Greece commemorates uprising anniversary under tight security measures

Thousands of Greeks took to the streets on Thursday to mark the 43rd anniversary of the student uprising against the seven-year military junta that led to the restoration of democracy seven months later.

On the occasion of the anniversary, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in a special session stressed before the Greek parliament that society's desire for democracy remains still alive.

After seven years of harsh austerity and recession, the messages of the uprising remain still relevant today, as Greece faces the greatest financial and social crisis since the restoration of democracy, he said.

"The democracy in the Greece of memoranda has been wounded and downgraded," Tsipras said, adding it is a historic duty to fight and not return to isolationism.

Celebrations started from early in the morning with politicians, academics, unionists, students and pensioners laying wreaths at the monument standing in the courtyard of the National Technical University of Athens.

"It's a day of remembrance for Greece. We cannot forget that day people died for democracy," Takis Michalakis, a pensioner, told Xinhua.

"After the uprising, we hoped that better days would follow. But these days have not arrived yet. But, we don't lose our faith," he added.

Forty-three years ago, more than 20 students and civilians were killed after the Greek tanks broke down the main gate of the Athens Polytechnic, where the pro-democracy revolt broke out.

For Yannis and his children, who join celebrations every year, it's a symbolic day, especially for the future generations. "We came to honor the students that died and lay some flowers on the monument," his son told Xinhua.

More than 20,000 people, according to officials, marched from the campus of the Polytechnic campus to the United States embassy, as it happens every year, chanting slogans against Washington's support for the Greek military dictatorship at the time.

Two days after the demonstrations and clashes with police regarding the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in Athens, security measures were extremely tight.

Around 7,000 police officers were deployed to the capital, mainly around the Polytechnic University and the city center was shut down in fear of violent incidents. Enditem