Academic community concerned by spike in violence against educators

The academic community is growing increasingly concerned over a spike in aggressive acts against colleagues, after an Athens School of Philosophy professor was openly targeted by a group of self-professed anarchists.

Historian Maria Efthymiou, a vocal opponent of anarchist activity on university campuses, has made headlines in recent days for standing up to public criticism of her views from an anonymous group that last week publicly warned the academic to back down or risk “coming face to face with us.”

“This is a direct attack on academic freedoms, by people who may not even be students, who are violating the campus and seeking to impose their point of view with threats and force,” the Federation of University Lecturers and Researchers (POSDEP) said Monday.

Meanwhile, the senate of Thessaloniki’s Aristotle University Monday also expressed its concern about the activities of a group of some 30 unidentified individuals it says physically attacked a professor earlier this month and threatened members of the administration.