The situation in the western Greek port city of Patras is still tense after incidents on Tuesday evening in the port area, where a 29-year-old Greek man was murdered by three undocumented Afghan illegal immigrants. Yesterday evening just after 9pm outside the abandoned Piraikis-Patraikis factory, where many migrants had sought refuge, fresh incidents occurred when a group of individuals with their faces covered in helmets and scarves demanded that the migrants be sent out of the city and began to throw Molotov bombs and other objects at police, who in turn launched tear gas canisters. The situation was chaotic.
The assembled citizens who amounted to more than one hundred, held a black cloth and shouted slogans for 30-year-old Thanasis Lazanias, who violently died last Saturday. “We are gathered for the young man who lost his life and do not want to get involved in something different. His memory will be vindicated when the last immigrant leaves town,” said a representative of the crowd.
Meanwhile, after the first incidents on Tuesday, the undocumented immigrants inside the plant were transferred to Athens. Mayor Giannis Dimaras has called the situation ”explosive,” while Lefteris Ikonomou, Minister for Citizens Protection, warned that no one would be allowed to replace the work of the police and perform their duties concerning dealing with criminality and protecting citizens.
According to Patras officers, about 350 members of the Golden Dawn Neo-Nazi organization had taken part in the events attacking the illegal immigrants, as a response to the Greek man’s slaughter.
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