Protesting students clashed with riot police at the campus of Athens University in Zografou suburb on Monday evening. Riot police was deployed in the area to protect the so-called “campus police” from protesting students.
According to media reports and posts on social media, riot police attacked the students, firing tear gas, flash grenades and sound flares. The other side claims that students attacked police with stones.
Μικρό ένταση τώρα στην πύλη ουλοφ Πάλμε #antireport pic.twitter.com/lqWpPMjXPB
— nikos christofakis (@ChristofakisN) September 5, 2022
Υπάρχει ένταση στην Πανεπιστημιούπολη. #ΕΚΠΑ #antireport pic.twitter.com/4Vxj2BoP7x
— idiotypos (@idiotypos) September 5, 2022
On Monday, the controversial “campus police” was deployed for the first time at universities.
Members of the newly established police corps wear green and blue uniforms, green caps, they carry handcuffs and truncheons. They are supposed to begin patrols in the campus on Monday evening.
However, they did not manage to enter the campus in Zografou as protesting students had lined up at the main entrance and inside the campus.
❗️Οι εργαζόμενοι και οι καθηγητές του ΕΜΠ μαζι με τους φοιτητές εκλεισαν την πύλη του Πολυτεχνείου αφήνοντας απέξω την πανεπιστημιακή αστυνομία!
❗️ Στο κενό θα πέσει η επιχείρηση επιβολής της Πανεπιστημιακής Αστυνομίας #foitites_ksana pic.twitter.com/VNw15hn5OG— Μάνος Αναστασίου (@manast90) September 5, 2022
The campus police stood outside, with the riot police close by.
Clashes continue as this post is being written.
Student organizations call for new protests at the campus early Tuesday morning.
In the coming days, the new police corps will be deployed also in other universities of the Greek capital as well as in Thessaloniki.
The police was originally scheduled to assume duties in June.
The idea had sparked protests and objections also by academics. However, the government insisted claiming the protection of universities from damages, especially by person that have nothing to do with the universities.
And what happens if a student is attacked and there’s no security there to help? I understand the historical and political reasons why having police or security on campus is frowned upon, but if my child was attacked and no one was allowed to be there to help protect them, I’d consider these protesters to be just as guilty for allowing that to happen.
as juvenile violence has reached records in the country, there are more chances your child is attacked and also robbed on the street and in the school.