Athens will be under tight security and traffic restrictions starting on Friday Nov. 15 as part of preparations for the 51st anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising against the Military Junta in 1973. Commemorative events will take place over the next three days, culminating in the annual march to the U.S. Embassy on Sunday.
Heavy police presence will be deployed around the Polytechnic University, other academic institutions, the U.S. Embassy, public buildings, and the Exarchia neighborhood.
This year additional security measures will also be enforced around the Israeli Embassy and other Israeli-linked buildings and businesses in the city, due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The Traffic Police will implement vehicle restrictions gradually, adjusting based on real-time conditions, especially on Sunday when the events reach their peak.
The Hellenic Police (ELAS) announced that these traffic measures will be in effect in central Athens from Friday Nov. 15 through to Monday Nov. 18, urging drivers to avoid traveling and parking in central Athens, especially near the event sites, the march route, and the U.S. Embassy, from Friday to Sunday.
Detailed Traffic Restrictions:
From Friday, Nov. 15, 6:00 am to Monday, Nov. 18, 6:00 am:
Parking and stopping bans, as well as road closures, will be enforced progressively across several key streets in central Athens, including Stournari, Patission (El. Venizelou), Tositsa, Solonos, in Kolonaki and more, depending on the traffic conditions.
On Sunday, Nov. 17:
From 6:00 am: Parking bans will be in effect.
From 12:00 pm until the end of the events complete road closures will be enforced on major thoroughfares, such as Panepistimiou, Stadiou, Syntagma Square, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, and other key areas like Omonia Square, Aiolou, and Ermou streets.
Additional closures include roads leading to the U.S. Embassy and surrounding areas, with major arteries like Vasilissis Amalias Avenue, Syngrou Avenue, and parts of Kifisias and Mesogeion Avenues affected.
Bus and trolley routes will also be modified or suspended in affected areas, as announced by the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA).
