‘Ochi’ Day parade to close downtown Athens on Monday

A parade by school children to mark Greece’s defiance of the Axis powers and its entry into World War II on October 28, 1941, will close down much of the city center on the anniversary of the event on Monday.

According to an announcement on Friday from the police (ELAS), the main parade in front of Parliament on Syntagma Square will start at 9 a.m., prompting the closure of all streets in the area from 6 a.m. until the parade is finished.

This will include central thoroughfares like Vassilissis Olgas, Amalias and Sofias, Panepistimiou and the stretch of Syngrou Avenue between Athanasiou Diakou and Dionysiou Areopagitou.

Smaller parades will also be staged by schools in outlying areas such as Piraeus, Palaio Faliro and Voula, where streets will also be closed to traffic from early in the morning until the events are over.

Motorists are advised to avoid the city center on Monday morning.