The news in Greek
Την Κυριακή έγινε η επέτειος της εξέγερσης του Πολυτεχνείου στην Αθήνα. Χιλιάδες άνθρωποι συμμετείχαν στην πορεία με ειρηνικό τρόπο. Παιδιά άφησαν λουλούδια και ζωγραφιές για να τιμήσουν τους νεκρούς του 1973. Υπήρχε μεγάλη αστυνομική παρουσία για την ασφάλεια και οι διαδηλωτές σήκωσαν την σημαία με το αίμα από την εξέγερση.
Translation
On Sunday, the anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising took place in Athens. Thousands of people participated in the march peacefully. Children laid flowers and drawings to honour those who died in 1973. There was a large police presence for safety, and the demonstrators raised the flag stained with blood from the uprising.
Exercise: Text comprehension
Question 1: What did children do to honor those who died in 1973 during the march?
Children left flowers and drawings to honor those who died in 1973.
Question 2: What was one of the security measures during the march in Athens?
There was a large police presence for security during the march.
Exercise: Vocabulary
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▌18/11/2024
The annual commemoration of the 1973 Polytechnio uprising in Athens drew to a peaceful conclusion this past Sunday, with around 30,000 participants joining a march through the city's streets. This event marked 51 years since the student-led protests against Greece’s then-dictatorial regime.
A diverse assembly of protestors, including students, political party representatives, and families, gathered to pay homage to the uprising's legacy. A touching gesture saw young children laying flowers and drawings at the Polytechnio to honour those who lost their lives during the revolt.
The demonstration began at 3:00 PM, commencing its route towards the U.S. Embassy and later towards the Israeli Embassy under the watchful presence of a significant police force to maintain order. At the forefront of the procession was the blood-stained Greek flag from the original 1973 uprising, symbolically carried by student and organization representatives.
Peaceful Polytechnio March Marks Athens Anniversary (Illustration)
While the march in Athens remained peaceful, with authorities reporting 150 precautionary detainments and 7 arrests, northern Greece saw a different scenario. In Thessaloniki, the march ended with confrontations as members of the anarchist faction hurled Molotov cocktails, prompting police to respond with water cannon and chemical agents. The city had been under heightened surveillance due to previous demonstrations.
In both cities, gatherings and speeches were held near the U.S. diplomatic missions, with participants voicing opposition to American and NATO policies, reflecting the historical anti-imperialistic sentiments associated with the 1973 events. Thessaloniki witnesses reported an instance of protestors burning flags of the U.S. and NATO.
Athens was effectively turned into a security fortress, with over 5,700 police officers deployed, supported by aerial surveillance from drones and helicopters. This robust security presence extended to protect key locations such as embassies and businesses with Israeli affiliations.
Despite the heavy police deployment and temporary disruptions to public services, the mood in Athens remained commemorative. Many groups, including former prisoners of the Junta era, emphasized the lasting relevance of the Polytechnio's message as they marched with banners decrying fascism. The rally reasserted the date's importance in Greece's collective memory, demonstrating a powerful call for freedom and democracy continuing to echo through generations.
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