Officers from the Delta Police Department in Thessaloniki allegedly assaulted and arrested the father of a three-month-old infant in front of his child, according to eyewitnesses. The incident unfolded in a park near the Thessaloniki Labour Centre, where a group of seven people, including the infant’s parents, were sitting when police arrived for a random check. The father reportedly asked officers not to touch his baby due to the infant's low immunity, which he said was still underdeveloped.

According to video footage shared on Infolibre.gr, officers can be seen striking the father in the head as he held his baby close to his mother in a carrier. Another citizen, who reportedly protested the police’s behaviour, was also detained and allegedly assaulted.

Eyewitnesses described the arrival of 5-6 DELTA motorbikes in the park, with officers announcing an apparent drug check. No drugs were found on anyone in the group, according to those present. When the father voiced concern over officers handling his baby, police allegedly twisted his arm behind his back and forced him onto a bench. The father, wincing in pain, reportedly asked officers to stop, at which point one officer punched him in the head in front of his partner and child.

A detailed statement from a witness read:

“Around eleven o’clock on Monday, a group of seven people, including the parents of a three-month-old baby, was sitting near the Labour Centre when DELTA officers arrived. Without provocation, the officers announced a drug search, though we were not in possession of any illegal substances.”

The witness went on to explain that when the father asked officers not to touch his child due to the baby’s low immunity, police allegedly restrained him, twisted his arm, and seated him on a bench. Despite remaining compliant, he was reportedly struck in the head when he expressed discomfort.

The police then detained a second person from the group who protested the treatment, reportedly throwing him to the ground and kicking him before taking him to the police station. Both individuals were charged with “resisting authority.”

The witness said that bystanders and children playing in the park watched the incident unfold, with many expressing support for the detained individuals and voicing opposition to the officers’ actions.

The witness also described the DELTA unit as “operating like a gang,” adding: “Their actions displayed a brazen abuse of power, with officers even striking the baby’s mother when she attempted to record the incident.”

The witnesses raised concerns over the behaviour of DELTA units, which some describe as operating with a lack of accountability. Witnesses questioned why an innocent request from a concerned father regarding his baby’s health led to such violence, calling for greater oversight and accountability for police conduct in public spaces.

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