Greek Students and Teachers Rally in Athens Over Housing and Education Costs

ATHENS, Greece — Thousands of students and teachers marched through Athens on Wednesday, demanding affordable student housing and greater public investment in education as a wave of protests across Europe expands.

Similar demonstrations took place in several Greek cities, including Thessaloniki in the north and the western port city of Patras.

Protests have been driven by rising living costs, particularly higher fuel prices, along with concerns about deteriorating schools and a shortage of affordable student housing. Comparable demonstrations have taken place across Europe, including in France, Italy and Albania.

“From Greece to France, give money to education,” one banner read. Other demonstrators held signs in French declaring: “To study or to survive.”

Engineering student Panagiotis Moschonas, 20, accused the conservative government of failing to support students struggling with high living costs. He said a monthly rent subsidy of 120 euros ($135), paid at the end of the year, was insufficient to cover even half of a rent.

Riot police accompanied the march and carried out spot checks and bag searches on people heading toward the protest area. Shops and cafés along the route closed their steel shutters in anticipation of possible violence.

Teachers declared a strike for Wednesday, although some schools remained open.

“We are striking because our families cannot continue to endure this situation,” teacher Ioannis Rompas said. “Costs are high, we are struggling to make it through each month, and conditions in our schools are deteriorating year after year.”

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