At least three people were injured after student groups clashed with petrol bombs and axes at the main Athens University campus in the eastern Zografou district of the Greek capital. More than 50 people wearing hoods and motorcycle helmets attacked other students who were holding a political meeting on the campus.
Police said the clashes involved the centre-left PASOK party and far-left students, according to state television channel ERT. Two people suffered burns from a petrol bomb attack, and another was injured in the leg by an axe. All three were taken to Gennimatas Hospital in Athens for treatment, where their injuries were found to be non-life-threatening. No arrests have been made as yet.
Witness accounts of the attack
A student from the physics department said she saw one person get hit in the face with a Molotov cocktail and another attacked with an axe. She told Protothema: "Some people came in and threw Molotov cocktails, hitting a first-year student in the face. They also came with an axe and struck another student, cutting open his leg."
She added: "Fortunately, they did not hit him properly, because he could have lost his leg. From what I understand, it had something to do with organising an occupation ahead of the Polytechnic anniversary." This refers to the anniversary of the 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising, in which students went on strike, barricaded themselves inside the campus, and set up an improvised pirate radio station to call the people of Athens to rise up.
Investigation and context
Another witness told the outlet that attackers chased after a first-year student and threw a Molotov cocktail at him. They said: "They chased a first-year student and threw a Molotov cocktail at him. People grabbed a fire extinguisher to help prevent him from being burned." Footage seen by the outlet showed a student's jacket almost completely destroyed by fire following the attack.
The meeting was reportedly held to discuss the students being removed from university registers, which has sparked protests across Greece. It is believed that the attackers entered the university through gaps in the campus perimeter, as access via vehicles had been restricted. The university said it is in close contact with police as an investigation is under way to identify those responsible.
