School and university students are planning a new protest march in central Athens on Thursday against education reforms brought about by a recently approved law.
RALLY
![Students wearing protective face masks hold flags and banners during a a demonstration against government plans to set up a university police, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Athens, Greece, March 10. [Louiza Vradi/Reuters]](https://www.ekathimerini.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/students_protest_athens_reuters-320x200.jpg)
Student rallies were held in Greece’s two largest cities on Wednesday morning to protest against a new law reforming education and insufficient measures to protect against the coronavirus in schools.
Greek Police (ELAS) ordered the temporary closure of Panepistimio metro station in central Athens at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday.
![A policeman lies injured on the road after coming under attack during clashes in Athens after protesters firebombed a police station. [Aggelos Barai/AP]](https://www.ekathimerini.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/officer_injured_Nea-Smyrni_protest_AP-320x200.jpg)
The center of the Nea Smyrni district in Athens was transformed into a war zone for several hours on Tuesday as groups of hooded men launched attacks on police with firebombs and stones, set fire to dumpsters and went on a vandalism spree.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for “restraint and composure” after violent clashes between police and protesters broke out during a demonstration in an Athens suburb against police violence, leaving one officer injured.
![[Intime News]](https://www.ekathimerini.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/police_officer_injured_Nea_Smyrni_intime-320x200.jpg)
One police officer was injured during clashes with protesters on the sidelines of a rally against police violence in an Athenian suburb on Tuesday afternoon.
![Protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in solidarity with jailed member of the disbanded leftist November 17 militant group Dimitris Koufodinas, who is serving multiple life terms for several crimes, including a series of murders and is currently on a hunger strike, in Athens, Greece, March 1, 2021. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]](https://www.ekathimerini.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/koufodinas_protest_rally_athens_intime-320x200.jpg)
Hundreds of people marched through central Athens on Tuesday evening to express their solidarity with a convicted terrorist whose health is failing after being on hunger strike for 54 days.
The central Athens metro station of Panepistimio will be closed at 4.30 p.m. on Friday on the orders of the Greek police.
The central Athens metro stations of Syntagma and Panepistimio will be closed at 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday on the orders of the Greek police.
![Riot policemen clash with demonstrators during a protest in solidarity with Dimitris Koufontinas, convicted member of guerilla group '17 November', in Athens, Greece, 19 February 2021. [Orestis Panagiotou/EPA]](https://www.ekathimerini.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/rally_protest_koufodinas_EPA-320x200.jpg)
Police used tear gas to disperse rock-hurling protesters during a rally in solidarity with hunger striking terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas, when about 100 people tried to block a section of a Panepistimiou Avenue.
Professionals in the arts industry demonstrated in central Athens on Thursday demanding government action to support their work, which has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Protesters clashed with riot police in Athens and Thessaloniki on Thursday during two marches to protest against a draft bill of the Education Ministry that will bring changes to tertiary education.
The Panepistimio metro station in central Athens closed at 11 a.m. on Thursday by order of the police, due to a rally planned to protest against legislation reforming tertiary education.
Students and teachers take part in a rally against education reforms promoted by the conservative government – which, among other things, foresee the presence of police on university campuses – in Athens Thursday. About 4,000 people marched to Syntagma Square, while a smaller gathering took place in the northern port city of Thessaloniki. The rallies were held in defiance of government rules, which came into force Tuesday, that prohibit more than 100 people from gathering at any given time in any private or public setting. The main leftist opposition slammed the ban, designed to preempt super-spreader events, as “arbitrary and undemocratic.” [AP]
Student, teacher and parent unions and groups are planning a demonstration in central Athens on Thursday to protest against a draft education bill that aims to introduce changes to tertiary education.
The ban by the Hellenic Police on large gatherings of more than 100 people to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus until February 1 was denounced Tuesday in Parliament by opposition parties as an affront to democracy.
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