Dawn attack against police seen as retaliation for jailed self-styled anarchist
On Wednesday a group of self-styled anarchists launched a dawn raid on riot police in the Exarchia district of Athens and detonated an incendiary device at the entrance to the apartment building where New Democracy MP Babis Papadimitriou lives.
The attack was claimed to be in solidarity with imprisoned self-styled anarchist Yannis Michaelides, who is on hunger strike. He became known as the “Toxovolos tou Syntagmatos” (Archer of the Constitution) when he attacked the Parliament building during the February 2011 riots using a bow and arrow.
He is serving a prison sentence for armed bank robbery and attempted manslaughter during a scuffle with police officers in Pefki, northern Athens.
Since the beginning of the year he has been seeking his conditional release after serving one third of the 20-year prison sentence. He has been on hunger strike for 45 days, following two decisions which rejected his release requests.
