In September and October 2024, multiple reports and supporting evidence emerged regarding the alleged use of excessive force by police officers against students during the “Researchers’ Night” event held at the National Technical University of Athens on 27 September 2024 (as reported by outlets including Εfsyn, omniatv, The Press Project, LiFO, Ναftemporiki).
According to EfSyn, during the opening remarks of Rector Ioannis Chatzigeorgiou, members of the National Union of Research and Higher Education Workers staged a protest to voice concerns over low wages and inadequate insurance coverage for research staff. At that point, police officers reportedly intervened with the use of force against the demonstrators.
The police operation resulted in 22 detentions, 11 of which were converted into arrests.
The National Union of Research and Higher Education Workers stated that the intervention occurred without provocation, while members were peacefully expressing their concerns in a building filled with researchers, students, and school pupils. Among those arrested was a member of the union’s executive board.
It is also worth noting that, during his address at the event, Rector Ioannis Chatzigeorgiou reportedly made remarks directed at the protesters, asserting that the university “belongs to us, not to you,” and later referred to them as “incompatible grafts, (μη συμβατά μοσχεύματα)”.
According to the official statement issued by the Hellenic Police on 27 September 2024, the intervention during the “Researchers’ Night” event at the National Technical University of Athens was prompted by a request from the university authorities. The police reported that security measures had been taken around the venue to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. Shortly after the event began, individuals allegedly entered the building and engaged in verbal aggression and object-throwing toward invited guests. In response, the university administration contacted the police, who then entered the premises, escorted the guests to safety, and proceeded with 22 detentions
According to the University, the intervention was deemed necessary by the Rector after a group of individuals entered the main auditorium of the Averof building and disrupted the official proceedings. Referring to similar incidents during the previous year’s event, and involving the same groups, the statement condemned unlawful actions within the university premises, such as vandalism, and affirmed that it would seek the appropriate assistance from state authorities when necessary to address such incidents.
In a state governed by the rule of law, the actions and operations of police authorities must adhere to key legal principles, including the principles of legality and proportionality, the prohibition of abusive exercise of police power, and the respect and protection of human rights. The responsibilities of police authorities and the standards of conduct they must uphold while performing their duties are set out, among other things, in Presidential Decrees 538/1989, 141/1991, and 254/2004.
Although law enforcement has the authority to use force in order to uphold the law and protect human rights, this does not mean that any use of preventive or repressive force is lawful. On the contrary, arbitrary use of force and actions exceeding lawful limits pose a serious risk to democratic governance. In view of the above, it must be underlined that, in the present case, the conduct of the police authorities raises concerns regarding a potential breach of the legal boundaries of police action, and therefore warrants investigation by the competent oversight bodies.
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