Twelve arrested during squat raids

Three buildings evacuated in coordinated operations in center of capital

A coordinated operation to clear out three squats in central Athens resulted in the arrest of 12 people, police said yesterday.

The operation started early yesterday morning and was prompted after evacuation requests were filed by the owners of two of the buildings in the central districts of Exarchia and Koukaki.

All 12 suspects were detained during the raid on the Matrozou Street squat in Koukaki in a building owned by Evangelismos Hospital.

The raids in Exarchia were at a building on Zaimi Street owned by the ESIEA journalists’ union and another property on Kallidromiou Street.

The latter building had been evacuated last November following a police raid, but it was reoccupied by self-styled anarchists just six days later.

During the November operation, police found Molotov cocktails and other evidence to suggest that the Kallidromiou Street squat was being used by selfstyled anarchists as a base from which to stage attacks against police in the area.

Moreover, among the four people arrested in the November raid was a 43-year-old who had been linked in the past to the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire urban terror group.

According to reports, prosecuting authorities have informed Athens Police Headquarters (GADA) that they will no longer allow the deferment of orders to evacuate occupied buildings. At the moment, there are more than 10 pending orders for such evacuations.