Pro-Palestine protesters obstruct Greece military parade for Gaza
Greek police removed the protesters to the side of the street, with footage showing at least one activist being dragged across the road.
2 min read
The parade was held to celebrate Greece's independence day [Getty]
Eight people were arrested in the Greek capital of Athens on Monday after a military parade celebrating the country's independence day was briefly obstructed by pro-Palestine activists, local media reported.
Footage showed protesters waving Palestinian flags and blocked the path of an army tank as it paraded down an Athens street before police rushed to tackle the activists.
Police removed the protesters to the side of the street, with footage showing at least one being dragged across the road.
Greece, once considered friendly to the Palestinian cause, backed Israel's onslaught on Gaza after Hamas' 7 October attack, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visiting his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in the first weeks of the Israeli bombardment and siege.
"I come here not just as an ally but as a true friend," Mitsotakis told Netanyahu during their 23 October meeting in Tel Aviv.
"Greece, from the very first moment, supported the right of Israel to defend itself in line with international law."
Notably, the Greek premier did not visit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In the same month, Greece was among 45 states that abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an "immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce" in Gaza, where around 10,000 people had been killed by Israeli forces at the time.
That figure has since risen to over 32,000 with the real death toll likely to be much higher.
Athens' stance appears to be at odds with large sections of Greece, where thousands have rallied in support of the Palestinians and protested against potential Greek military involvement.
After the first month of Israel's brutal assault on Gaza, Greece appeared to shift its rhetoric on the war in line with other European states, amid growing public pressure.
In November, Athens pressed the need to protect civilians, and in December backed a UN resolution calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire".
There have been mass protests in Europe against Israel's war on Gaza, with growing anger over the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians.
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