Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Greece: Protests erupt after police shoot Roma teenager

Greece: Protests erupt after police shoot Roma teenager

The shooting comes ahead of annual protests against excessive policing methods by Greek authorities and discrimination of the Roma minority.
Violent clashes between members of the Roma community and riot police broke out in Greece's second-largest city on Monday after a 16-year-old was shot in a police chase. 

Around 1,500 protesters walked along the streets of Thessaloniki, smashing shop windows and throwing Molotov cocktails at the police, who used tear gas and stun grenades as a counter. 


Violence escalates

The Roma teenager was currently in critical condition, authorities said, after being shot in the head by a police officer in the early hours of Monday morning. 

According to state TV ERT, the boy filled up his vehicle at a petrol station near the port city of Thessaloniki and drove away without paying. A gas station employee reported the unpaid bill was €20 ($21). 

The officer who allegedly pulled the trigger was arrested and suspended from the force, authorities in Thessaloniki stated. He is scheduled to appear before a prosecutor on Tuesday on charges of attempted manslaughter. 

The authorities stated the teenager tried to ram police officers who were pursuing him on motorbikes to avoid getting arrested. 

The officer in question then fired two shots to try and stop the attack on the motorcycle he was a passenger on. 


Roma decry discrimination

While the name of the victim was not publicly shared, relatives identified him as being a member of the Roma minority. In 2021, another Roma youth was killed in a police pursuit near the port of Piraeus. 

Members of the Greek Roma community alongside human rights activists accuse Greek authorities of discriminating against the minority.

The number of Roma men who have been fatally shot or injured in the last couple of years during confrontations with police has been high. Authorities argue that in most cases, the men were allegedly seeking to evade arrest after breaking the law. 


Politicians criticize police brutality

Government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said about the shooting that "the value of a human life can never be measured by any amount of money.''

A spokesman for Greece's main opposition left-wing Syriza Party claimed that the center-right government was unable to constrain the aggressive policing methods. 

"Society can no longer tolerate this climate of fear created by extreme police brutality which, for trivial reasons, has threatened the life of an underage 16-year-old child,'' said Christos Spirtzis, the party spokesman for public order.


Annual protests mark fatal police shooting 

In 2008, police shot the 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos in Athens, triggering the most brutal riots in decades.

Annual protests mark the fatal shooting, often leading to violent clashes between protesters and riot police.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×