Athens Polytechnic to close campus for five days ahead of November 17 anniversary
The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) will close all buildings at its historic Polytechnic campus on Patision Street for five days ahead of the November 17 anniversary of the 1973 student uprising against Greece's military dictatorship.
The university's rector's office said the decision was taken to prevent incidents of destruction, vandalism and violence, referring to disturbances recorded on November 15 last year.
According to Kathimerini, the campus buildings will remain closed through November 17, although commemorative activities will be allowed in the university's forecourt during designated hours.
Events will take place from 8:30 am to 6 pm on November 15 and 16, and from 9 am to 1 pm on November 17.
University calls for peaceful commemoration
In a statement, the rector's office said the university administration and academic community wanted the anniversary to be marked peacefully and with respect for the students who opposed the dictatorship.
The annual commemoration honours the November 1973 uprising, when students occupied the Polytechnic campus and organised demonstrations demanding the restoration of democracy.
The military junta, which had ruled Greece since 1967, sent police and army forces to suppress the protests. Police opened fire on demonstrators and bystanders, while an army tank broke through the university's main gates.
Research by the National Hellenic Research Foundation has established that at least 24 people were killed during the events.
The uprising became one of the defining moments of resistance against the dictatorship, which collapsed in 1974.
Proposed monument to former dictator sparks controversy
Meanwhile, a separate controversy has emerged in western Greece over plans to erect a statue or bust honouring former dictator Georgios Papadopoulos in his birthplace of Elaiochori, in the municipality of western Achaia.
According to local media reports cited by Kathimerini, a group of 10 people is working to establish a site on private property where the monument would be installed.
Papadopoulos, born in Elaiochori in 1919, led the military coup of April 1967 that overthrew Greece's elected government and established the military dictatorship that ruled the country until 1974.
The group behind the initiative reportedly chose private property because it believes authorities would not permit a monument honouring the former dictator in a public space, such as a town square.
Its announcement also included criticism of current democratic institutions, referring to their representatives as "democrats in office."
Location and installation date remain unknown
The exact location of the proposed monument and the timetable for its installation have not been disclosed.
The identities of the 10 individuals involved in the initiative have also not been made public.
The proposal has drawn attention because of its historical and political symbolism, particularly as Greece prepares to commemorate the Polytechnic uprising and the victims of the military dictatorship.
Source:Kathimerini
