Greeks remember 37th Polytechnic Uprising Anniversary

Three days of remembrance are being held in Greece in memory of the Polythechnic Uprising that happened on 17th of November 1973 when police quelled student protests using guns and live ammunition. Athens, Greece. 17/11/2010

On 15th of November 1973 Greek students took over the Polytechnic School of Athens in protest against the Greek Junta (military dictatorship) that started in 1967. The Junta reacted by sending the police to stop the uprising. The students and workers who where gathered around the Polytexnio reacted all day till 16th of November by blocking roads attacking policemen, by striking, and by lighting fires to stop the tear gas. On the 17th of November the dictatorship seeing the innability of the police to stop the uprising sent in the army with real bullets and tanks, a movement that ended n a bloodbath. But it also helped to prematurely tear down the Junta.
It is one of the most important days in Greek history as a mark of the Greek people's love for democracy and freedom. Many people, and most importantly chilidren and students, visit the monument in the Polytechnic backyard to leave flowers, to pray silently in memory of all the unarmed students and for the students that were killed.
After the gates of the Polytexnio are closed at 3pm a march was made to the American embassy in Athens in protest of the American support of the Greek Junta.