- Title: Police on the streets as Greece under lockdown
- Date: 23rd March 2020
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MARCH 23, 2020) (REUTERS) CARS DRIVING ON STREET, ELECTRIC SIGN ON TOP OF STREET WITH PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ELECTRIC SIGN ON TOP OF STREET READING: (Greek) "MOVEMENT PROHIBITED - ATTIKA REGION,"AND "STAY HOME - ATTIKA REGION" POLICE STOPPING VEHICLES ON STREET POLICE OFFICER WEARING MASK, CHECKING PERMIT OF STOPPED DRIVER POLICE STOPPING VEHICLES POLICE OFFICER CHECKING DRIVER'S PERMIT AMBULANCE PASSING WITH SIRENS ON VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS IN FRONT OF STOPPED VEHICLES CONDUCTING CHECKS POLICE OFFICER HOLDING SPECIAL PERMIT OF DRIVER READING IT (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) DRIVER WHO DID NOT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED SAYING: "It had to happen, it was mandatory, and I expect even harsher measures, so that we are protected." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) DRIVER IRINI SAYING: "What can I say, it is difficult for everyone, but we have to get used to it, for the good of everyone." POLICE OFFICER CHECKING DRIVER'S PERMIT (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) DRIVER FILLIPOS ANDRITSAS SAYING: "We should all respect the (measures) and implement them, for our own good." GREEK PARLIAMENT BUILDING, EVZONE SOLDIERS IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT, EMPTY WITHOUT ANY TOURISTS OR SPECTATORS EVZONES CONDUCTING CHANGING OF THE GUARD WITHOUT ANY TOURISTS OR SPECTATORS VARIOUS OF ATHENS MAIN SYNTAGMA SQUARE, USUALLY BUSTLING WITH PEOPLE, EMPTY VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF ATHENS GRANDE BRETAGNE HOTEL CLOSED DOORS OF GRANDE BRETAGNE HOTEL EMPTY BALCONIES OF ROOMS OF GRANDE BRETAGNE HOTEL EXTERIOR OF ANOTHER HOTEL IN ATHENS DOORS AND ENTRANCE OF HOTEL EMPTY ENTRANCE OF HOTEL EMPTY ANOTHER HOTEL EXTERIOR, WHERE GREEKS THAT ARRIVED FROM SPAIN ARE BEING HELD UNDER QUARANTINE, FIRE ENGINE OUT FRONT MAN SITTING ON THE BALCONY OF THE HOTEL WHERE GREEKS ARE UNDER QUARANTINE WOMAN STANDING ON THE BALCONY OF HOTEL TALKING ON A MOBILE PHONE IN SAME HOTEL MAN SITTING ON BALCONY TALKING ON PHONE, ANOTHER MAN SITTING ON ANOTHER BALCONY, IN SAME HOTEL
- Embargoed: 6th April 2020 13:39
- Keywords: Greece forms lockdown police checks
- Location: ATHENS, GREECE
- City: ATHENS, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C69W9C7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Greek police were out on the streets on Monday (March 23) to enforce a lockdown announced by the government to fight the spread of coronavirus.
Police stopped cars and pedestrians to check for a special permit they must carry with them justifying their movement.
Only people going to work, shopping for food or medicine, exercising, walking a pet or visiting a doctor will be allowed onto the streets.
Those leaving their homes must carry special permits, or face a 150 euro fine. Cars may only carry a driver and one passenger.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the lockdown on Sunday. Greece has a total of 624 cases until now, and 15 fatalities.
The country had already closed schools, gyms, cinemas, restaurants, bars, night-clubs, shops, shopping malls, museums and archaeological sites.
Hotels will remain closed until April 30.
Athens Grande Bretagne Hotel, one of Athens most historical and popular hotels in the centre of Athens, across from the parliament building, which opened in 1874, has also closed. During World War II, the hotel served as the headquarters of the Nazi forces of the Third Reich, as well as of the Greek and British forces. During the Greek civil war Winston Churchill took part in negotiations in the hotel between Greece and Britain, and the hotel also housed refugees. Greece's first democratic government in 1974 after the fall of the dictatorship was formed by politicians in a room on the fifth floor.
The changing of the guard by Greece's traditional Evzone soldiers in front of parliament, a popular event for tourists, took place without any spectators watching or taking photographs on Monday.
Borders are closed to all non-EU residents and anyone arriving in Greece must quarantine for 14 days, including Greeks.
Dozens of Greeks that had arrived from Spain at the weekend were placed under the two week quarantine in a central hotel in Athens. They were seen standing on the balconies of the hotel.
On Monday flights from the United Kingdom and Turkey were also banned.
(Production: Stamos Prousalis, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Vassilis Triandafyllou) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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