The Greek police apprehended a Polish citizen for whom a European arrest warrant for drug trafficking has been issued. The Polish citizen was apprehended during a police raid last night in the region around the administrative building of Athens University, which is under occupation by anarchists for the 16th consecutive day.
A total of 21 people were detained last night and 15 of them, including ten Greeks, two Algerians, two Afghans and the Pole, were subsequently arrested. All of them are suspected of having participated in the occupation of the university building. The anarchists are demanding the release of prisoners accused of terrorism who are on hunger strike. They are members of the group "Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei", their relatives and members of the terrorist organization "17 November".
The arrest of the Polish citizen confirms the fears of the Council of Rectors that drug trafficking is taking place among the occupiers.
In a letter to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the leaders of other political parties, members of the university management warn of a mass drug use in the premises.
"It is our great concern that there might be cases of death in the university building since, according to reliable sources, addicts are using drugs while they are there. Along with this, information has appeared on the Internet that, in the otherwise respected area, there are already clashes between groups that are alien to the academic community. The alienation of the premises that are to be used for educational purposes is reaching increasingly alarming proportions."
The rectors of Greek universities have called on the authorities to take steps to end the occupation that, in their opinion, is gradually interrupting the relations of Athens University with foreign universities. At the same time, the administrative and financial services are not able to duly perform their duties.
So far, however, the occupiers have not stepped back and they are still in the university building despite last night’s arrests. They have even released a video in which they try to prove that "contrary to the propaganda on the part of the bourgeois media and rector Athanasios Dimopoulos, the occupation is guarded and has a clear political orientation, and the guard of the university building is continuously at his post."
The occupation that has been underway now for 16 consecutive days has sparked angry reactions from the opposition. In today’s message, New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras urges Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to immediately issue an order for the implementation of the existing law and for police intervention in the occupied university buildings. Similar was the reaction of the former government partner of New Democracy, PASOK.
For his part, former rector of Athens University and current MP from New Democracy Theodoros Fortsakis accused the government for the situation in the university building. In an interview with radio SKAI, Fortsakis notes that Athens University is one of the most important universities in Europe, and that, by being tolerant, the government is stimulating the occupiers continuously to increase their demands.
In an interview with Vima FM radio, the former rector said, "If we cut off the water, electricity and wireless internet the occupiers will leave the building within one - two days."
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