Minister visits police HQ to address attacks
Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis visited Hellenic Police (ELAS) headquarters in central Athens on Tuesday to meet with its leadership and discuss its response to a recent spate of attacks against police targets.
According to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), Chrysochoidis’ visit was prompted by the recent firebombing of a patrol car in the eastern Athens suburb of Zografou on Sunday night and an attack on the nearby precinct of Kaisariani earlier in the day. No one was injured in either assault.
It also comes in the wake of reports that self-styled anarchists were stopping motorists on Monday night in the Zografou area – near ELAS’ Attica Operations Department – and asking them to show some ID, in an apparent attempt to ascertain whether they were off-duty police officers.
These incidents of assault and harassment are believed to be linked to anarchist solidarity with hunger-striking convicted terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas, whose life is hanging by a thread after more than 50 days without food and several says without water.
The ANA-MPA report said that security will be bolstered at police stations that are considered potential targets for similar attacks, with officers being supplied with shields, tear gas and other additional means of protection.
