[National Gallery]
Tensions flared outside Athens’ National Gallery on Wednesday as a group of ultra-Orthodox protesters clashed with cultural workers staging a peaceful demonstration in support of freedom of expression.
The protestors, holding a banner advocating for artistic freedom, were met with chants of “Greece means Orthodoxy” and “Shame on you, anti-Christians” from the opposing group, some of whom approached aggressively.
Despite the verbal attacks, the demonstrators did not retaliate and proceeded into the gallery to view artworks that had been damaged during a previous incident earlier in the week.
The altercation follows a controversial action by Nikolaos Papadopoulos, a lawmaker from the far-right Niki party, who on Monday stormed the National Gallery in a rage.
Papadopoulos broke the protective glass of a display case and removed four religiously-themed paintings by artist Christophoros Katsadiotis, claiming the artworks were offensive to Orthodox Christianity.
The attack caused significant damage, leading to the temporary closure of the gallery.