Clashes in Athens herald Greek Independence Day

SCUFFLES have broken out between protesters and police in the Greek capital ahead of Independence Day celebrations today.

More than 5,000 police were mobilised in the greater Athens district while public access to the area in front of the Greek parliament, from where politicians and other officials will watch the parades, has been restricted, because of ongoing demonstrations by anti-austerity protesters.

Usually, thousands of people line the main streets of central Athens to watch the military parade that takes place on 25 March, which marks Greece’s uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.

But public anger has grown as the government has imposed yet more spending cuts and tax hikes on Greeks during a severe financial crisis to meet its obligations under a eurozone bailout deal.

On another national day last October, Greece’s president, Karolos Papoulias, was heckled and a military parade was called off due to protests. Since then, politicians have frequently fallen victim to protesters shouting insults or throwing yogurt or eggs at them during public appearances.

The authorities will seek to limit access to the area in front of parliament today.

Traffic will be banned from several streets near the parade route, while metal barricades will be set up on side streets near the parliament building.

“We have a duty towards the heroes of 1821 to safeguard the celebration of the anniversary, creating the conditions required by the tradition, ethos and spirit of this historic moment,” said deputy civil protection minister Lefteris Economou. “Because nobody has the right to injure a national anniversary.”

Two special prosecutors will be on hand to deal with potential detentions and arrests of suspected troublemakers, while security deployments will include police special forces units near parliament and hundreds of riot police will be on standby.

The Greek police union, however, issued a statement saying it objected to the “unprecedented measures” and their impact on democracy.

“It is not possible for national anniversaries to be celebrated with the imposition of police measures,” it said.

“This is not our mission. Social problems and the anger of an entire population cannot be dealt with by suppression.”