Heightened security measures for 16th anniversary of Grigoropoulos shooting in Athens
The Hellenic Police on Friday ordered exceptionally heightened security measures in Athens ahead of protest rallies planned to mark the 16th anniversary of the shooting and killing of Alexis Grigoropoulos by police fire in Athens' Exarchia district.
Approximately 5,000 officers from all branches of the police force will be deployed throughout the day, while an ELAS helicopter and drones will be flying overhead, relaying images back to the operations centre at the police headquarters. Also ready for deployment are the police water-cannons, while there will be a strong police presence in Exarchia.
Traffic measures will start to gradually be implemented, depending on prevailing traffic conditions, on various roads in the city centre. The Attica Traffic Department has also planned measures to ease traffic flow in the wider city centre.
The police have ordered the closure of the metro station Panepistimio from 9:00 on Friday morning and the closure of Monastiraki station between 11:00 and 15:00 and then again after 17:00, until further notice. Trains will pass through the stations without stopping.
