Skip to content or view screen version

Anarchists attack police station in Greece

from imc athens | 27.12.2004 22:11 | Social Struggles

The police station sustained heavy damages after the attack, which was an answer to the racist and brutal behaviour, the cops of this police station, displayed on Afghan refugees during the past weeks .

Some 100 anarchists wearing hoods and helmets attacked the St. Panteleimonas police station in Athens. The rioters used stones, bricks, crowbars, flares and Molotov cocktails causing heavy damages to the entrance as well as the interior of the police station. According to eye witnesses the police started firing their handguns when they feared the anarchists would take over the police station. Two cops were lightly wounded. As the crowd retreated, 5 police cars where destroyed. Hours later a 29-year-old builder was arrested and a small axe was found on him, he was severely beaten sustaining a broken nose and a broken ankle. He is now facing felony charges.

The strike which was very well organised and successful even though the police station was on high alert the past few days expecting a probable attack. It was a direct action against police brutality. Non-governmental organisations had earlier accused police from the same precinct station of torturing Afghan immigrants.

Human-rights activists said last Tuesday that police raiding an Athens hostel carried out mock executions on Afghan immigrants, with one officer allegedly sticking a gun in a teenager's mouth.

"At least 30 immigrants were very seriously maltreated by police, who even carried out simulated executions on them, placing weapons against their heads and necks," Maria Kali, who works for a rehabilitation centre for torture victims, said.

Police said on Monday, following the broadcast of a television documentary highlighting the allegations, that they would investigate reports that officers had beaten Afghan and Iranian immigrants.

The program, shown by the private TV channel Mega on Sunday, quoted reports from rights groups alleging that police clubbed the group of some 30 immigrants during raids last week.

Iro Varsami, a doctor with the medical charity Doctors of the World who tended 10 of the victims, said: "The number of immigrants who were tortured must be some 60, but we've found out only about 30 because others are hiding out of fear."

Greek non-governmental organisations have frequently condemned the treatment of asylum seekers and clandestine immigrants by Greek authorities.

The following links have photos of the attack as well as the tortured immigrants--the attack photos were taken by the rioters themselves so they aren’t of great quality.

 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=304642

 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=302336

from imc athens

Comments