Police bans public gatherings in central Athens during visit of EU finance ministers

The police has banned public gatherings in central Athens from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the European Union’s finance ministers will be in the Greek capital for an informal Eurogroup and then an ECOFIN meeting.

Marches and rallies will be banned in a large part of the city center around the Zappeion Hall, where the meetings will take place. The police has employed a similar scheme when certain foreign officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have visited Athens in the past.

Various groups had planned to protest against austerity policies during the visit of EU finance ministers.

SYRIZA issued a statement accusing the government of “extreme autarchism.” Civil servants’ union ADEDY labeled the ban “undemocratic.”