Aristotle University professor apologizes for ‘fascist’ comment
Professor Yiannis Tzifopoulos on Thursday apologized for comments that those in positions of power should act along “fascist” lines.
In a statement on Thursday, Tzifopoulos, who on Tuesday resigned as deputy rector of Thessaloniki’s Aristotle University over the incident, said he had used the phrase metaphorically.
“The phrase, which was taken out of context, referred to the indiscriminate application of the law,” he said.
During an interview with Dion TV in July, an excerpt of which emerged on YouTube, Tzifopoulos said, “If you go overboard you should get a slap across the face and calm down, which is what happens in all serious countries across the world such as Germany, Canada and Australia.”
Authorities at Aristotle University warned on Thursday that repeated sit-ins by protesting students are harming the institution’s operations.
“If the situation continues, the AUT will have to face… exactly those problems which will in the future be the cause of protest by the same groups, and then naturally by the rest of the students,” an official statement from the university said, adding that the problems were caused by a small minority of students.
