Fan violence in Greece
Police officer hit by flare is dead
December 27, 2023, 2:38 p.m
Greek sport has a problem with violence; games between major clubs continue to escalate, regardless of the sport. At the beginning of December, a police officer was seriously injured during a volleyball game. Almost three weeks later, the 31-year-old is dead.
A Greek police officer who was injured during a volleyball game in early December has succumbed to his injuries. This was announced by the treating hospital in Athens. The 31-year-old was hit in the leg by a flare and seriously injured an artery on December 7th during the duel between arch-rivals Olympiakos Piraeus and Panathinaikos Athens. The game was then canceled.
An 18-year-old remains in custody. The judiciary has so far investigated an “attempted homicide” against the teenager, but it remains to be seen whether the accusation will change. He is said to have confessed shortly afterwards that he had fired the flare, Greek radio reported a few days after the events.
The incident caused a stir in Greece and prompted the government to allow all football championship games to take place behind closed doors until February 12, 2024. League President Evangelos Marinakis then announced his resignation and clearly and “unambiguously” criticized the repeated excesses of violence. The referees also went on strike out of concern for their safety.
According to the government, high-resolution cameras and electronic access systems will also be installed in all stadiums to verify the identity of fans. “For many years, criminals posing as fans have committed serious crimes and caused serious injuries and deaths,” Marinakis said.
Greek sport, especially football, has had a problem with violence for years. The background is also disputes between shipping companies and other entrepreneurs who own the most important teams. The media accuse the team owners of complicity in the riots because they do not have a moderating influence on the supporters. The police also discovered that the rioters had connections with criminal organizations.