Eight injured in alleged far-right attack on communist youth members in Patras – 12 arrested

An alleged organised far-right attack against a schoolgirl and members of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) left eight people injured in Patras, western Greece, on Tuesday night, November 3.

The incident took place in the Neapoli-Zarouchleika neighbourhood, where the schoolgirl, a member of KNE and the Patras Students’ Coordinating Committee, had reportedly been subjected to repeated threats and verbal abuse over several days.

According to the allegations, a group had been gathering in a small square outside her home during the evening, threatening and insulting her.

On Tuesday night, when the alleged harassment resumed, fellow school pupils and university students intervened, asking those gathered outside the house to stop their behaviour.

They were then reportedly violently attacked by a group of approximately 40 far-right extremists.

Eight people were injured, two of them more seriously after being struck on the head and other parts of their bodies.

According to reports, the attackers used motorcycle helmets and knuckledusters. Some allegedly arrived in cars, leaving their engines running before joining the assault.

The injured were taken to Agios Andreas Hospital, where they remained until the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident was also raised in the Greek Parliament by Nikos Karathanasopoulos, parliamentary spokesman for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

Karathanasopoulos called on the government, particularly the ministers responsible for public order and justice, to condemn both the attack and the police statement issued afterwards.

He described the police announcement as “a provocation”, accusing the government of “whitewashing the fascists”.

Twelve arrests following the attack

Police launched an investigation following a complaint filed by the schoolgirl.

Officers from the Patras Immediate Response Unit, the DIAS motorcycle patrol unit and the local Criminal Investigation Department located a vehicle carrying four suspects.

A search of the vehicle uncovered a Tokarev pistol with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition, a plastic imitation knuckleduster, a full-face balaclava, a helmet and a small quantity of cannabis.

Police also arrested the eight people who had been taken to hospital, on charges relating to involvement in a brawl and causing dangerous bodily harm.

The four suspects found in the vehicle are expected to appear before the Achaia public prosecutor, while police investigations continue to identify other individuals allegedly involved in the incident.

The arrests of the injured individuals have prompted strong criticism from KKE and KNE, which argue that the authorities are treating the alleged victims and perpetrators as equally responsible.

Patras municipality condemns the attack

In a statement, the Municipality of Patras condemned what it described as a violent, targeted attack by a group of far-right extremists against the schoolgirl and those who came to her defence.

“The Patras municipal administration condemns the murderous attack by a group of fascists who targeted an activist schoolgirl, a member of the Patras Students’ Coordinating Committee, on Tuesday night in Zarouchleika,” the statement said.

The municipality alleged that the attackers used knuckledusters and knives against members of the schoolgirl’s family and friends who had gathered to protect her.

It added that the incident followed repeated attempts to intimidate the student.

The municipality also announced a protest rally at Taraboura Square at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, organised by local groups in response to the attack.

Communist Youth condemns ‘organised, murderous attack’

In a strongly worded statement, the Central Council Press Office of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) condemned what it described as an organised attack involving far-right extremists, hired enforcers, knives and knuckledusters.

The organisation said the schoolgirl had been deliberately targeted because of her political and student activism, while university students who came to her defence were also assaulted.

KNE accused the attackers of employing tactics reminiscent of the assault squads of Golden Dawn, the Greek neo-Nazi organisation whose leadership was convicted of running a criminal organisation.

According to KNE, eight members of KKE and KNE were injured and taken to hospital, although all were subsequently reported to be in good health.

The organisation said the attackers fled following the intervention of communist activists and local residents, while four alleged far-right assailants were arrested.

KNE strongly criticised the subsequent arrests of injured communist activists.

“Instead of arresting and prosecuting the fascists who organised and carried out the murderous attack, another attempt is being made to equate the victims with the perpetrators and present an organised fascist attack as a supposed ‘brawl’ between two sides,” the statement said.

The organisation accused the authorities of attempting to intimidate student activists and argued that the attack was linked to the growing mobilisation of school and university students.

It also highlighted the timing of the incident, which occurred two days before nationwide student demonstrations scheduled for November 5.

According to KNE, the schoolgirl and elected university student representatives were targeted because of their prominent involvement in student campaigns.

The organisation called for all prosecutions against six KKE and KNE members involved in the incident to be dropped, and demanded the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.

“We will not allow fascist groups to raise their heads,” KNE declared, calling for stronger mobilisation against far-right violence.

It urged students and supporters to participate in the November 5 demonstrations, saying that organised action by workers, school pupils and university students was essential to confronting far-right groups.