Protesters in Athens hurl petrol bombs at police over Macedonia name deal

Protesters were seen hurling petrol bombs and stones towards law enforcement officials, with police responding with tear gas.

The clashes took place outside parliament in Athens Sunday, where protesters waved flags and chanted slogans including "Macedonia is Greece" and "Hands off Macedonia" against a landmark name deal with neighboring Macedonia.

The small Balkan country has agreed to change its name from the "Republic of Macedonia" to the "Republic of Northern Macedonia" under the deal between the two nations.

Protesters gather on Sunday during a demonstration outside the Greek Parliament against the agreement with Skopje to rename the neighboring country, Macedonia, as the Republic of North Macedonia.

The change, which comes with amendments to the constitution already ratified in Skopje, aims to pacify Greeks who feel the use of the name Macedonia implies territorial claims on a province in Greece named Macedonia. However some feel the change isn't enough.

About that name change for Macedonia ...

"Giving away the name Macedonia means giving away our land. The aim of the protest rally is to send a message to politicians. Our name is our soul," Giorgos Tatsios, a member of the rally's organizing committee, said.

Police say 60,000 people have taken part in the rally.

Giorgos Golas, 46, who traveled to Athens for the day to attend, said living in the northern Greek town of Ptolemaida made him feel "vulnerable."

"We don't want an agreement that does not protect us from minority issues being raised or territorial claims."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said it was a "patriotic duty" to proceed with the agreement, despite the political cost.

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