An educational rally was underway in the centre of Athens on Thursday to demand measures for the safe operation of schools in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Their demands are, among others, a reduction in the number of students per class (up to 15 students per class), teacher recruitment, as well as additional cleaning staff.

Teachers unions, pupils, students as well as parent assocations participated in the rally.

The traffic on the streets around the centre of Athens was stopped.

Clashes took place shortly before the end of the rally  when a group of unknown people threw stones, flares and Molotov cocktails at the police, who responded by throwing chemicals.

Police arrest two initially detained

Two young people, a Greek and a foreigner, who had been detained over incidents during the student protest march on Thursday were arrested.
The two, aged 17 and 20 respectively, were part of a group that attacked police with firebombs, flashbangs, rocks, and pieces of marble before the Unknown Soldier's Monument in Syntagma Square. The 17-year-old was identified as the individual who threw a firebomb.
Both will be led before a prosecutor on Friday with criminal and misdemeanor charges.