Thousands of university students have marched in Athens and the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki to oppose an education reform Bill that would increase the policing of campuses.

About 5,000 protesters, most of them wearing masks due to the coronavirus pandemic, took to the streets of central Athens in a largely peaceful march on Thursday, while roughly 1,000 people demonstrated in Thessaloniki.

Greece’s centre-right government has scrapped a decades-old ban on police entering university grounds, arguing the measure had been frequently exploited to organise violent protests and even criminal activity.

The government plans to set up a campus police division and to limit entrance to universities to students, academic staff, employees and guests.

The draft Bill, which lawmakers are expected to vote on next week, would also amend the requirements to attend universities and set time limits for completing degree courses.

Students have staged weekly protests against the reforms, despite restrictions on mass gatherings that are part of the Greek government’s efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.