Over 23,000 people participated in peaceful demonstrations across Greece yesterday to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic Uprising. Large gatherings were also reported in Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, and other major cities.
The central Athens march concluded peacefully shortly after 8:00 p.m., with streets reopening soon after. The head of the march reached the U.S. Embassy around 6:30 p.m., preceded earlier by the student bloc carrying the historic blood-stained flag of the National Technical University of Athens (Metsovio).
According to police estimates, approximately 23,000 protesters took part, with more than 5,000 police officers deployed to maintain security. Some demonstrators attempted to continue the march toward the Israeli Embassy but were stopped by police at Panormou Street. The authorities also set up barricades with police buses in front of both the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the U.S. Embassy.
In total, 48 individuals were taken in for questioning, of which 13 were formally arrested for violations related to weapons and controlled substances. Security checks in the city reached 1,072 locations by midday.
Authorities emphasized that the events were conducted in a calm and orderly manner, enabling citizens to participate safely. Public transport resumed early today, including metro stations at Omonia, Panepistimio, Syntagma, Evangelismos, and Megaro Mousikis.
Several political figures participated in the march, including PASOK MPs Pavlos Christidis and Dimitris Mantzos, SYRIZA President Sokratis Famellos, SYRIZA MP Nikos Pappas, KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoubas, and Freedom Movement President Zoe Konstantopoulou.
The rector of NTUA, Ioannis Chatzigeorgiou, condemned isolated incidents of vandalism at the Polytechnic gates, stressing that “thugs and vandals have no relation to the Polytechnic,” highlighting the historic importance of the institution and its symbolic role in Greek society.
