Athens mayor bemoans anarchist activity

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis on Friday expressed concern about a recent spike in illegal activities by self-styled anarchists and hit out at the government for failing to curb the phenomenon, accusing it of “surrendering Athens to a wretched minority who aim to become a state within a state.”

Kaminis’s comments came a few hours after hooded youths lobbed dozens of homemade firebombs at police in the downtown district of Exarchia, leading to the injury of an officer.

According to police sources, the recent demolition of a squat in the area has angered anarchists. However, Kaminis also took issue with the government over another occupied building, on Prassa Street, where hundreds of migrants have found refuge.

Municipal authorities have taken legal action against the occupation of the building, pointing to the involvement of self-styled anarchists, but the government has not intervened. In fact, Kaminis said, the government reconnected the squat’s water supply earlier this week.

The mayor also condemned the government over a series of incidents this week involving anarchists, including the forced cancellation of an open-air movie screening at the National Archaeological Museum. “So what if there were nearly 1,000 spectators? Ten or 20 people confirmed their dominion of the area and of course the police were nowhere to be seen,” Kaminis said.