University administration condemns attack on student

The administration of the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) on Thursday issued a statement roundly condemning an attack on campus earlier this week that appears to have been ideologically driven.

It added that the administration has conducted an investigation into Tuesday’s incident and sent its findings to the relevant law enforcement authorities.

“We are determined to pursue every legal action to secure for our students and every member of the AUEB community the conditions for returning to normalcy – in every respect,” the statement said.

The statement refers to an attack against a 20-year-old student at the AUEB campus on Tuesday, which may have been connected to his role as a member of the Panhellenic Independent Student Movement (PANKS), a group describing itself as liberal.

Odysseas Vlahonikolos told Kathimerini in comments that he believes the assailants were part of a group of self-styled anarchists active on the campus. 

Another member of PANKS, who claims to have witnessed the attack, said the assailants lambasted Vlahonikolos for speaking publicly in favor of a university police force earlier this year.

Vlahonikolos says he was punched and kicked by three youths as he left the university after attending a lecture on Tuesday afternoon.

A police investigation into the incident is under way.