Images: FOSPHOTOS
The 40th anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising – the event that marked the beginning of the end of Greece’s military dictatorship – was honored by tens of thousands of citizens who took part in peaceful, yet heavily policed, demonstrations in the capital and cities throughout the country.
In Athens the annual march to the gates of the American embassy was overseen by thousands of police. Overall 7,000 officers were stationed throughout the city who set up perimeters guarding the embassy itself as well as the parliament, university buildings, ERT public broadcasting buildings and offices of the neo-nazi Golden Dawn party.
Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, the day did not pass without episodes of sporadic violence and arrests. In Athens the police detained 189 people, 14 of whom were then placed under arrest. Skirmishes broke out after the march in the neighborhood of Exarchia – long associated with anarchist groups – where some shops suffered minor damages and three people were reported injured.
The demonstrations in Patras were also marked by violent episodes when molotov petrol bombs were thrown at riot police who responded with teargas.
In Thessaloniki the situation was more peaceful. After the march demonstrators gathered outside the offices of ET3 for a concert in support of the employees of the shuttered public broadcaster.