Parades for OXI day, with barriers in Athens and Thessaloniki

Around 2,000 police were on standby to enforce strict security measures in the grand military parade in Thessaloniki in front of president Karolos Papoulias, and the students parade that took place in Athens.

Thessaloniki

In Thessaloniki for a third consecutive year, the official platform was blocked at a distance and citizens watched the parade mainly at its beginning and at its end. The events were attended by the President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias who laid a wreath at the memorial of the Third Army Corps and watched the parade of civic and military units along the coastal avenue. The government was represented by the Minister of National Defence, Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Athens

In Athens bars were placed in the area of Syntagma Square and access to the official platform was allowed only for those with invitations and accreditations. The school parade began at 11:00 and parents could see their children on Panepistimiou around from Voukourestiou street and beyond.

At 10:00 a Doxology was celebrated at the Church of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, and wreaths were laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.