Thousands of Greek students took to the streets against quarantine and police patrols in universities
About three thousand students came out in Athens and about one and a half thousand in Thessaloniki, protesting against the closure of universities during quarantine and police patrols in university campuses.
This is the third student protest in the last three weeks, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The reason for the student protests was the quarantine closure of Greek universities and the introduction of police patrols on university campuses. Today's demonstrations began two days after the introduction of a general ban on gatherings of more than 100 people in open spaces, which is expected to last until February 1. On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said the measure was aimed at protecting public health as strict restrictions have been in place in Greece since early November due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
In response to this, students came out in Athens (about 3 thousand people) and Thessaloniki (about one and a half thousand people) under the slogans “No police in universities!”, also demanding the opening of quarantined universities.
The measures taken by the Greek authorities include special police patrols, which, according to the government, will ensure security on the territory of higher education institutions, where the activities of radical left groups often provoke violence. However, students and rectors object to this, arguing that the measure abolishes the independent status of extraterritoriality of universities, according to which the police are not allowed to appear there without a resolution of the Rector's Councils.
This status appeared at Greek universities after the legendary student uprising at the Polytechnic University of Athens (Polytechnio), in 1973, which began due to regime interference in university elections, and ultimately resulted in an action against the fascist regime of the “black colonels”. During the suppression of the riot by the army, 24 people were killed, thousands were wounded, and hundreds were arrested.
After the fall of the “black colonels,” the rebel students were declared national heroes and martyrs for the cause of freedom and democracy, monuments were erected to them, and the last day of the uprising, November 17, became a memorable date, which is traditionally celebrated with mass marches in memory of fighters against totalitarianism.
Universities received extraterritorial status. However, a rare event on this day takes place without clashes with the police, and university campuses have become a haven for left-wing radical groups who attack with impunity students and teachers they dislike, and organize drug laboratories and arsenals on campuses for street battles with the police.
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