Galery

1

6 000 policemen have been patrolling in the center of Athens since last night, in order to avoid possible riots due to the 35 Polytechnic University anniversary today. Traffic in the center will be heavy until tonight and the police is advising citizens to avoid using the roads around the Polytechnic University.

From Sunday until today the Polytechnic University doors are open for anyone wishing to honor the memory of the many participants of the dramatic events 36 years ago. The historic university is open for citizens from 09:00AM to 09:00PM. Many meetings have been organized in the halls of the university. The events will end tonight with the usual rally to the US embassy.

Due to the 36 anniversary celebration there are changes in the street traffic. Stopping and parking on and around Kaningos Square is forbidden. Police will divert traffic out of the center all day. There are also traffic changes for the boulevards Alexandras, Patision, Stadiou, Vassilis Sofias and the streets around them. The routes of public busses and trolleys will also be changed. Today, schools will close at 01:00PM and the working hours of stores in the center are also changed. The Trade Union, which is situated close to the Polytechnic University, decided that all stores should close at 03:00PM and not open till the rest of the day. The Economy University of Athens and the University of Athens are also closed today. This was decided yesterday by the respective deans and by representatives of the Ministry of Civil Protection. In Thessaloniki the traffic on the streets Egnatias, Ethnikis Aminas, Tzimiski, Agiou Dimitriou, Karolou Dil, Vas. Irakliou, G. Septemvriou, Angelaki, Armenopoulu, Gr. Lambraki, K. Karamanli and Dimokratias Square, will also be changed.

Student from Polytechnic University started their protests against the military junta on November 13, 1973 and end on November 17 of the same year. Riots were stopped by the appearance of military tanks and Armenian subdivisions and as a result there were many casualties and hundredths were injured. The protests lead to the collapse of the junta in 1974 and the victims of the Athens Polytechnic University were announced to be national heroes.