Student parade in progress... Keep out!

(Press Project) - In what is undeniably a sign of the times the student parade to celebrate the Greek National Day of Independence took place under draconian security measures. While troublemakers were kept away, so was pretty much everyone else.

Under the close watch of three thousand armed police officers, and the distant gaze of a few flag-waving parents, students from 244 elementary and high schools took part in the annual student parade in front of parliament in Syntagma square.

Aside from a small demonstration by cleaning ladies protesting mass layoffs outside a nearby Ministry of Finance building, the event went smoothly - which is somewhat unsurprising given that in Syntagma police officers significantly outnumbered the spectators. Even parents of students taking part were required to seek special permission to watch their children march in Syntagma.

As a result most stayed home and the dignitaries watching the march were untroubled by protests, or indeed onlookers.

As well as the thousands of security personnel, many major roads in the center of Athens were closed as was Syntagma metro station. The security measures will be kept in place for tomorrow’s military parade.

The event gave rise to a number of wry observations on Twitter:

     "They're laughiing their asses off in Pyong Yang!" writes one user.

Journalist Niko Ago posted a picture of the 'sea of people' in Syntagma Square watching the parade.

     "Stay on the lookout guys, in case the enemy infiltrates and sees our parade!"