Greece: Racist attacks continue plaguing Athens

the recent days repeated racist attacks take place in various neighbourhoods of Athens.

• Last night (September 16), 2 Afghan immigrants were attacked outside their home. When they saw a group of thugs approaching, scared they tried to run away but did not manage to escape. The gangs attacked them leaving one stabbed! The victim suffered two wounds, one next to the heart and another one just below. One person was arrested but the rest of the fascist gangs escaped and continued their attacks at St. Panteleimonas square beating up another Afghan. St Panteleimonas neighbourhood is one of the areas with large immigrant population in Athens and has become a point of reference for violent racist attacks. Immigrants are constantly experiencing verbal and physical abuses by the extreme far-right faction “Chrisi Avgi” (Golden Dawn)

• An organized illegal persecution, also, against Pakistani immigrants took place in Aspropyrgos (a working class area of Athens). More than twenty four were left wounded and transferred to Evangelismos hospital.

• On 15th of September, Kouvelou squat in Maroussi (northern suburb of Athens) was hit by arson in the middle of the night, at around 3 am on September 14th. The roof collapsed and four rooms destroyed.

• Last Saturday, 10th of September, in the same area, around 40 right wing thugs with bats and other weapons gathered on late afternoon close to the suburban train station. They stopped a public bus, held it for 15 minutes and attacked 4 immigrants that were on it. Then, they invaded at least ten houses and destroyed immigrants’ property.  Around 11pm, at the house of Sampir Hussein, the same fascist gang went to the extend of drawing guns. Two people that were at home were shot – the bullet passed close to the shoulder of one.Just outside the Aspropyrgos Police Station the same gang broke the car of a Pakistani immigrant who went there to report the attack at his house! The head of the local police said that the officers searched for the attackers, but did not find anyone!

• Moreover, last Sunday, September 11 attacks unleashed again in St. Panteleimon leaving ten Afghans wounded.

• On Thursday, September 8, a group of far-right thugs attacked Pakistani immigrants in the area around Village Park in Rendi. Around 16:30 they got on the bus 703, forced a group of Pakistani immigrants to get off the bus and beat them up.

• According to witnesses of residents and immigrants, similar attacks took place also throughout the month of August by fascist groups of 15-20 people leaving dozens of Pakistani immigrants wounded.

• In the area of Aghioi Anargyroi, ten days ago, they stabbed one immigrant from Bangladesh and attempted to set fire to a place of worship.