Athens locks down for Polytechnic Uprising anniversary

Athens is under heavy security Sunday as more than 5,700 police officers are deployed to oversee events marking the 51st anniversary of a pro-democracy student uprising violently suppressed by the military dictatorship in 1973.

Riot squads, motorcycle units, drones, and helicopters are providing real-time surveillance to police command.

Security has been heightened at key locations, including the US and Israeli embassies, synagogues and Israeli-linked businesses.

Metro stations such as Syntagma, Monastiraki, and Evangelismos will close at 2 p.m., with trains passing through without stopping. Extensive traffic restrictions, including road closures and parking bans, are in place in central Athens until Monday morning, affecting major streets like Patission, Stadiou and Vasilisis Sofias. Public transit routes have also been adjusted.

The annual...