As stated in a complaint, on Saturday 17/9 in the afternoon, a demonstration was called by the student and university community and political collectives in the centre of Athens to protest police violence at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki the previous day (Friday) during a concert. As soon as the march started on Panepistimiou Street, police forces reportedly attacked without any reason, using flash bangs, tear gas and water cannons, resulting in the injury of demonstrators. Panagiotis Antoniou, a councillor of Agia Paraskevi and a lawyer, with his lawyer’s identity card in his hand, addressed police officers protesting against the unacceptable police violence. He was allegedly hit in the face by a police officer in response. (For more details, see the record of excessive police violence compiled by “The Manifold“).
In a state governed by the rule of law, the police authorities must be governed by certain principles, including the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of the 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 performance of their duties are regulated, inter alia, by Decree 141/1991 and Decree 254/2004.
Although the police may use force to enforce the law, 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 legal limits is a dangerous phenomenon for a democracy.
As stated in the 18-9-2022 complaint, when the lawyer and municipal councillor, Mr. Antoniou addressed police officers to protest against the unacceptable police violence used in the context of a demonstration, a police officer hit him in the face, which seems to go beyond the legal limits of the use of force.
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