In a move to address escalating protests against Israel on Greek college campuses, authorities have decided to deport nine foreign students from the United Kingdom and European Union member states. The students, detained after participating in a pro-Palestinian solidarity rally at Athens Law School on May 14, are now facing expulsion.
The rally saw 28 individuals arrested on charges ranging from disturbing public order and damaging property to trespassing and possessing prohibited items like weapons or flares. Of those detained, nine non-Greek nationals were deemed "unwanted aliens" who pose threats to public safety and national security, prompting deportation proceedings.
Lawyers representing the detained students plan to legally challenge the deportations at an upcoming trial. They contend the right of free movement for EU citizens encompasses political activism like supporting Palestine – not just tourism and investment. The nine face deportation currently remain held at the Amygdaleza detention facility.
In a statement to Al Jazeera, the detainees decried the deportations as an excessive punishment for the "crime" of being present at a university campus. They criticized Greek authorities for overreacting given the broader context of protesting what they view as genocide.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of the New Democracy party has made clear the government will not allow university protests over Israel's actions in Gaza. His administration rescinded a prior law in 2019 that had prohibited security forces from entering university grounds – a safeguard instituted after the violent 1973 military crackdown on student protesters.
While Greece's government has moved toward closer alignment with Israel after historically pro-Palestinian leanings, the country has witnessed many protests reflecting growing support for the Palestinian side of the conflict among its youth.
