Rally for Hellenicity of Macedonia in Athens
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
The rally for the Hellenicity of Macedonia took place in Athens on Sunday afternoon, with tens of thousands of Greeks from all over the country, and the diaspora, assembled in front of parliament in the country's most iconic square, Syntagma Square.
Citizens had started to assemble after 11.00 am, with eventually around 200,000 reaching the square to hear speeches, paeans, songs against the Prespa Agreement. Among the people were ordinary citizens of all ages, with children, clergy, popular artists, and opposition politicians.
The official ceremonies began with singer and cantor, well known for his excellent voice, and extreme right wing views Petros Gaitanos, singing the National Anthem, in an extended version.
Among the noted speakers was Greek American politician Chris Spirou who underscored that "Macedonia is one, and only Greek." Popular singer/songwriter Afroditi Manou noted "Let's awaken, even the very last Greek ... to protect the future of Greece and our sons," continuing "People and ideas come and go, opinions change." Manou, added that "what remains unchanged is our values .... our identity. The insidious Prespa Agreement has come to rob us of our identity."
The Monastic Community of Mt. Athos also spoke against the agreement and in favor of the histric Hellenicity of Macedonia, through an elder Abbot.
However, things got out of control when, persons, young men, from the crowd, some with covered features, and some without, stormed the steps to the parliament building. Police, who succesfully held them off, on both staircases, after thewave of attacks broke, began firing inordinate amounts of tear gas canisters, most of which fell among fell among the crowd causing injuries. Senior citizens and children were among those worst affected, and the Grande Bretagne Hotel opened the doors it had locked to harbor those suffering from the gas attack. Former PM Antonis Samaras was among those on scene and was photographed carying two children to safety.
On another main avenue leading to Syntagma, anti-authoritarians and anarchists attacked police in an attempt to reach and attack the demonstrators on Syntagma Square. Shouting slurs against patriots and patriotism they charged time and again, but were driven back by riot police, again using tear gas and stun grenades.
The demonstration wound down in the early evening hours.
