The anti-austerity pro-government demonstration in down town Athens attracted tens of thousands, who rallied on Syntagma Square against the “creditor blackmail”, on occasion of the critical Eurogroup in Brussels.

The central message of the demonstrators was to allow Greece to catch a “breath of dignity” and followed a similar pro-government demonstration last week, which saw 8,000 fill Syntagma Square.

Demonstrators also protested in Thessaloniki, Chania, Iraklio, Ierapetra, Patra, Lamia, Volos, Kastoria, Rethymno, Kalymnos, Lesvos, Kavala, Syros and elsewhere. Similar protests were also carried out in European cities in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Great Britain and Belgium.

The government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis commented that despite the cold weather and the snow, the Greek people are helping birth a new “movement in the squares” and support the government efforts against poverty and unemployment. He added that “hope has driven fear away”.