Anti-war rally held at Syntagma Square in Athens

An anti-war rally was held on Saturday afternoon at Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece, that joined its voice with 200 other cities all over the world against war, on a day that marks the third anniversary of the outbreak of war in Iraq.

Participating in the rally were the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY), the Athens Labour Centre (EKA), the Greek Social Forum and the "Stop the war alliance," as well as many labor, student and Palestinian organizations.

Shortly after 3:30 in the afternoon, the demonstrators headed for the US embassy in Athens, shouting such antiwar slogans as "resistance to planet terrorism," "occupation is war," "stop all wars" and "hands off Syria and Iran."

Accompanied by the popular orchestra of composer Mikis Theodorakis and songs by Maria Dimitriadis, Sotiria Leonardou and Yiannis Thomopoulos, the antiwar movement and labor unions raised a "cry of concern" against all wars, both those under way and the impending ones that have been announced in advance, according to actor Stefanos Lineos who signaled the beginning of the event. "We few people who are here today know that many who are in their homes will find out about it when the fire reaches their yards," he said.

ADEDY President Spyros Papaspyros said on his part that wars take place for the control of citizens and of working people and for politcal interests which abolish everything that peoples have achieved.