protest American support for the Colonels who were backed because they were anti-Communist.

Security is also being beefed up at police stations across the city as anarchists have frequently tangled with riot police and the Rouvikonas group has been attacking a number of targets, including offices of the ruling Radical Left SYRIZA of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Ironically he has been accused by critics of condoning the violence to re-establish Leftist credentials after repeatedly surrendering to the country’s international lenders to get a third rescue package in 2015, this one for 86 billion euros ($97.31 billion).

There are worries police could become the prime targets as the anarchists have shown no fear of them and even attacked three officers who were going into a court building to testify against anarchists over a previous clash.