Intolerance against immigrants is highly aggravated in Greece as reported in the 2011 2nd semester

Alert DateOctober 14, 2011 Country: Greece Address: Ano Toumpa, Thessaloniki General Type: Racist violence, Racist discourse Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Daily life
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Indian, Somali
Victims Gender Male, Female
Victims Age 26-35, 46-55
Victims Number 6
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Greek
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age 26-35
Perpetrators Number 25
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

Several racist attacks against immigrants by local residents were reported during the second semester of 2011. Incidents reported in Loutraki, Piraeus, Chania, Evia and Thessaloniki were cases of intolerance from local residents, while in the Piraeus case it was possibly an organised extremist attack.

  • Loutraki, 11.062011: 5 unknown persons with hoods assaulted a migrants' house in Loutraki causing several damages. That was the third time this incident took place and the local police hasn't found the perpetrators yet.
  • Piraeus, 17.06.2011: Two Indian citizens, working in a multinational company in Piraeus, were attacked by 5 unknown persons on their way out from their work. One of the two victims fell unconscious and he was also stolen of his passport, while the second victim managed to escape. At the same time, the far right-wing group "Chryssi Aygi" (Golden Dawn) was organising a 50-persons gathering in the same area, that leads to the possibility that the perpetrators were far-right extremists.
  • Chania, 15.07.2011: A 33-year-old Somali imigrant was attacked by a group of 10 Greeks in Chania, Crete. The victim was hit with punches and kicks, provoking several injuries. According to the Police investigation resulted, a 38-year-old Greek is one of the suspects but he wasn't arrested due to the passage of flagrant procedure. Police is searching for the other suspects.
  • Evia, 06.09.2011: A group of 4 Greeks attacked a group of immigrants in Psahna Square (Evia). The immigrants were sitting in front of the church, when one of the 4 locals approached them and verbally threatened with racist comments one of the immigrants. When the latter reacted, the perpetrator answered that "the place was his village" and attacked him.
  • Thessaloniki, 14.10.2011: A 26-year-old savagely attacked two foreigners in Upper Tuba, Thessaloniki. An Indian dentist was hospitalized with injuries on his foot and his Iranian wife, who owns a warehouse of medical supplies, bearing injuries on her neck. Both live for many years in Greece. The 26 year old offender, who previously was hospitalized in a psychiatric clinic, appeared in the store and began cursing the "filthy foreigners in Greece." The offender hit the 50-year-old Iranian woman and when he saw her 53-year-old husband, he threw him on the ground and started kicking him. Neighbours and passers-by alerted the police and the young offender was arrested.

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