Greece: Demonstrations in Athens November 17

Event

Demonstrations are planned in Athens on Saturday, November 17, to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Athens Polytechnic student uprising. According to local reports, thousands are expect to march from the Parliament building to the US Embassy and stage rallies at the National Technical University of Athens building on Patission street. Authorities announced that the Megaro Mouskis, Evangelismos, and Syntagma metro stations will close beginning at 15:30 (local time) and traffic in the city-center will be restricted on Saturday. An additional 5000 police personnel as well as drones and helicopters will be deployed to Athens to secure the march route. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces cannot be ruled out.

Context

As many as 10,000 people marking the anniversary of the uprising against the military junta marched peacefully through Athens in 2017. Following the march, clashes broke out during the evening hours after demonstrators threw petrol bombs at security forces, who used tear gas to disperse the crowds. The event has become a point of convergence for anti-government protests against austerity measures imposed as a condition for economic bailout packages in recent years.

Advice

Individuals in Athens are advised to monitor developments to the situation, anticipate localized transportation disruptions, and avoid all demonstrations as a precaution.