The police on Monday announced that all open-air gatherings and rallies will be banned in large sections of central Athens between 9am and 10pm on Tuesday, as a security precaution to "preserve the peace" during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The ban extends to all areas bounded within the following streets (see map below): Vassilisis Sofias Avenue, Akadimias, Kanari, Patriarchou Ioakeim, Marasli, Deinokratous, Aristodimou, Athineon Efivon, Koniari, Tsocha, Soutsou, Panormou, Kifisias, Katechaki, Kapetan Chrona, Vlachaki, Mesogeion, Michalakopoulou, Dionisiou Eginitou, Potamianou Ileia, Ionos Dragoumi, Vasileos Alexandrou, Efroniou, Spyridonos Merkouri, Eftichidou, Plastira Square, Archimidous, Mousourou, Ardittou, Vasilissis Olgas up to Vasilissis Amalias.

The ban also extends to the sections of the above roads that comprise the limits of City of Athens, the section of the Attiki Odos highway from the Athens International airport until the junction with the Ymittos ring road with Katechaki Avenue, the section of Katechaki Avenue from the exit of the ring road up to the junction with Mesogion Avenue and for a distance of 100 metres on either side of these (Attiki and Katechaki) and on all bridges, overpasses and crossings along their length and in the surrounding region policed by the Athens airport.

The ban extends for a wide area around the Hilton hotel, where Merkel will be staying during her visit, and along the routes of her planned itinerary during her stay.

Syntagma, Panepistimio, Evangelismos, Katechaki, Ampelokipoi and Megaro metro stations will be closed from 10am on Tuesday.

Visit schedule

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to land at Athens International Airport at 1.30pm on Tuesday for a one-day visit to Greece seen as a symbolic sign of support for the crisis-stricken country.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will meet the German Chancellor at the airport, where there will be an official reception ceremony. The two leaders will then go to the premier's offices at the Maximos Mansion, where the official meeting between them will take place.

Merkel is due to be received by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias at 4.45pm and will then head for the Hilton hotel, accompanied by the premier, in order to attend an event organised by the Greek-German Chamber of Commerce. (AMNA, dv)

Stay at home, out of sight and shut the fuck up. [/our glorious leaders}

That is a fucking huge area, it almost goes right up to my part of town, it basically my bus/metro route home from the town centre, although as it appears on the map the bottom half of Syntagma and Ermou are actually outside the area. Ermou is a main shopping street but it's very narrow, you can't see the scale of demostrations below Syntagma because of the narrow streets, it will also stop anyone getting into town from north Athens, but the Exarchia types will be able to get to Syntagma, protesting Merkel is something that can unite Greeks, there's going to be big trouble but it will be kept out of sight.

The police on Mon­day announced that all open-​air gath­er­ings and ral­lies will be banned

She's due to land any minute, live linkage:https://www.zougla.gr/radio I'm off out!

What a fucking waste of all those guns.

She's due to land any minute, live linkage:https://www.zougla.gr/radio I'm off out!

Police fired tear gas as angry protesters clashed with officers in Athens as thousands rallied in the Greek capital in protest against German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit. Merkel is in Athens for austerity talks with the country's Prime Minister.

­Angry protesters picked stones from the cracked pavement and hurled them at police, who responded with tear gas, pepper spray and stun grenades. AFP estimated that at least 25,000 people turned out to express their anger at Greece’s austerity policies

Cop uses woman as human shield