Nine protesters from Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Spain, who were taken into custody during a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Athens School of Law last week, are now at risk of being deported from Greece, their lawyers revealed on Monday.
In total, 28 protesters, both Greek nationals and foreigners, were detained for occupying the building. They are accused of disrupting the functioning of a public institution and aiding in damaging foreign property, according to court records. Despite the allegations, the protesters maintain their innocence.
International Push for Arrests of Israeli and Hamas Leadership
Evidence presented included leaflets, Palestinian flags, smoke flares, gas masks, helmets, paint cans, banner poles, and a statement uploaded in Greek and English urging others to join the protest, according to the documents.
While the Greek protesters were released pending trial on May 28, the nine foreign nationals—a man and eight women aged 22 to 33—remained in custody pending an administrative decision on their deportation.
The lawyers of the foreign nationals issued a statement saying that deportation orders had been issued, preventing the defendants from attending their own trial. The lawyers, Ioanna Sioupouli and Anny Paparoussou, mentioned that their clients, who live and work in Greece, plan to appeal against the decision.
Vassilis Papadopoulos, representing a 33-year-old Spaniard, criticized the decision, calling it “arbitrary and illegal.” Since the start of Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza in October, pro-Palestinian supporters have organized several protests in Greece.
In 2019, Greece abolished legislation that prohibited police from entering universities, citing it as a cover for lawlessness. The Academic Sanctuary Law, established after a student revolt in 1973, aimed to safeguard protesting students and freedom of ideas. However, its abolition was criticized as a crackdown on democracy by opponents.
