Greek prosecutors have officially charged 40 individuals linked to the tragic stabbing of a football fan in Athens prior to a Champions League match. This brings the total number of people charged to 70, as an additional 30 indictments were made on the first day of the investigation. The violent clashes occurred between extremist supporters of Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb and AEK Athens in the Greek capital.
Regrettably, a 29-year-old man named Michalis Katsouris lost his life as a result of the brawl. Consequently, UEFA decided to postpone the third-round qualifier between the two teams until August 19th. The police have made approximately 100 arrests, with the majority being associated with Dinamo’s extremist “Bad Blue Boys” supporters.
In response to the tragic incident, the Greek minister for citizen protection, Yannis Oikonomou, took action by suspending seven police officers for their failure to ensure adequate security measures. This incident has shocked the country, which has witnessed numerous instances of violence during football matches.
Notably, last year a teenager named Alkis Kampanos was fatally stabbed during a fight between supporters of rival clubs Aris Thessaloniki and PAOK in the city of Thessaloniki. This prompted the government to increase the maximum sentence for fan violence to five years from six months. Recently, seven defendants were found guilty of Kampanos’s murder and received life sentences, while five others were imprisoned for their involvement.
Following this week’s tragedy, police have strengthened border security measures. Both AEK and Dinamo supporters have been banned from traveling abroad for the upcoming matches between the two teams. Furthermore, Romanian fans were apprehended at the Greek-Bulgarian border carrying knives en route to an Europa League qualifier. They received suspended prison terms and fines.
It is important to emphasize the severity of these incidents and the urgent need for measures to prevent further violence in football.
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