The anniversary of the suppression of the 1973 student uprising was commemorated by thousands of demonstrators in Greek cities. Their gathering led to clashes with the police.
On Monday, thousands of people protested in the streets of Greek cities on the occasion of the anniversary of the suppression of the student uprising against the military dictatorship in 1973. TASR informs about this according to the report of the AFP agency.
According to the authorities, around 15,000 people took part in the march in Athens. Another 10,000 protesters gathered in Thessaloniki, where some demonstrators burned US and NATO flags.
March in front of embassies
The annual march in Athens is led in front of the US embassy as a sign of disapproval of Washington’s support for the Greek military dictatorship at the time. The march is often accompanied by skirmishes with riot police.
This year, several protesters had Palestinian flags, as the march was supposed to end in front of the Israeli embassy. The police arrested 11 demonstrators before the start of the protest.
The history of the uprising and its consequences
In 1973, Greek university students launched an uprising against the US-backed military junta that had ruled since 1967. The uprising was brutally suppressed by the army and police, killing at least 24 people. The junta also staged a coup in Cyprus, which subsequently triggered the Turkish invasion. Its consequences divide the island to this day, writes AFP.
Democracy was restored in Greece only after the fall of the junta a few months later. The United States has never publicly spoken out against the government of the military junta in Greece, which former US President Bill Clinton also acknowledged during his official visit to Athens in 1999.
