Fifteen arrests were made during the police operation held in the morning in the ground floor of a pharmacology laboratory of the AUTH, which was occupied by anti-authoritarians a few 24 hours after the evacuation of the squat at the «Shelter at the Biological».
According to police sources, the squatters resisted by throwing stones and bricks and «emptying» three fire extinguishers on the policemen, while wooden poles and two motoroles, devices that were tuned to police frequencies, were seized from the spot, as stated in a statement by the Hellenic Police.
After the end of the operation, which took place in the presence of a prosecutor, the site was handed over to the rectorial authorities of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The arrested are detained and are expected to be transferred to the prosecutor, while the preliminary investigation is carried out by the Security Directorate of Thessaloniki.
Statement by the Minister of Citizen Protection Takis Theodorikakos after the operation of the Greek Police at the occupied area of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Speaking on SKAI radio, the Minister of Citizen Protection said: «The Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Greek Police, in cooperation with the rectorial authorities of the Aristotle University, have liberated the area of the Chemistry Department that had been occupied by people from the fringe. This is a positive example. Wherever and whenever this cooperation exists, there is security and therefore freedom within the university, which is a prerequisite for its smooth operation.
Regarding the incident at the University of Economics and Business, this is blatant violence that is unequivocally condemned by all. The police will do everything they can to find the culprits, so one has to go deeper in the light of this incident Every university should have a security plan, which is the responsibility of the rectorate, there should be controlled entry and cameras and cooperation with the police when necessary.».
«There is no sanctuary of lawlessness», says the rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
«There is no sanctuary of lawlessness», said the rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Professor Nikos Papaioannou, about the police operation to end the occupation of a laboratory space, which took place early this morning.
«Academic freedom, the free expression and circulation of ideas, are protected in all areas of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, against anyone who tries to abolish or restrict them. This is the law and the laws of the Greek State are applied, because we live in a State of Law, where the fundamental rights and freedoms of the members of our university community are guaranteed and non-negotiable and are institutionally protected, as is the case for every citizen throughout the Greek territory», Papaioannou told APE-MPE.
Asked what led to the operation, the rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki explained that «after the termination of an arbitrary action that lasted 34 years, the deans of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Sciences were informed about the obstruction of the research and educational process by a group of unknown persons, who occupied a laboratory space of the Department of Pharmacy, which contains many sensitive instruments of great value as well as flammable material».
«The laboratories of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki have been equipped with taxpayers» money, so that the research results produced in them are available for the benefit of society and not to house people who wish to impose a hostage regime of violence and arbitrariness within the university", pointed out the rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
«Attempts by fringe elements, who use violence and illegal actions to undermine the operation of the University and the studies of young children, will not be tolerated. I recall that in the area of the occupation that existed for 34 years in a building of the Department of Biology, the implementation of a flagship project for the Faculty of Science, the creation of a large library that will serve thousands of students, professors and researchers began,» he stressed.
