More than 25,000 peopled marched in Athens, Greece on Friday, November 17 to mark 50 years since the Athens Polytechnic Uprising.
The march was held to commemorate the pro-democracy student uprising which was violently put down by the military dictatorship who was ruling Greece in 1973.
According to AP News, the march was peaceful but a minor riot broke out at a university campus in Greece’s capital following young people setting fires to dumpsters and throwing petrol bombs at police who were on the scene.
In Thessaloniki, violence was also said to have broken out, and police fought back with tear gas. Minor clashes were also reported in Patra.
Greek leaders commemorate the anniversary:
Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the Athens Polytechnic Uprising as “a beacon illuminating the path towards a more open and democratic society,” in a post on social media.
“Fifty years later, the Polytechnic uprising remains a significant chapter in our contemporary history, acting as a catalyst for its evolution,” Mitsotakis said.
Mitsotakis said the 50th anniversary pays tribute to the fighters against dictatorship.
“We grasp onto its revitalising spirit in the face of new circumstances. Only in this way can the Polytechnic endure through time, consistently expressing the hopes of Greeks for a more optimistic future,” he concluded.
Greece’s President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou was also seen to commemorate the 50th anniversary, by laying a wreath at a memorial which is dedicated to the victims of the regime’s brutal suppression of the revolt.
“Today, as democracy stands firm and robust, our responsibility is to protect it with the same passion and unwavering determination exhibited by those resilient young people fifty years ago,” Sakellaropulou said.
Source: AP News and Ekathimerini.
