The incident was brought to public attention by lawyer Anny Paparousou on social media, who criticised what she described as a disgraceful act of repression that aligns with the Greek government’s official pro-Israel stance. According to her, the charges brought against the four individuals include “unlawful violence with racist motivation.”

Paparousou also pointed out the inconsistency in how such charges are applied, highlighting that racist motives were not recognised in the case of Zak Kostopoulos’ fatal lynching – despite clear indications of bias. She called this selective application of justice deeply troubling.

The incident reportedly began when one of the young people shouted “Free Palestine” at a group of Israeli tourists. After the tourists retorted arrogantly, boasting about their wealth, they called the police. The authorities not only detained the person who made the comment, but also arrested three of his friends who had gone to the police station to support him.

According to Paparousou, all four were held in custody and brought before the Athens Misdemeanours Court the following day. The hearing was postponed until 10 June, and the defendants were released in the meantime.

She also noted that “even the court seemed taken aback by the charges, which appeared to be perfectly in line with Zionist propaganda.” In closing, Paparousou said:

“Today, both the police and judicial system appear ready to adopt a narrative pushed by Trump-era and far-right European governments – one that labels calls for justice and dignity for Palestine as antisemitism.”

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