Curfew imposed on suburban Athens square after illegal party

Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias on Wednesday said that police have been ordered to close public access to the main square of the northern Athens suburb of Aghia Paraskevi daily from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. on the following day.

The decision to impose a curfew on the public square came after dozens of young people gathered for an impromptu party for two nights in a row in violation of social distancing rules and clashed with police who tried to disperse them after midnight on Wednesday.

The party on Aghiou Ioannou Square was fueled by cocktails and other alcoholic beverages being served “to go” by a local cafe-bar and came in the wake of a similar but smaller gathering on Monday in the eastern port town of Volos.

Speaking at the Health Ministry’s regular afternoon update on the course of the coronavirus pandemic, Hardalias said that the events that took place in Aghia Praskevi were graver than “just citizens who wanted to relax.”