On 13 July 2025, the March to Gaza Greece page published a complaint alleging that “the police attacked” demonstrators during an intervention aimed at protesting the Greek government’s policy which, according to the post, allows Israeli soldiers to spend their leave in Greece “in the midst of a genocide.”
According to the post, the police allegedly “attacked an electric railway train full of passengers, causing injuries,” and subsequently “proceeded to detain passers‑by and individuals participating in the intervention at nearby metro stations.” One of the detentions reportedly resulted in an arrest.
In a state governed by the rule of law, the actions and operations of police authorities must adhere to certain principles, including the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of abusive exercise of police powers, and the respect and protection of human rights. The powers of the police and the conduct required during the performance of their duties are regulated, among others, by Presidential Decrees 538/1989, 141/1991 and 254/2004.
Although the police may use force when necessary to enforce the law and protect human rights, this does not mean that any preventive or repressive use of force is lawful. On the contrary, arbitrary or excessive use of force and actions that exceed legal limits constitute a serious concern for any democracy.
Given the above, the incident described raises questions regarding compliance with the legal framework governing the lawful operation of ELAS, particularly with respect to preventing excessive or arbitrary force against civilians — an issue that must be investigated by the competent state authorities and the judiciary.
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