Greek authorities continued to suppress free speech, as police detained two citizens who were protesting the Prespa Agreement at Syntagma square in Athens before the student parade on occasion of celebrations for Greek Independence Day.

The two citizens were members of a group which was distributing leaflets against the Prespa Agreement to the parents gathered to watch the student parade in Athens.

A SWAT unit initially blocked a group of 20 people from approaching the parade, before two of their members were taken into custody.
One of the two men is Panayiotis Mantas, a member of the left party “Popular Unity”

Speaking to protothema.gr, Mr Mantas described the incident saying that about 150 people were handing out pamphlets at the student parade which, among other issues, made reference to the Prespa Agreement.
“Two SWAT units encircled 20 of us in a violent manner and forced us all the way along Mitropoleos street where they arrested us”.

He claimed what had irritated authorities was the reference in the leaflet of “political treachery” in relation to the Prespa Agreement.
The leader of Popular Unity, Panayiotis Lafazanis, a former member of SYRIZA, arrived at Police Headquarters in solidarity to the two men, who were later released.

It is the second time citizens were detained for attempting to express their objections against the Prespa Agreement after citizens had also been taken into custody in Macedonia for the same reason.

Police said the two men were detained because they refused to comply with an identity check.