Police to establish discreet presence in Exarchia

The police intend to continue conducting sweeps in the downtown Athens district of Exarchia and to establish a more permanent presence there in a bid to tackle lawlessness in the area.

“Our aim is to make our presence felt without creating the impression of a neighborhood dominated by police,” a Citizens’ Protection Ministry official told Kathimerini.

Six operations have already been conducted in and around Exarchia, also a haunt of anti-establishment groups, within a week. These included stopping and searching hundreds of people and led to 17 arrests on drugs charges, migration violations and other offenses.

Authorities also plan to transfer migrants occupying buildings in Exarchia to organized centers. A total of 23 buildings in Exarchia are occupied by squatters – 12 of them by migrants.