Protesters were on hand at the re-opening of the British Museum in London calling for the return the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.

A woman dressed as a Caryatid and a man dressed as Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, who stole the Ancient Greek treasures and brought them to the UK, stood quietly as people lined up to visit the museum, which has been closed since March.

Greece is stepping up efforts for the permanent return of the Parthenon sculptures to Athens prior to 2021’s 200th anniversary of 1821 Greek War of Independence.

“The Parthenon sculptures exhibited in the British Museum are the product of theft,” Greek Culture and Sports Minister Lina Mendoni said in a recent interview, calling their repatriation a “national priority.”

“The current Greek government, like any Greek government, is not going to stop claiming the stolen sculptures which the British Museum, contrary to any moral principle, continues to hold illegally,” Mendoni said.