Seven Croats were arrested in the afternoon at the borders of Evzones, trying to escape from Greece through the border post after the bloody incidents in New Philadelphia that led to the death of Michalis, the 29-year-old AEK fan.

In fact, according to SKAI information, knives and bats were found in the van they were traveling in, that is, the seven Croats belonged to the convoy of at least 120 Dinamo Zagreb hooligans that arrived in Athens, despite UEFA’s ban on the movement of fans.

In total, for the incidents and the murder of Michalis Katsouris, it was announced that 98 people had been arrested, i.e. 105 have been arrested so far, while other Croatian hooligans are being sought.

At the moment, three Greeks, 48, 47 and 26 years old, are being treated at the Red Cross after the incidents with sixth-risk chest injuries, and a 37-year-old Croatian with multiple injuries has been admitted to the First Surgery with a fractured ulna and a head injury.

New facts are coming to light regarding her arrival of the Croatian hooligans of Dinamo Zagreb in Greece. As revealed by SKAI, the Greek authorities had been informed in writing that dangerous organized fans were arriving in Athenswith specific vehicle registration plates.

According to SKAI reporter Christos Nikolaidis, the two-page document arrived on Monday at 9 am at the ELAS headquarters. With this document, the Montenegrin police informs ELAS that they crossed the borders of their country bound for Athens, “risky fans” as he calls them, that is “dangerous sports fans”.

“They are believed to be traveling to Greece to watch the AEK-Dinamo match” it is pointed out.

“Dear colleagues on August 7, 2023 between 03:00 midnight and 06:00 in the morning from the border station Bozai, on the way out to Montenegro Montenegrin police officers checked citizens of the Republic of Croatia – about 120 young people – who we guess they travel with destination Greece to watch him football match AEK – Dinamo Zagreb. This group left Montenegro with the following vehicles.” it is noted in the information of the Montenegrin authorities.

It is typical that in this brand not only the information and the number of people are listedbut also the brands of the cars they were riding in as well as their license plates. It is noted that a person dealing with the case reported to SKAI that “the only thing we didn’t know is what shoe size they wear.”

🇭🇷 🇬🇷 The distance from Zagreb to Athens is about 1,500 kilometers, so at least 1/3 of the route is on Greek soil.

The Croatian hooligans of Dinamo Zagreb arrived unmolested in New Philadelphia, despite the relative ban on… pic.twitter.com/jy2hrVArN2

— Sotiris Charalambopoulos (@s_charal) August 7, 2023

ELAS’s first announcement in detail

Regarding an incident of a fight between fans of A.E.K. and Dinamo Zagreb, which resulted in the fatal injury of one person and the injury of eight others, the following is clarified:

Yesterday evening, Monday, August 7, 2023, a group of approximately 100-120 Dinamo Zagreb fans, together with their Greek fans-associates, were in Perissos. AEK fans were gathered in the wider area. Incidents followed between the fans of the two teams, who threw flares, improvised incendiary devices, objects, stones, and also used improvised bats.

The episodes took place an hour and a half after the training was completed of the visiting team and its departure from the stadium, as well as the players, accompanied by police officers.

Strong police forces rushed to the scenewhich quelled the fight, while quickly immobilizing and arresting a total of 98 people involved in the incidents.

The Attica Security Directorate is conducting a preliminary investigationwhile the investigation to identify additional perpetrators and any other aspect of the case continues intensively.

The second announcement of the Minister of Citizen Protection

“First of all, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the relatives of the deceased. Of a young child, who lost his life unjustifiably, don’t say a word.

Sport is not a place of violence and sportsmanship should not be tarnished by fandom. Unfortunately, despite the great effort made, especially after the murder of Alkis Kampanos, we have not yet succeeded in defeating fan violence. We will persist in this direction, more systematically and more intensively. But, obviously, we need much more, at every level: sporting, educational, educational, political and more broadly social. It is the time of cooperation and effort, not of conflict and confrontation which offer nothing: they do not reveal, they do not give solutions, but rather they obscure and cover up the problem. A profound, radical and pan-European problem, since in this case followers from various states are involved, who have set up international networks of violence and are active in many countries.

The Government and the competent authorities, led by the Hellenic Football Association, are taking all the necessary measures and are in constant consultation with every involved body, as the holding of important UEFA matches on Greek soil is pending in the coming hours and days.

As for the fact of Dinamo Zagreb fans crossing the Greek border, their journey inside Greece and their eventual arrival at the scene of the incidents, I will not mince my words. The event is inadmissible and unacceptable, as it is clearly below the capabilities and proven ability of the Hellenic Police, which, although it proceeded quickly to bring in and arrest 98 people, failed in the area of ​​prevention and deterrence.

For this I gave an order to the Chief of the Greek Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Lazaros Mavropoulosto immediately proceed with the following actions:

1. The Head of the Sub-Directorate for Combating Violence in Sports Venues to be immediately removed from his position and area of ​​responsibility and placed at the disposal of GADA.

2. To immediately remove themselves from their areas of responsibility and place themselves at the disposal of the respective Directorates, until the relevant investigation is completed, the Heads of the Ioannina Traffic Department, the 3rd Antirrio – Ioannina Highway Traffic Department, the 2nd Antirrio Highway Traffic Department – Ioannina, the 1st Motorway Traffic Department of Antirrio-Ioannina, the PATHE Motorway Traffic Department of Achaia and the PATHE Motorway Traffic Department of Corinth.

3. It goes without saying, of course, that the removals and movements, due to this particular incident, will not stop here. For this reason and, at the same time, I gave an order to the Leader of the EL.AS. for the rapid conduct and completion of an internal investigation for the full verification of the events, from the entry of the fans to Greece and thereafter, in order to identify and attribute the due responsibilities, at any level and in any form.

The investigation will be assigned today by the Chief to a Senior Officer of the Hellenic Police.

In closing, I would like to assure that there is a strong political will, so that with a lot of hard work EL.AS can meet the demands of society in the field of fan violence. But at the same time, a whole army is needed, at every level».