Lawlessness becoming routine as anarchists ramp up attacks
The sense that anti-establishment groups and self-styled anarchists are acting with impunity in the Greek capital was on full display yet again on Wednesday after fresh incidents at Athens University, the Athens Court of Appeals and the Embassy of Brazil.
In the first instance a group of what were believed to be far-left students interrupted a meeting in the Chemistry Department of the University of Athens between students, professors and five Greek academics from universities abroad.
The intruders hurled insults at those present at the meeting and threatened them, saying, “No matter where you hide, we will find you, even if you meet in a hotel conference hall, we will find you.”
At almost the same time, a group of about 30 self-styled anarchists barged into the Athens Court of Appeals and went to the seventh floor, where they scattered fliers expressing solidarity with Spyros Christodoulou, a jailed robber with suspected ties to urban guerrilla groups, who has been on a hunger strike for more than a month.
Police said they detained 14 suspects in connection with the incident who they later released. Two of those detained had been accused of terrorism-related crimes in the past.
Meanwhile, suspected members of the Rouvikonas anti-establishment group entered the building housing the Brazilian Embassy in Athens. They went to the third floor, where the embassy is based, and defaced the entrance with paint.
The group said it carried out the attack to protest the extradition by Brazilian authorities – after almost four decades on the run – to Italy of Cesare Battisti, a former left-wing guerrilla fighter wanted in Italy over four murders in the late 1970s.
It was the fourth attack this week by the group – after incidents targeting the Swiss Embassy, the Manpower human resources management firm and a Leroy Merlin DIY store.
On Tuesday, a group of self-styled anarchists targeted the Russian Consulate in Athens, raising a large banner outside the premises with slogans expressing solidarity with Russian anarchists.
They also threw fliers into the grounds of the consulate.
