[ad_1]
ATHENS — Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis was attacked in central Athens late on Friday, struggling a damaged nostril, cuts and bruises.
The assault, which his get together DiEM25 described as a “brazen fascist assault,” happened whereas Varoufakis was eating within the central Exarchia district with get together members from throughout Europe.
“A small group of thugs stormed the place shouting aggressively, falsely accusing him of signing off on Greece’s bailouts with the troika [the country’s bailout creditors],” DiEM25 stated in an announcement. “Varoufakis stood as much as speak to them, however they instantly responded with violence, savagely beating him whereas filming the scene.”
Politicians from throughout the political spectrum swiftly condemned the assault in Varoufakis, the motorbike-riding, leather-jacket-wearing politician who turned well-known because the nation’s finance minister in 2015.
As a part of the left-wing Syriza-led Greek authorities, Varoufakis battled the so-called troika and Europe-imposed austerity. Whereas the Greek administration ultimately capitulated and signed a bailout settlement, Varoufakis stop authorities and based a cross-border far-left political motion, DiEM25.
“They weren’t anarchists, leftists, communists or members of any motion,” Varoufakis stated in a tweet early Saturday. “Thugs for rent they had been (and seemed it), who clumsily invoked the lie that I bought out to the troika. We will not allow them to divide us.”
The Exarchia neighborhood has a popularity for being a bastion of self-styled anarchists. Varoufakis was publicly harassed in 2015 whereas eating in the identical district on the top of the monetary disaster.
Greek Minister of Citizen Safety Takis Theodorikakos stated police would take all measures to establish and arrest the perpetrators of Friday’s assault. He famous that the DiEM25 chief, “at his personal initiative, was not accompanied by his private police element” whereas on the restaurant.
Greece has been hit by the largest mass demonstrations for the reason that eurozone disaster in current days, as Greeks have taken to the streets virtually every day to protest the nation’s deadliest prepare crash, ramping up stress on the conservative New Democracy authorities forward of coming elections. The wave of public rage follows a prepare collision on February 28 that killed 57 individuals and raised profound questions in regards to the administration of the rail system.
The prepare crash has additionally sparked deeper questions in regards to the functioning of the Greek state and contemporary anger in opposition to the political system.
“Allow us to please keep targeted: We’re mourning the 57 victims of rail privatization. We help the spontaneous youth rallies, the best hope that Greece can change. See you on the demonstrations,” Varoufakis tweeted, as one other huge rally is scheduled for Sunday.
[ad_2]
Source link
