All of Greece is shocked by the cowardly and brutal murder of the 22-year-old AEK fan by hooligans of Dinamo Zagreb and their Panathinaikos friends outside the new stadium in Nea Philadelphia, Athens.
At the spot where the young fan Michael was murdered, supporters of the Athens club left scarves and candles that form the initial letter of his name.
Michael, from Elefsina, was stabbed multiple times and succumbed to his injuries, although the "Red Cross" hospital doctors fought hard to keep him alive.
Πόσες φορές "Ποτέ Ξανά ";
Πως βρέθηκαν 100+ κουκουλοφόροι στο κέντρο της Φιλαδέλφειας;
Κι άλλο παιδί νεκρό. Ο Μιχάλης. Και άλλη μία οικογένεια που καταστρέφεται από μία χώρα σίχαμα.#Νέα_Φιλαδέλφεια pic.twitter.com/7lq8ZXyvas— In Greedy End (@ingreedyend) August 8, 2023
Arrests and injuries
Eight more people were injured in the violent incidents, including a 17-year-old. In particular, three Greeks and five Croats were hospitalised.
According to Proto Thema, 96 arrests were made, and those arrested were taken to GADA (the General Police Directorate of Attica).
The movement ban and the group of Croatians from Zagreb
Hooligans of Dinamo Zagreb, who, despite the ban on the movement of fans decided by UEFA, arrived from Zagreb to the Greek capital.
@AEK_FC_OFFICIAL #aekfc pic.twitter.com/ljWuNUAQ7x
— Petros_Eut (@Petros_Eut) August 7, 2023
Huge questions are raised by the fact that the group of Croatian hooligans crossed the entire national road and reached Attica without the cars being stopped at any point by the police forces who knew about the ban on the organised movement of fans.
Many reports on social media claim that together with the Dinamo Zagreb hooligans, there were also Panathinaikos fans who attacked the fans of the "yellow and black" who were at the OPAP Arena.
Για όποιον έχει αμφιβολία από ποιον στήθηκε το σημερινό έχει μόνο να ακούσει προσεκτικά τον ήχο... ντροπή #Νέα Φιλαδέλφεια #aekfc pic.twitter.com/o2Xym4J10T
— GREEN HARDEN 13 (@james__harden13) August 7, 2023
Strong security forces arrived at the scene and suppressed the incidents. At the same time, they arrested 96 people involved. They were taken to police station and questioned to identify the perpetrator of the stabbing and clarify the case details of the crime.
Those arrested are expected to be taken to the prosecutor.
In light of the tragic news of the death of the fan, it is unknown if the organising authority and police will allow the football match to take place today.
The horrific events began late on Monday night when Dinamo Zagreb fans, who had driven in cars from the Croatian capital, ended up in Nea Philadelphia. The situation did not take long to get out of hand, as around 200 people were trampling anyone there in the square of "Agia Sophia-OPAP Arena."
The hooligans attempted to enter the stadium, whose doors were closed. Terrified people closed their shops around the OPAP Arena to protect themselves from the wild fights.
The Dinamo fans and their PAO friends quickly arrived outside the stadium and, at around 11:00 PM attacked AEK fans. A fierce fight broke out with Molotov cocktails, bats and other objects.
In the meantime, the training of the two teams had finished at the OPAP Arena, and the Dinamo delegation went to the hotel with a police escort. At the same time, the AEK officials locked the stadium, but many fans ended up in the cafes in the area.
