Thousands of citizens took to the streets of Athens, Greece, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the November 17 Uprising, staging a massive demonstration in support of Palestine and against the United States and Israel.
The protests, involving at least 25,000 participants, were centered around the U.S. Embassy in the Greek capital. Demonstrators chanted slogans opposing U.S. policies, and in a symbolic gesture, approximately 300 students displayed a blood-stained Greek flag in front of the embassy.
The main demonstrations began in the evening, led by a procession of representatives from the Association of Former Prisoners and Politicians, followed by various political parties, organizations, and labor unions. The central theme of the protest was “Freedom for Palestine,” evident from the numerous Palestinian flags and banners with messages like “Americans Out,” “Down with NATO,” and “Close Foreign Military Bases.”
Local media reported that Greek authorities had ramped up security measures, deploying 5,500 police officers, helicopters, and drones. Water cannons were also positioned, and heightened security was in place since Thursday, including several police buses around the U.S. Embassy and enhanced security at the Israeli Embassy.
According to Greek public television ERT, the march was predominantly peaceful. However, towards the end, rioting occurred with around 40 individuals setting fire to garbage bins, leading to the arrest of 20 people in the city.
It’s noteworthy that in the early hours of November 17, 1973, Greece’s transitional government sent a tank to crash through the gates of Athens Polytechnic, shortly followed by the reinstatement of martial law.
