Brutal Police operation against refugees in Patras port

The last years thousands of refugees are trying to escape greece from patras, mostly hiding in or under the trucks loaded in the ships to Italy. Last months the number of homeless refugees increased due to the more strict port and border police checks in patras and in Italy and also because of the increasing number of deportations to greece from western europe (see Dublin conv).

The police operation is well organized. It started 3 days ago when police made some arrests in the port and published a leaflet in 5 languages, where they threaten the refugees to leave patras by their own means. Today 23/1 started the operation of dismantling the unofficial refugee camp in patras' coast.

The municipality and the prefecture of Patras (elected with the Socialist Party PASOK), the media and local businessmen were pressing for this action for long time, and the operation (called in greek "sweeping" operation )took part a few days before the patra's carnival, the biggest carnival in Greece.

There is a newly formed solidarity group in patras and also some leftist and anarchist groups who are taking some action now. Also a group from Diktyo (Network for Social Support to Refugees and Migrants) is now on the road to Patras.


A small video from the self organised refugee camp in Patra that was taken, when the police was in the camp. You can find it @ :: youtube