Reporting: Makis Synodinos

A major police operation has been underway since early Monday morning for the case of the murderous attack against the 31-year-old police officer Giorgos Lyggeridis by a flare in Rentis.

According to secure information, so far more than 50 people have been brought inwhile in the context of the preliminary investigation many of them have already turned into arrests.

ELAS investigations continue, as well the case file, which, in addition to the murderous attack against the police officer, also concerns incidents of fan violencereports more than 150 people.

Those arrested are expected to be brought before the prosecutor to be charged.

Giorgos Lyggeridis had lost his life after being hit by a naval flare in the leg at the end of Decemberduring incidents at the Rentis indoor stadium, in a volleyball match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos.

He fought for 20 days to keep alive, but did not succeed.

The announcement of EL.AS

“It has been in full swing since the early hours of the morning today large-scale operation of the Sub-Directorate for Combating Violence in Sports Venues of the Attica Security Directorate for the arrest of individuals involved in the incident of fatal injury to a police officer on 7/12/2023 at a sports event in Renti. So far, dozens of people have been brought in, as well as a large number of searches in homes and vehicles, while various items of evidence have been seized. A newer update will follow.”

Question from PASOK

On April 10, the PASOK MPs Nadia Giannakopoulou and Milena Apostolaki had submitted a question to the Parliament requesting information on the progress of the investigations to identify and arrest all those involved in the murderous attack against Lyggeridis, but also on the actions taken by EL.AS. to tackle hooligan gangs and their links with organized crime.

The question to the Ministers of Citizen Protection and Justice, Michalis Chrysochoidis and George Floridis stated:

“Almost four months have passed since the death of the 31-year-old deputy warden of Y.A.T., Giorgos Lyggeridis during incidents outside the closed gym “Melina Merkouri” in Rentis.

In the days that followed the injury and the tragic death of the unfortunate policeman, we saw reports about an upcoming major operation by the Hellenic Police, for the arrest of a core of cruel hooligans, who armed the hand of the perpetrator of the murderous attack on Deputy Chief Constable Lyggeridis” and adds: “At the same time, your predecessor stated that: “the arrest of all those involved in his murder, at every level, is the minimum tribute to his memory and the due response to the Greek society’s demand for justice” while the Prime Minister himself, in a public statement, had pledged that “the punishment of the murderers of Rentis and the eradication of violence are now a question of honor”. While we all remember the then Minister of Citizen Protection, accompanied by the Minister of Sports, coming to the Areopagus to file a voluminous file with evidence from all the cases related to sports violence and corruption.

But even recently there were reports, where they reproduced EL.AS leaks., that dozens of arrests of suspects for fan violence and incitement to fan violence are imminent.

Under these conditions, Mrs. Giannakopoulou and Apostolaki ask the ministers:

1) “What is the progress of the investigations for the identification and arrest of all those involved in the murderous attack against the deputy constable Lyggeridis?”

2) What actions has EL.AS taken? to deal with hooligan gangs and their links with organized crime?

3) What are the actions of the Justice to utilize the information that the Ministers had submitted to the Supreme Court?”