The case of the young Australian man who was beaten almost to death by the bouncers of a nightclub on Myconos has shown us that the law of the night is a threat to us all.

Up until today we knew that the laws of the country are left on the thresholds of nightclubs and bars. Now we know that even out on the street people are no longer safe.

The reign of power of club bouncers is not limited to the rowdy dance floor or the outdoor parking lots that are illegally set up along streets and in public squares. Their sphere keeps expanding and the result is that a 20-year-old is now fighting for his life.

The state must respond to every case of such rampant disregard for the law wherever it appears in the country. It must wrestle the law of the night, which is trying to muscle its way into public life, into that of the law of the land.

The state must display better reflexes than those of the authorities of Myconos, where the police knew nothing about the brutal attack until it was informed by the Australian Embassy 10 hours later.