ATHENS – A Greek Member of the European Parliament has sparked controversy by calling for the abolition of formal commemorations of the Polytechnic Uprising in public schools. Aphrodite Latinopoulou, leader of the “Voice of Reason” party, argues the annual remembrance is based on a series of “myths” and should not be a mandatory school event.
In a video posted on social media, Latinopoulou outlined six points she claims are widely misrepresented regarding the 1973 student uprising against the military junta. She emphasized that teachers who wish to discuss the event with students are free to do so in their own time, noting that most private schools do not formally mark the anniversary.
Among her contested points, Latinopoulou claimed the uprising is wrongly attributed solely to the political left, highlighting initial condemnation from the Communist Party of Greece. She also challenged the narrative of mass casualties, citing official records indicating 40 deaths, not the hundreds or thousands often claimed. She specifically referenced the debunked story of a woman supposedly crushed by a tank, whose picture was later identified as a model in a shampoo advertisement. Furthermore, she asserted that no one was killed inside the Polytechnic or by a tank, citing official reports.
The MEP’s stance has ignited debate, with many criticizing her interpretation of the historical event and her call to remove it from school curriculums. Supporters, however, argue that a reassessment of the narrative surrounding the uprising is overdue. The debate highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the interpretation of historical events and their place in modern Greek society.