Greek students clash with police ahead of education bill vote

Greek university students clash with riot police amid tear gas during a protest as lawmakers vote on a bill which allows foreign private universities to set up branches in Greece, in Athens, March 8, 2024. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi

ATHENS (Reuters) -Greek students threw petrol bombs at police who responded with tear gas in central Athens on Friday, hours before parliament was expected to pass legislation that will allow foreign private universities to set up branches in the country.

Thousands of students have been protesting peacefully for weeks against the reform that they say will devalue degrees from public universities, but anger boiled over just as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged lawmakers to vote the bill through.