Unbelievably ridiculous! Four Greeks are being prosecuted for …racism because they shouted “Free Palestine” to Israeli tourists who on their part demonstrated power and …money.
The four Greeks are accused of illegal violence with racist motives.
Criminal prosecution for illegal violence with racist motives (!) was brought against four young men who dared to shout “Free Palestine” at Israeli tourists.
The latter reacted strongly and in the end replied “we have a lot of money”, meaning that this gives them the right to do whatever they want.
It all happened last Thursday morning, May 27, on the beach of Vouliagmeni in south-east Attica.
The tourists from Israel called the police who arrested one of the accused, who was shouting slogans against the genocide taking place in Palestine.
However, later, with the same charges – namely, illegal violence with racist motives (82A P.C.) for a slogan in favor of Palestine – the friends of the arrestee were also arrested, when they went to the Police Station where he had been transferred in order to support him.
According to the prosecution, the racist violence suffered by the tourists from Israel is that… they were forced to leave the beach when they had no obligation to.
The absurdity continued after all four were arrested and taken the next day to the Athens Single-Member Criminal Court, the composition of which made its surprise evident when it saw the charges and the case as a whole.
“Since the charges coordinated with Zionist propaganda are obvious, as a slogan in favor of a people that is disappearing day after day, counting thousands of dead children, does not contain racist characteristics. noted efimerida ton syntakton (efsyn.gr) that reported the story.
According to article 82A of the Criminal Code, a racist motive is recognized “if a crime has been committed against a victim, whose choice was made due to the characteristics of race, color, national or ethnic origin, genealogical roots, religion, disability, sexual orientation, identity or gender characteristics”. In the case of the four Greeks, however, no matter how much one tries to prove the opposite, none of this is true, as this is a slogan in favor of the people of Palestine that was not directed against the state of Israel, while at the same time there is not even a crime.
It is worth noting that the racist motive was not recognized in the trial for the lynching to death of Zak Kostopoulos, while it was more than obvious, and it is generally observed that it is clearly indistinguishable in obvious racist crimes. As it seems, however, Jacques Kostopoulos is one thing and the Israeli tourists who… “have money” are another. State mechanisms have long seemed ready to side with the narrative of Trump and far-right European governments about anti-Semitism when the demand is justice and life for Palestine, which is being torturously destroyed day by day.
The trial was postponed to June 10 and the four were released.
“This is the first time I have seen a racist charge for something that concerns a political crisis and a political expression,” Anny Paparrousou, defense attorney, told the newspaper.
“Racist motives are very specific, the law describes them one by one. In essence, it is a distortion, so that we introduce a political crisis or a political slogan within the framework of the regulation of the law on racist characteristics,” Paparrousou stressed.
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2025/06/03/grreks-arrestedfree-palestine-israeli-tourists/&media=https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/palestine.webp&description=Unbelievably ridiculous! Four Greeks are being prosecuted for ...racism because they shouted "Free Palestine" to Israeli tourists who on their){kind=link}
Shouting “Free Palestine” at Israeli tourists on a beach is not activism. It’s intimidation. It’s targeting civilians for something they have no control over just because of their nationality. In which other case would that ever be acceptable? Do Greeks get yelled at while traveling abroad for what their government does? Of course not.
As a respectful news source, I urge you to consider the real-world consequences of this slogan. Just in the past weeks, it has been used during deadly attacks:
On May 21, 2025, two Israeli embassy workers were shot in the head near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The attacker shouted “Free Palestine” after pulling the trigger.
Just two days ago, on June 1, 2025, eight people were burned and injured by Molotov cocktails during a peaceful Jewish event in Boulder, Colorado—again, by an assailant screaming “Free Palestine”.
Let that sink in: people are being killed and terrorized, while this exact slogan is shouted.
Now ask yourself—how is it justified to shout that same phrase at random Israeli tourists on a Greek beach? How does anyone know what was really said? The phrase “we have money” was taken out of context and interpreted as “entitlement.” That’s not fact that’s projection. You weren’t there. You don’t know them. You’re assuming the worst and building a narrative around it.
And worst of all, the article already decides what is or isn’t racist—before the trial even takes place. If there’s a legal case, let the court decide. That’s what justice means. Don’t become judge, jury, and activist all at once, twisting the law to suit your politics.
Yes, “Free Palestine” may have once been a political statement. But today, after so many attacks, it is no longer innocent. It has become a slogan tied to real acts of hate and violence.
If you’re truly for justice, then condemn all forms of racism—including when Israelis are targeted simply for existing.
This isn’t freedom of speech. This is harassment. This isn’t activism. This is racism. And if we don’t call it what it is, we’re part of the problem.
A typical pro Israeli gaslighting exercise which I won’t be baited into refuting point by point.. I will express my views though. The reality is that “Free Palestine” is a slogan in support of the liberation of an occupied people currently being bombed and starved to death and it’s been around for a long time since Palestine has been occupied for 75+ years. It is rightly being chanted, shouted, written and posted online all over the world as we watch in horror the atrocities being committed against Palestinians, often with the complicity of our governments and our tax dollars. Half the Gazan population are children living an apocalyptic nightmare right now. That’s what we should all be outraged about. Also, free speech matters and so I support your right to express your views but not to tell KTG what they should or should not publish, the views and opinions they should or should not hold. Here in Greece we speak out, we march, protest and take to the streets chanting slogans for causes both domestic and international. It’s part of our culture. Greeks are often offended by another Greek’s views. So what? A real democracy can handle that. I agree with KTG that the arrest and charges are absurd.
There has always been a strong support for Palestinian freedom in Greece perhaps because in our history we have been an occupied people too. Since the genocide began, Western governments are cracking down on peaceful pro Palestine actions, even arresting Jews in Germany protesting the genocide and denouncing them as anti semitic. The descendants of Nazis telling German Jews they are antisemitic must be the very definition of irony. It’s an upside down world we live in and if you feel offended by the slogan being shouted at a beach towards Israelis whose government are waging an extermination campaign then that’s your right but I believe you have your priorities wrong.
Buddy if my government was committing war crimes and someone didnt even mention my name, but shouted for the liberation of the opressed, i’d be ashamed not to shout along with them
My only criticism of the people shouting the slogan would be that they have no idea what views those particular Israeli citizens hold. Everyone is an individual with their own views.
A large percentge of the Israeli population and the wider Jewish diaspora are totally opposed to what Netanyahu and his right wing cohort are doing in Gaza. Many protest against it every day. Perhaps these Israeli tourists are among that opposition or perhaps they support Netanyahu. I don’t know and neither do those who were arrested. It would have been better if they had engaged the Israelis in a conversation rather than yelling slogans.
No sane Greek should ever support Muslims in Israel. Have you forgotten history – even recent history? Every non-Christian and non-Jewish Arab needs to be kicked out of the Holy Land. They have Mecca and Medina, and over 50 failed Islamic states to run to. Israel belongs to the Jews. If that’s a problem, then your thoughts are corrupted with the poison of envy and hatred. Jerusalem is mentioned 800 times in the Bible – not ONCE in the Quran. This is an Islamic mission of conquest, similar to that one carried out in Constantinople. They won’t succeed this time. They have no right to. Start by kicking out the women and children, for they are the seed of tomorrow’s cancer.
“your thoughts are corrupted with the poison of envy and hatred”. right especially ‘envy’ *rolling eyes*
Grateful to you for proving my point.
A senior Fatah official and Arafat ally, Salim Al-Zre’i, inadvertently admitted the other day on PA TV that the “Palestinian people” only emerged after the Ottomans left. His remark directly contradicts long-standing claims of ancient Palestinian roots going back millennia. This slip reveals the modern invention of Palestinian identity, long used as a political tool against Israel. In a time when truth is branded “Islamophobic,” such accidental honesty cuts through the historical fiction. You keep swivelling your eyes, though.
When ancient Philistines were living on the coast of Canaa, the Jews were still in Ur or were wandering in the dessert for 40 years. You could have asked Golda Meir.
Actually The Philistines settled on the coast of Canaan around the 12th century BCE, the same period the Israelites were entering Canaan, not still in Ur or wandering. So… wrong info. Also, didn’t take you for an antisemite Keeptalkinggreece but these days the truth comes out.
Try reading some history. Palestine is named after the Palestra, the Myceneans who were forced out of their land by the Sea Peoples and had to take to the sea themselves, eventually settling in what would become Palestine, circa 1200-1100 BC.
Herodotus explains much of this in his travels. During Ottoman and before that during the Byzantine Empire, Palestine was a region of Syria. The Palestra and Philistines have been their for over 3000 years, plus whatever other even earlier indiginous peoples. Whereas the Israelis? LOL
You’re sick. They don’t kick out women and children, the Israelis are killing them. United Nations voted for a shared country and all the Jews do is taking more ground and suppressing Palestinians for decades.
standing up against genozide is the duty of a decent human being
Exactly
Unless it’s not a genocide.
There were more babies born than people died in this war. Moreover, in which genocide in history the who want to kill warm the ones he wants to hurt? Or giving humanitarian aid? Let me help you. None
Amazing. What Israel is doing in Gaza is not racist, but when Palestiian supports fight back it is. There should be sanctions on Israel and a travel ban as with Russia v Ukraine. If it is not the peoples fault what their govermnment does whose fault is it? I see no difference between the slaughter and land theft being enacted by Nettanyahu and his terrorist gang and the same thing being enacted by Putin and his mob exceptt he Russians are killing far less Ukrainina women and children than the Israelis are killing Palestinian women and children. BUT, those Greeks who were expressing their opinion to the tourist should alos be in Athens expressing their views to the pro Israeli greek government. Everyone in the west is responsible for the deathly silence and lack of action against israel
Face it, everyone (except common people) is afraid of Israeli-USA punishment. They stop at nothing, and boast about it.
So what you are saying is the all the west should fall, and all of us should live under dictatorship like Iran, Russia? No thanks
People, you are insane. Its pointless to even argue with you. Wait until hamas&co comes to you doors killing your families, butchering your kids and raping your wives, sisters and daughters. Am Yisrael Chai! What you want is Jews to be killed silently or runaway scared, but as soon as Jews respond with strength and courage you start whining and complaining. You want to save children in Gaza, then go and fight hamas and other terrorists who use them as human shields. Never again! God bless Zahal fighters!
cool down, bro. same prop was published by IDF few days ago.
Tell me something, what exactly is “free Palestine “? What is the goal? Free from who? Do you want all the land called Israel to be gone? If the answer is yes, then your argument that it’s only for the people of Palestine is false. Prove me wrong!
Insanity by the populist propaganda machinery that is the “Palestinians Freedom Movement”. Conveniently the butchery and bloodbaths perpetrated under the name of “Freedom” are minimized and the support and funding world wide by liberal NGO’S of this cancer is criminal. The “Palestinians” have had dozens of offers of a country of their own with support from the U.S. and the E.U. over the last thirty years, when “Palestinian” mothers love their sons more than they hate the Jews-then they will have peace. The insidious foment of hatred of the Jews in the most liberal U.S. universities and campuses, funded by anarchist movements and aided by university socialist professors are fueling anti Semitism to a level reaching the Nazi regime of WW2. Where were the bleeding heart liberalists when Jews were being Butchered October 7? “The Palestinians” can look in the mirror and see what support for Hamas has brought them.