On 14 December 2023, complaints, articles and audiovisual material were published in the press regarding the use of excessive police violence and the use of chemicals by riot police against municipal employees during their protest at the Ministry of Interior in order to satisfy their labour demands (indicatively:1, 2, 3).
According to these reports, on the aforementioned date, people working in the Local Government Associations, i.e. the municipalities and regions, held a protest march together with health and education officials, with the final destination being the Ministry of Interior, which is responsible for the working conditions of local government workers. When the march arrived at the site, representatives of the workers asked to be allowed to enter the ministry to present their demands to the Minister of Interior, Niki Kerameus. However, police forces used violence against the demonstrator(s), with some people being hit with batons on the head and body.
According to an Efsyn report, riot police did not stop even when one of the workers ended up on the ground and tried to cover his head to protect himself from the blows. A report by the MEGA TV station, which also published a video of the police violence against the demonstrators, reported that participants in the march tried to prevent their colleagues from being beaten and were subjected to chemical attack.
In a state governed by the rule of law, the action and functioning of the police authorities must be governed by certain principles, including the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of abuse of police power and the respect for and protection of human rights.
The powers of the police authorities and the conduct to be displayed by them in the exercise of their duties are regulated, inter alia, by Presidential Decrees 538/1989, 141/1991 and 254/2004. Although the Police may use force in order to enforce the law and protect human rights, this does not mean that all use of preventive or repressive force by the police is lawful.
On the contrary, the arbitrary use of the power to use force and police action in excess of the legal limits is a dangerous phenomenon for a democracy. In view of the above, it should be noted that in the case in question the behaviour of the police authorities (use of force and chemicals) seems, according to reports and allegations, to go beyond the legal limits of police action.
Bank Account number: 1100 0232 0016 560
IBAN: GR56 0140 1100 1100 0232 0016 560
BIC: CRBAGRAA
In a time where the very foundations of democracy are gradually being eroded by the rise of extreme nationalism, alt-right movements, the spread of disinformation and corporate capture, the efforts of organisations such as Vouliwatch are more relevant than ever.
We rely on the generosity of each and every one of you to continue with our efforts for more transparency and accounta
By financially supporting Vouliwatch you support our litigation strategy, our campaigns for transparency and accountability in the political system, the development of new civic tech tools, our research projects and last but not least our impartial and accurate
