Peaceful Polytechnio March Marks Athens Anniversary

The news in Greek

1. επέτειος (f.)
   η ετήσια αναφορά σε ένα σημαντικό γεγονός ↩︎
2. εξέγερση (f.)
   η αντίσταση εναντίον της εξουσίας ↩︎
3. συμμετέχω
   παίρνω μέρος σε κάτι ↩︎
4. ειρηνικός
   που σχετίζεται με την ειρήνη, χωρίς βία ↩︎
5. αστυνομικός
   που σχετίζεται με την αστυνομία ↩︎
6. ασφάλεια (f.)
   η κατάσταση του να είναι κάποιος προστατευμένος από κινδύνους ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: What did children do to honor those who died in 1973 during the march?

Question: What was one of the security measures during the march in Athens?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
επέτειος (f.)	anniversary
εξέγερση (f.)	uprising
συμμετέχω	participate
ειρηνικός	peaceful
αστυνομικός	police
ασφάλεια (f.)	safety

Read the full story

A diverse assembly of protestors, including students, political party representatives, and families, gathered to pay homage to the uprising’s legacy. A touching gesture saw young children laying flowers and drawings at the Polytechnio to honour those who lost their lives during the revolt.

The demonstration began at 3:00 PM, commencing its route towards the U.S. Embassy and later towards the Israeli Embassy under the watchful presence of a significant police force to maintain order. At the forefront of the procession was the blood-stained Greek flag from the original 1973 uprising, symbolically carried by student and organization representatives.

While the march in Athens remained peaceful, with authorities reporting 150 precautionary detainments and 7 arrests, northern Greece saw a different scenario. In Thessaloniki, the march ended with confrontations as members of the anarchist faction hurled Molotov cocktails, prompting police to respond with water cannon and chemical agents. The city had been under heightened surveillance due to previous demonstrations.

In both cities, gatherings and speeches were held near the U.S. diplomatic missions, with participants voicing opposition to American and NATO policies, reflecting the historical anti-imperialistic sentiments associated with the 1973 events. Thessaloniki witnesses reported an instance of protestors burning flags of the U.S. and NATO.

Athens was effectively turned into a security fortress, with over 5,700 police officers deployed, supported by aerial surveillance from drones and helicopters. This robust security presence extended to protect key locations such as embassies and businesses with Israeli affiliations.

Despite the heavy police deployment and temporary disruptions to public services, the mood in Athens remained commemorative. Many groups, including former prisoners of the Junta era, emphasized the lasting relevance of the Polytechnio’s message as they marched with banners decrying fascism. The rally reasserted the date’s importance in Greece’s collective memory, demonstrating a powerful call for freedom and democracy continuing to echo through generations.

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