Some 8,000 policemen were deployed in downtown Athens but also many policemen in plainclothes. Based on their looks they looked as if they were protesters. There are reports that also policewomen in plainclothes took part in the operation on Saturday.

According to mainstream website enikos.gr, group of 20 people wearing hoodies passed without a problem through a riot police squad that was supposed to cordon the area and moved further to several streets in Exarchia.