Police brutality against protesting student in Thessaloniki

February 23, 2021

Greek police on Monday stripped a protesting student, forced him to lie on the ground, stepped on his chest and then tear gassed him. The footage below was taken at the campus of the University of Thessaloniki on Monday afternoon, where students gathered to protest the new Education law allowing presence of police at campuses and to demand “safe reopening of universities.”

At least four riot policemen drag the student and when they leave him on the ground they spray him with tear gas at a very close distance.

They did not allow anyone to offer assistance.

Police pushed back anyone trying to help or journalists trying to do their job claiming that they hinder the arrest.

According to local media, several students were injured and some detained.

Police intervened after the Rector of the University informed prosecuting authorities that the campus was under occupation.

Opposition parties SYRIZA< KKE and MeRA25 condemned the “raw violence” and described it as “government’s antidemocratic derail.”

In a statement the Greek police said when it intervened there were 30 people inside the building who caused damages. They were detained.

“Outside there were 150 people who threw paint and other items at the police,” the statement said further adding that it made limited use of teat gas.

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However, the statement did not waste a single word on the excessive use of force to the one single student.

PS what is interesting is that when similar scenes come from neighboring Turkey, Greek Mainstream media are aghast about the brutality of Erdogan’s regime. I don’t remember to have watched the footage above on TV screens tonight, though.

Published at www.keeptalkinggreece.com