NGOs urge action against racist attacks
Not enough is being done to combat racist violence in Greece, including that carried out by police, members of 23 organizations involved in the Network for Recording Incidents of Racist Violence said on Tuesday as they presented their latest figures for attacks on migrants.
?We call on the state to show zero tolerance to offenses of this kind,? said Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, head of the UNHCR?s office in Greece. ?Charges have been filed in only a few cases. The state is doing less than it should be.?
The network recorded 87 racist attacks between January and September this year in Athens, Piraeus and Patra. In 50 of those incidents, the vicitims suffered serious bodily harm. In 30 cases, they sustained light injuries.
A variety of weapons, including broken bottles, knives, clubs and chains, were used in the attacks. Some victims said their assailants had used large dogs to attack them. Most of the attacks recorded occurred in the Athens districts of Omonia, Aghios Panteleimonas, Attiki Square and Amerikis Square.
Activists noted that in 15 of the cases recorded, victims accused police officers of using violence against them.
The organizations noted that the list of racist attacks was far from comprehensive. The victims are from a range of countries that include Aghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Somalia.NGOs urge action against racist attacksNGOs urge action against racist attacks
