Prosecutor seeks guilty verdict for anti-vaxxers over headmaster abduction

A prosecutor in the trial of 11 members of the self-proclaimed group Guardians of the Constitution accused of abducting a high school principal in December 2021 in northern Greece because he applied Covid safety regulations has recommended a guilty verdict.

“Apart from being cranks, they are are also dangerous,” the prosecutor told the Thessaloniki Court of Criminal Appeals, stating that they should be found guilty of illegal detention, forming a gang, disruption of public service, violation of measures to avoid the transmission of infectious diseases, and for some, causing bodily harm and violation of personal data (as some of the defendants filmed the incident with their mobile phone).

The headmaster “suffered humiliation,” was taken hostage in the car “under the arbitrary power of the accused,” the prosecutor said, describing their behavior as “paranoia” that continued in the court room.

According to the indictment, the defendants immobilized the headmaster as he was arriving at the school and, after handcuffing him, forcibly taking him to a police station, demanding his arrest because he upheld the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in his school at the height of the pandemic.

Describing the incident, the victim said that “10 people came to the school and surrounded me. I felt terrified.” He added, “No one apologized to me for the incident.”

The accused admitted that they were present at the incident but denied the actions attributed to them, giving their own reason for their presence at the school. Some said they showed up out of “curiosity,” other that they wanted “to requisition the school.” All defendants said they were opposed to the safety measures.

The trial continued with the speeches of the defense attorneys and the verdict is expected to follow.

The group has been described as a far-right, fringe, anti-vax group that harassed medics and citizens at vaccination centers.