Protesters gathered in front of Parliament in central Athens on Wednesday for what’s billed as an “anti-austerity” demonstration, with most ire aimed at institutional creditors locked in mostly fruitless negotiations with the radical leftist Greek government.

Another demonstration, from a different standpoint, comes on Thursday, one promoting the idea of “staying in Europe”.

Wednesday’s rally was initially declared and organized over Facebook and other social media, nevertheless, several top SYRIZA cadres promoted the gathering as well.

Roughly 3,000 people — a disappointing figure — had gathered at around 7:30 p.m. (local time), with the main slogan being “Democracy isn’t blackmailed, our life doesn’t belong to the lenders”.

Critics of the move, however, pointed to the latest “pro-government” or “pro-SYRIZA” rally.

In a bid to prove them (critics) right, the ruling party later issued this statement in the evening:

“Workers, young people and those who gathered today (Wednesday) on Syntagma square, as well as many other cities around Greece, sent a message of resistance to the blackmail and the culture of fear — showing, in practice, that no one can abrogate the people’s democratic right to determine its future.”