Students in Greece fight against privatisation of education

Students in Greece have been fighting vigorously against plans to privatise education. On March 8, 2007, more than 30,000 students who marched through the streets of Athens in a demonstration were brutally attacked by police with rubber bullets, fire grenades, tear gas and more. Dozens of students were arrested under the provisions of the anti – terror law and not allowed to meet their lawyers or families for several hours.

Though the ruling elite tried to criminalise the students’ protest in connivance with the mass media, the students were undaunted. They organised another demonstration late the same night in another town, as well as next day in Athens itself. Thousands of people participated in the protests organised to show solidarity with the arrested students and even the media which tried to criminalise the students’ protests earlier was forced to be more careful in reporting these fresh protests. The students have vowed to continue their struggle and have appealed to the workers and people to support them.