Heavy police deployment on Greek uprising anniversary

Thousands of police officers were deployed in Athens on Tuesday to prevent gatherings usually held to mark the anniversary of the 1973 crushing of a student uprising against the military junta then ruling Greece.

November 17, the day the uprising was quashed, is marked each year with wreath-laying ceremonies at the Athens Polytechnic commemorating those who died there, followed by marches to the U.S. Embassy.

The United States had backed the dictatorship that ruled Greece for seven years from 1967.

But the government has banned the marches this year, citing public health concerns as the country struggles to contain a resurgence of the coronavirus that is straining hospitals and leading to record numbers of deaths.

Authorities have banned gatherings of more than three people from November 15-18 nationwide to prevent the gatherings.

However, members of a Communist Party-backed union defied the ban, gathering briefly Tuesday morning near the U.S. Embassy.

The protesters, reportedly numbering about 200, wore masks and maintained at distance from one another, standing in formation.

The union gathering came as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis laid a wreath at the Athens Polytechnic amid tight security.

"Every important anniversary gains new meaning through the conditions in which it is celebrated," Mitsotakis said, adding that current priorities were the protection of public health and showing solidarity toward young people affected by the financial crisis.

"The timeless demand for freedom is complemented by the responsibility we must all show to emerge stronger and more united from this unprecedented adventure," he said.

Greece is under lockdown until November 30 as authorities struggle to contain a coronavirus resurgence that has seen infections spike across the country.

It now has more than 76,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,100 deaths, while its intensive care units are at 78% capacity.