An arson attack on a gallery in the historical district Psirri of downtown Athens took place in the early morning hours of Easter Sunday. The small gallery Eclectica had taken a very clear and public stand against the genocide in Gaza.
The incident occurred at approximately 04:00 and was likely aimed at completely destroying the space.
However, the timely notification of the Fire Department by passersby and its immediate intervention prevented the worst.
The gallery owner links the arson attack to her public stance over the past two years, during which she had placed a message at the entrance of the gallery condemning the genocide of the Palestinians.
On social media posts, the woman stated that her massage against the genocide in Gaza had repeatedly provoked reactions, mainly from Israeli visitors.
In her posts, the gallery owner complained that she had received verbal threats in the past.
She stressed while the wider Psirri area attracts a strong presence of foreign investors and visitors from Israel.
The woman described her experience as “traumatic” linking the attack to her public statements.
She noted, she believed that the arson was a message of intimidation, and expressed her concern about the climate of tension and pressure those who express similar opinions face.
On a video showing the damage in her gallery, with the title “They will not silence me” the gallery owner wrote among others that there were “3 fireplaces with flammable material and 5 intact pieces of evidence that prove the intention of complete destruction.”
She also noted that “all the shopkeepers complain and speak bad about them, but today they told me with compassion, your opinions are for you, think of your child.”
By Tuesday, no arrests have been made.
While the arson attack was covered on social media and some news websites, it was not broadcast by TV channels, apparently because the issue is “very delicate” and linked to political taboo.
Website imerodromos.gr, however, published the news with the title: Zionist terrorism in Athens.
So, here in Toronto they are firing bullets into businesses with Jewish owners when there is no chance of harm to anyone. People have been arrested and over Passover, there were police at synagogues. There has been a law passed banning protests near religious buildings. Just saying.