All resources thrown into effort
The push marked the beginning of a Turkish-Greek border crisis that could have escalated dangerously, depending on Turkey’s plans, and brought the two countries to the brink of war. Police and military forces were deployed to Kastanies from across northern Greece, while buses packed with riot squads were dispatched from Athens.
“All available resources were sent to Kastanies as fast as possible – even fellow officers who were off duty rushed to help us,” says Derventlis.
Until the first batch of backup could arrive, a specially trained negotiator was sent in to speak with the angry protesters, telling them that they had to calm down so a compromise allowing them to pass into Greece could be achieved. What he was actually doing, in fact, was trying to buy some much-needed time for the Hellenic Police (ELAS) and the military to send reinforcements.
Help arrived at around noon on Saturday, amassing at so-called “ground zero,” right on the crossing and along the length of the border fence. The threat of a massive incursion had been staved off, but it had not disappeared.
Seeing the soldiers and police on the Greek side of Kastanies, the migrants split up into groups and started making their way west to the section of the fence at Nea Vyssa and north to the forest of Marasia, hoping to bypass the blockade.
“That’s when another battle broke out,” says Derventlis. “To our left, meanwhile, we had a squad of commandos brought in from Drama – as per the plan – while military patrols along the fence were increased and the riot officers were dispatched to prevent any crossings.”
The skirmishes at Kastanies lasted into the early hours of Sunday but Greece’s defenses were solid.
“They changed tactics the next day. They put the women and children first, followed by the television crews, with the younger men bringing up the rear in groups armed with stones, sticks and smoke bombs that had been supplied by the Turkish authorities, making dashes at the customs crossing, at the fence and further south. The fire service’s water cannon was right behind us at the blockade, shooting tons of water at the gathered mob. It was terrifying for them because when the temperature is below zero and you’re being soaked to the bone, all you think about is how you’re going to stay dry. That water cannon worked wonders.”
Further along, another water cannon was dousing anyone who got near the fence on the Turkish side with dyed water, which was another component of the so-called “Operation Influence.”
“It makes the enemy panic because he doesn’t know how he will be affected by the dye, but also frightened because he’s marked as having been involved in the riot,” Christos Drivas, a retired general and expert in psychological warfare, told Kathimerini.
The outcome of the battle had been determined from the moment that reinforcements arrived and carried on
the work of the first line of defense; nevertheless, the skirmishes continued for several days, especially along the river.
‘They put the women and children first, followed by the television crews, with the younger men bringing up the rear’
The local community
Behind the official front line of defense, another powerful preventive force started to muster from the very beginning of the border crisis. Local men and women, as well as children and seniors, stepped forward at the first sign of trouble, displaying incredible heroism, and playing a crucial role in propping up the border’s defenses.
Farmers in tractors patrolled the river night after night, reporting any suspicious activities to the authorities. At the Evros Delta, fishermen and hunters patrolled little-known passages, while local women distributed food to the soldiers and police officers and sewed and distributed masks to guard against the coronavirus, while the elderly helped collect money, as help arrived from across Greece.
While a handful of incidents of extreme behavior were reported, by no means did they define the overall response from the community.