Students did not look at the officials, schools did not have platoon leaders

Several schools paraded without a platoon leader, possibly to avoid such incidents as those in the October 28 parade in Thessaloniki.

These are the most characteristic moments from the school parade in downtown Athens for this year's celebration of the March 25 1821 anniversary which concluded at around 11.40 am, of course along with unprecedented security measures that have turned the city center into a castle of a besieged city.

In total 7,000 police officers were deployed in Attica, with hundreds of them around Syntagma Square and the surrounding streets. Rails were raised in many places around the parliament and the area where the officials were.

Essentially, the parade took place in absentia of the citizens, and only those with invitations were able to reach the area. Parents who wanted to see their children parading did so from far away, either from Amalias Avenue or Panepistimiou.

Metro stations in Syntagma, Evangelismos and the Acropolis were closed and there were special traffic arrangements for those who had to move towards the centre.

Minor incidents occurred shortly before 11.00 am when dozens of teachers, members of OLME, had a small march on Stadiou and Voukourestiou Str.