Thousands of Greek students and teachers protest rising education costs

Thousands of students and teachers took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday to call for increased public investment in education, according to reports from upnorthlive.com and wsbt.com. Demonstrators demanded improvements such as better school facilities, smaller class sizes, and affordable student housing.

The protests also spread to other Greek cities including Thessaloniki and Patras, highlighting widespread concern over rising rents and living costs affecting families and young people across Greece. Police estimates of the crowd size in Athens varied, with Reuters reporting about 10,000 participants and the Associated Press estimating at least 5,000.

These demonstrations in Athens were part of a broader wave of student unrest across Europe. Greek protesters showed solidarity with students in France and Spain, chanting calls for public and free education. Similar protests have occurred recently in France, Albania, and Italy, some involving clashes and arrests.

Some students in Athens camped overnight in Syntagma Square before the march. The protests come amid growing financial pressures from increased rents, fuel and energy costs, and stagnant wages. One student noted that a monthly rent subsidy of €120 was insufficient to cover even half of rent expenses.