The next step

It seemed inconceivable just a few months ago that law enforcement authorities would be able to intervene at university campuses - even to respond to blatantly illegal activities, but Greek universities are no longer no-go zones for the police.

Normalcy, however, cannot return to academic life when the situation is so volatile that a constant police presence is required in the vicinity. The government now needs to take the next step. It needs to sit down with the country's rectors and give them assurances that their campuses belong to the academic community.

Some system of monitoring who is on university campuses at any given time is one way of dealing with the issue.