Immigrants attacked by national team fans after last victory

National Football Team wins, fascist violence is on the rise

By Khaled Taher & Dimitris Aggelidis

The qualification of Greece to the ’16’ of the World Cup already had its victims, namely, some clueless immigrants.

Dozens of ‘fans’ of the national team took once again to terrorize the streets in the aftermath of the game with Ivory Coast Tuesday night last week, spilling their hate against anyone whose colour does not match those of their ‘aryan’ race.

According to what an immigrant-victim said to ‘Ef.Syn’, Koliatsou Square was turned into a racist violence terrain last Tuesday. The attacks went unnoticed by the media or the police which was absent, although it is not uncommon for racist calamities to be caused during national team fans’ ‘celebrations’.

A. from Bagladesh (‘Ef.Syn’ in disposal of his full details) lives in Greece for the last 6 years and declares his support for Greece in the World Cup. About one o’clock last Tuesday night, he finished work at a restaurant in Kypseli and was on his way home celebrating when he was attacked.

The testimony

Going down Fokionos Negri st. I could see people celebrating. I started clapping and laughing, the mood was terrific. I walked to America Square and then waited for the trolley. I suddenly saw some lads across the street. They were holding flags and moved towards the Africans, who were sitting at the square, and started kicking them and punching them. Then they came around my way. I was scarred and run towards Drosopoulou st.. After ten minutes, I thought there was no danger any longer and that the celebration must be over. I went down to the trolley stop, but it was delayed due to the celebrations. It must have been one thirty when lads with flags appeared from every corner. I was impressed about their age – they weren’t young. They would beat up anyone whose colour was black or like mine, they didn’t care whether it was a man or a woman. Someone came from behind me, pulled my bag and started hitting my face. I pushed him and run away. I saw more of them coming from behind, but I was lucky because the trolley came and I jumped on it. They kept chasing after me and swearing. From the trolley I could see cells of 10-15 lads beating up immigrants in a few corners in Koliatsou Sq. I simply cannot understand why they are doing this. I consider Greece my home, I live and work here for six years. I know the players of the national team by heart and I was hoping it would win. However, they treated me like an animal. For the next match, I will have to take a cab. I will have to spend half a day’s worth of money to return home.

[…] The police stated it would intensify its presence. Regarding last Tuesday’s attacks, the laconic as much as cynical response was that no relevant allegations were made.

Article translated from ‘Ef.Syn’ newspaper, 30 June 2014. Available online at: http://www.efsyn.gr/?p=211752