Thousands of students and teachers marched through the streets of the Greek capital of Athens Wednesday, calling for affordable student housing and more state investment in education, as protests that have swept Europe spread further.
Similar protests were being held in several cities in Greece, including Thessaloniki in the north and the western port city of Patras.
The rising cost of living, including increased fuel costs, and anger over the state of schools and lack of affordable housing for students have been fueling protests across Europe, with violence breaking out particularly at demonstrations in France, as well as in Italy and Albania.
“From Greece to France, give money to education,” one banner read in the Athens protest. Others held up cardboard signs in French reading: “To study or to survive.”
Engineering student Panagiotis Moschonas, 20, criticized the conservative government for not taking any measures to help students cope with the high cost of living. “It says that it is allegedly helping students, with a rent subsidy of 120 euros ($135) per month. That isn’t even enough for half a rent, and it’s also given at the end of the year.”
Riot police closely shadowed the march, while officers conducted spot checks and bag searches on people heading toward the protest. Demonstrations in Greece often turn violent, and stores and cafes along the route rolled down steel shutters to guard against their windows being smashed.
Teachers declared a strike for Wednesday, although some schools were open.
“Today we are striking because this situation can’t continue for our families, with the high costs, with us struggling to make it to the end of the month, with the situation in schools which is deteriorating exponentially year after year,” said teacher Ioannis Rompas.