Rival rallies ahead of Greece's referendum were held in central Athens late Friday, with a pro-government demonstration urging a "No" vote gathering 25,000 people and a nearby "Yes" crowd attracting 20,000, according to police.

The "No" rally in front of the Greek parliament was to be addressed later by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who called the Sunday plebiscite on whether to accept bailout terms in a bid to strengthen his hand in negotiations with Greece's creditors.

The "Yes" demonstrators, who gathered in front of a stadium less 800 metres (yards) away, yelled out pro-European slogans, heeding warnings from EU leaders the referendum could see Greece crash out of the euro.

Much smaller demonstrations of hundreds of people expressing solidarity with Greece's 'No' camp sprang up in other European cities, including in Rome, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt and Warsaw.
Source: AFP